ADOT sound tests new Loop 202 extension after complaints of excess noise

The Arizona Department of Transportation will be sound testing during rush hour morning and night this week after complaints of excess noise since the new extension was unveiled.

PHOENIX - The Arizona Department of Transportation will be sound testing during rush hour morning and night this week after complaints of excess noise since the new extension was unveiled.

The specific area being tested is right behind a neighborhood, which is where the westbound traffic hooks north in Ahwatukee.

So far, ADOT says Thursday morning's test showed the noise levels are within regulation. "The federal regulation is for 64 decibels. Our testing this morning was significantly below that, but we're going to continue testing in various places...," said Tom Herrmann, ADOT spokesperson.

This testing is being done after people living in the area complained. Stephen Whalley says his biggest frustration comes from the sound wall itself.

"When we bought the home we were told by the builder, Taylor Morrison, that the wall was going to go right across so we probably wouldn't even see the freeway, let alone hear it," said Whalley, who lives nearby.

ADOT says during construction, a section of the wall was modified, but modeling showed it would make little to no impact on noise, something Whalley disagrees with.

"Now we have this fairly big gap in the wall and it's getting noisier and nosier every day as the traffic builds up," Whalley says.

ADOT will take all of the information gathered from the two days of testing and see if the noise level is out of code. If so, they will come up with a plan to fix the problem.