Bill > SB2027

This bill allows a county or municipality to ask the state's Department of Transportation (DOT) to study highway traffic noise affecting nearby homes, but only if specific conditions are met. These conditions include that a "tree zone," which is a dense area of trees or undergrowth that would normally block sound, has been removed for reasons other than highway construction, and that there's no existing "shielding" (like a natural hill or man-made structure) or "noise barrier" (like a wall or berm built to reduce noise) already in place. If the DOT agrees to do the study, the county or municipality must pay the actual cost of the study before it can be conducted. This amendment aims to address noise issues for residents whose homes are now more exposed to highway sounds due to the removal of natural sound buffers.