Aurora Plans New Sound Wall for Orchard Road

The city of Aurora is advancing plans to build a new sound wall along Orchard Road after more than ten years of delays. This comes as a measure to reduce vehicle noise for residents in the area. However, the precise details regarding the design remain uncertain, leading to concerns among residents, particularly about safety, the wall’s height, and the materials to be used. A meeting at Aurora City Hall allowed residents to provide feedback on the project.

City engineers have proposed constructing a wall made from noise-abatement materials on both sides of Orchard Road between Prairie Street and Indian Trail. The new design suggests wall heights between 13 and 14 feet, an increase from the current wooden wall, which ranges from 10 to 12 feet. Experts have concluded that the existing wooden wall is ineffective in noise reduction.

The designs discussed result from a sound and engineering study conducted by Thomas Engineering Group, LLC. This study involved a nearly $169,000 contract approved last February. The city plans to put the final wall design out to bid later this year, as stated by Ian Wade from the city’s engineering division. Currently, construction is scheduled to begin before the end of 2026.

Long story short, we’re on the cusp right now, said Wade. I think we’ve got a pretty good product, and we’ve got a lot of information.

Ald. Carl Franco, representing the ward where the wall will be erected, emphasized the urgency of starting the project soon. The plan involves removing the existing wall before construction begins, and officials aim to minimize the duration nearby homeowners spend without a barrier.

Thomas Engineering Group, LLC suggested three possible materials: precast concrete, linear low-density polyethylene plastic, or fiberglass composite. Each material differs in aspects like construction time, lifespan, and cost. Initially, residents preferred concrete for its durability, but later, the consensus shifted towards using linear low-density polyethylene plastic with a 16-foot height option. Concerns about the fiberglass composite were raised, as it is known to reflect rather than absorb sound.

This is kind of why we want to start it relatively soon, Franco stated, underlining the necessity of keeping up the construction momentum.

Another major topic was project financing. Some residents opposed the use of special service area property taxes for the project. The anticipated $6 million cost will receive state grants of $800,000, about $1 million from Kane County, and $600,000 from Franco’s aldermanic funds. The remaining amount will be sourced from the city’s capital improvement fund. Maintenance responsibilities for the completed wall will be shared, with Aurora handling basic maintenance and Kane County managing any major repairs.

Residents also voiced their concerns over road safety, requesting officials consider broader safety measures. Some shared accounts of vehicles veering onto their properties. Brittany Charmelo, a local resident, expressed her support for noise reduction but stressed the need for effective safety measures.

I’m happy about the sound being dampened. I’m thrilled about it, but we have got to be safe on the properties that we own, said Charmelo.