Residents living along Kane County’s two major north-south highways have petitioned the city and county to erect barriers to protect them from noise generated by truck traffic.
But according to one alderman, their requests are not likely to be granted any time soon because the county is not interested and the city does not have the funds for such a project.
Ald. Tim Vetang, chairman of the City Council’s Transportation Committee, said Kane transportation officials have indicated they might allow some kind of barrier to go up in the county’s rights-of-way on Kirk and Randall Roads, but sponsorship and funding would have to come locally.
“We’re already committed for the next three years to spending on road reconstruction projects,” Vetang said. “This problem is a very, very expensive one to fix and we just don’t have any extra money sitting out there.”
Vetang said the city is studying a plan allowing residents along Randall Road to build their back yard fences as high as 12 feet to help block out traffic noise.
On Kirk Road, the problem is compounded because the right-of-way is filled with thick vegetation, including older trees, that the city would be reluctant to cut down, he said.