BOARDMAN — A sound wall along Interstate 680 will reduce freeway noise for many residents, but not all. Those left out are not pleased and say it would not take much to fix the problem.

Youngstown-based A.P. O’Horo, contractors for the Ohio Department of Transportation, began work in November on a $4 million noise wall that will span most of the distance on the east side of Interstate 680 from Midlothian Boulevard to just south of Mathews Road. Trees are being removed now and construction on the wall should begin within a few weeks, an ODOT spokesperson said.

A sound wall can reduce freeway noise pollution for nearby neighborhoods by as much as 10 decibels, but some residents on Tara Drive say they will enjoy little or no benefit.

“Half of the street will remain without a noise barrier because the homes on the southern portion were built after I-680 was present. For context, my house was built in 1992,” said Bill DiFrangia.

“ODOT has correctly identified an issue of excessive noise. The problem will only be solved for most of the residents impacted,” he said. “Additionally, the homes left out of the wall’s noise protection happen to be homes with the highest value against I-680 between Midlothian and U.S. Route 224.”

ODOT District 4 Spokesperson Ray Marsch said the sound barrier will be built in unconnected sections along the approximately 2.5-mile stretch.

Marsch said a 6.75-foot wall will be installed at the shoulder in two sections, starting adjacent to Tara Court and running north to a point just south of Mathews, then from just north of Mathews to Basil Avenue.

“This is unique because this offers a great, cost-effective and efficient way to reduce sound,” Marsch said. He said that putting the wall at the point closest to the origin of the noise has a better effect. “The highway here also is at a higher elevation than where the homes are, and the noise is better deflected from the barrier.”

From Basil to Midlothian, a standard wall, off the shoulder, will be built at 13 to 15 feet.

DiFrangia said the noise from what he believes is one of the busiest portions of the freeway is worsening, and residents from the neighborhood south of Tara Court would like the same consideration given to others in the county. He notes that the noise wall along state Route 11 in Austintown was initiated by residents.

“The excessive noise of motorcycles, engine retardants, ambulance routes, construction noise, street racing and engines accelerating on three to four lanes of traffic is not limited just to a portion of this neighborhood,” he said.

DiFrangia said he and some of his neighbors have been in contact with ODOT about a barrier, but with no satisfaction. He said they find it unfair that other neighborhoods in the county less affected by freeway noise have sound barriers, but their section of Tara Drive will not.

“Most of the properties closer to Midlothian were built in the 1950s, they are sold often with some being in the names of LLCs. These are also higher areas of rental properties,” he said. “Additionally, there is a noise barrier wall on I-76 east- and west-bound near Lake Milton with hardly any residences as close to the highway as Tara Drive.”

But Marsch said ODOT only installs sound barriers along freeways under very limited conditions.

“We do noise walls for two reasons,” he said. “One is if there are major changes to the highway such as adding a lane or increasing capacity where it would bring more noise. The second reason is to give noise reduction to houses and neighborhoods established before the interstate was built, and that’s what you’re seeing on this section.”

DiFrangia said he and his neighbors believe an extension of 0.61 miles — to the U.S. Route 224 entrance ramp — would solve the problem. But based on the cost of the planned noise barrier, that extension would add roughly $975,000 to the project.

In August, Marsch said of the Austintown wall, that ODOT conducted a study to determine if the area was eligible and then notified trustees of the results. Trustees gave the residents along that corridor the opportunity to vote on the project.

Marsch said he is not aware if ODOT is considering the addition DiFrangia and his neighbors have requested.