ASSEMBLY, No. 2494

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

INTRODUCED NOVEMBER 7, 1996

By Assemblywoman CRECCO, Assemblymen CARROLL, Garrett, Azzolina, Rooney, T. Smith, DeSopo, Augustine, Gregg, Assemblywoman Heck and Assemblyman Felice

An Act concerning noise barriers along State highways and supplementing chapter 7 of Title 27 of the Revised Statutes.

    BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

    1. Notwithstanding any law, rule or regulation to the contrary, the Department of Transportation shall use non-deciduous trees, shrubs and natural landscaping materials, except at locations that present emergency or life threatening situations, to serve as noise barriers along State highways that have been identified by acoustical studies as warranting noise mitigation measures. For those excepted situations, concrete or other construction materials may be used for noise barriers.

    2. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

    The use of non-deciduous trees, shrubs and natural landscaping materials to serve as noise barriers along State highways is intended to eliminate the intrusiveness of large concrete or wooden noise barriers erected adjacent to residential areas. The unsightly appearance of such barrier walls can be reduced by emphasizing natural vegetation as a means of noise mitigation.

    Further, any savings that may accrue by using natural vegetation for noise barriers rather than concrete or other construction materials would be a benefit to the Transportation Trust Fund.

Requires DOT to use natural vegetation as noise barriers.