Residents Approve Sound Walls for Route 347 Stretch

The votes are in and counted. Hauppauge and Smithtown residents want sound wall barriers built along Route 347 as the highway expands to six lanes. 

New York State Department of Transportation has issued plans to construct sound barrier walls along both sides of Route 347 as part of its Safety and Mobility Improvements at the request of local residents. 

The DOT mailed out ballots to approximately 90 homeowners living in close proximity to Route 347 in late August. Homeowners were given the chance to vote by Sept. 26 on whether they wanted sound barrier walls constructed along Nesconset Bypass as the Route 347 greenway project expands the current four-lane highway to six lanes in coming months.  

"The majority voted in favor of the sound wall barriers which will be constructed," said Eileen Peter, spokeswoman for NYS DOT. 

The exact vote and the total number of the 90 homeowners who mailed in their ballots was not released.

Brooksite Drive residents who were given the same offer when the first 1-mile stretch of the Route 347 greenway project started, from Veterans Highway east to Route 111/Wheeler Road, voted against the construction of sound walls. 

The DOT's plans call for the sound walls to start at a height of approximately 12 feet near intersections, gradually growing in height up to 20-feet tall. The finished height of the wall will depend on roadside topography and any grading that is done during the construction of the Route 347 greenway project. 

Along the eastbound lanes of Route 347, sound walls will be constructed starting at the Route 111/Wheeler Road intersection and run to Sequoia Drive. A second panel of sound walls will be constructed from Sequoia Drive east to South Plaisted Avenue.

On Route 347 headed westbound, sound barrier walls will be built from approximately the  Smithtown Friendly's restaurant to Plaisted Avenue. A second section will be built from Plaisted Avenue to Route 111.  

A letter published by the DOT and sent home to local residents describes the sound walls as being "similar in texture to those constructed along the Northern State Parkway near the Wantagh State Parkway interchange." The DOT state where there is space available, shrubs and trees will be planted. 

Peters said conceptual plans or sketches for the sound barriers walls are not available, as they have yet to be designed. 

Here is a fully detailed listing of where the walls will be built, and their approximately finished height, as per the DOT. 

Area 1 - Eastbound Route 347 from Route 111 to Sequoia Drive

• From 36 Apple Tree Drive to 38 Apple Tree Drive, the wall will be approximately 16 feet high. 
• From 38 Apple Tree Drive to 42 Apple Tree Drive, the wall will be approximately 18 feet high.
• From 42 Apple Tree Drive to 46 Apple Tree Drive, the wall will be approximately 20 feet high. 
• From 46 Apple Tree Drive to 48 Apple Tree Drive, the wall will be approximately 18 feet high.
• From 48 Apple Tree Drive to 6 Sequoia Drive, the all will be approximately 16 feet high. 

Area 2 - Route 347 eastbound, from Sequoia Drive to South Plaisted Ave

• From Sequoia Drive to end of 1 Sequoia Drive property, the wall will be approximately 16 feet high. 
• From 1 Sequoia Drive to 52 Clifford Drive, the wall will be approximately 18 feet high. 
• From 52 Clifford Drive to 56 Clifford Drive, the wall will be approximately 20 feet high. 
• From 56 Clifford Drive to 58 Clifford Drive, the wall will be approximately 18 feet high
• From 58 Cliffrod Drive to South Plaisted Avenue, the wall will be approximately 16 feet high. 

Area 3 - Westbound Route 347, from Route 111 to Plaisted Avenue

• From the west end of the 12 Sherbrooke Drive property to 24 Sherbrook Drive, the wall will be approximately 16 ft. 
• From 24 Sherbrooke Drive to 30 Sherbrooke Drive, the wall will be approximately 18 feet. 
• From 30 Sherbrooke Drive to 36 Sherbrooke Drive, the wall will be approximately 20 feet. 
• From 36 Sherbrooke Drive to 64 Plaisted Avenue, the wall will be approximately 18 feet. 
• From 64 Plaisted Avenue to the end of the wall, the wall will be approximately 16 feet. 

Area 4 - Westbound Route 347, from Plaisted Avenue to commercial parking lot

• From Plaisted Avenue East to 2 Farmhouse Lane, the wall will be approximately 18 feet high
• From 2 Farmhouse Lane to 15 Yellow Top Lane, the wall will be approximately 20 feet high. 
• From 15 Yellow Top Lane to the east end of the wall, the wall will be approximately 18 feet high.