Construction of 134 Freeway Soundwall in Eagle Rock Approved, but Funding Still Needed

Stephanie Romero, a representative California Assemblyman Jimmy Gomez, spoke at the Eagle Rock Neighborhood Council meeting Tuesday and offered a good news/bad news scenario for a proposed soundwall along the 134 Freeway in Eagle Rock. 

The Eagle Rock area has been determined to be eligible for a soundwall, but funding for the project has not yet been secured, Romero said. 

"Eligibility and construction of the soundwall is under the purview of Caltrans, but funding however is not. That falls to Metro," Romero said. 

The project, known as the Caltrans Post-1989 Retrofit Soundwall Program, and the half-mile stretch in Eagle Rock eligible for a soundwall, is known as Soundwall Package #14. Metro, short for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, is governed by a board that includes the mayor of Los Angeles, L.A. City council members Mike Bonin and Paul Krekorian, the L.A. County Board of Supervisors and other elected officials from around the county. 

Romero said that several ERNC council members have been reaching out to her for updates on the project, and she underscored the importance of the ERNC also communicating with the Metro board. 

"While we continue to look for certain avenues to find that funding, I’m now sharing the importance of reaching out to all the folks that do have a say at that level, which would be supervisor [Gloria] Molina, also the L.A. city council members that sit on the board and have the ability to have discussions with Metro to make sure that project enters some progress."   

The soundwall was brought up with Gomez in a recent Patch Q&A in August.

"We have put a list together of all the areas that need soundwalls along freeways but were delayed because of the economic crisis," Gozez said. "A lot of it is a matter of funding and we’re working with Caltrans to make sure that we can find the funding for different projects. In fact, the Senate Pro Temp’s  office called my office to ask about which soundwall projects require funding. We haven’t finished that process but we’re still in a conversation with the Senate Pro Temp’s office and Caltrans."

Stay tuned to Patch for updates on the 134 Freeway soundwall program.