ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — The Florida Turnpike authority is spending millions of your toll dollars on local sound barriers, but WFTV found they don't block much sound.
The Florida Turnpike Enterprise is spending millions of dollars on sound barriers that don't block sound.
"It is, by far, one of the most controversial things we undertake at the Turnpike," said engineer John Post, Florida Turnpike Enterprise.
The sound barrier walls along the Turnpike in Orange County cost more than $13 million in toll collections.
"It's a lot of money, a tremendous amount of money," motorist Diane French said.
Families who live a few blocks behind them say they're useless.
"You can not have a conversation when the wind is out of the north," neighbor Coni Spencer said.
Even the Turnpike Enterprise's own training video shows how and why the walls fail.
"A noise barrier can not eliminate traffic noise; sound waves actually bend around and over the top of sound barriers," the video says.
So, the barriers can reduce some sound in and near the shadow of the wall, but that's not where most people live.
Dave Parzych, an independent sound engineer, confirmed the wall only reduces sound directly behind it.
"People further away get virtually no benefit whatsoever," he said.
"Do you understand people saying it's a waste of money?" WFTV reporter Greg Warmoth asked Post.
"Sure, I do," he said.
So, why spend $3 million a mile in each direction? Post says state and federal laws require noise barriers if traffic noise hits 66 decibels. So, millions must be spent to reduce the noise by five decibels directly behind the wall.
There are three other issues that critics have with the sound barriers: the extensive landscaping, the stamped concrete and the hand-painted birds"
"I think it looks pretty, but it's a waste of money," Motorist Clive French said.
Turnpike engineers don't have an exact cost on the birds and designs. They say it's figured into the overall costs and help keep drivers alert. They say they have to build the walls, because they don't have room to build a berm and trees; even if they did, that also would not work.
WFTV contacted U.S. Congressman John Mica's office about the federal law that mandates sound barriers. A spokesperson said he is aware that the barriers don't work for most residents and they will review WFTV's report.
WFTV
