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House approves new sound-wall funding criteria adding ‘time on list’ to decibel thresholds
Summary
The Utah House passed Senate Bill 117 on Feb. 12, 1998, adding 'time on the list' to Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) sound-wall funding criteria alongside decibel thresholds; vote was 46–24. Supporters said long-term exposure justifies the change; opponents warned it could deprioritize louder areas.
The Utah House approved Senate Bill 117 on Feb. 12, 1998, changing how the Utah Department of Transportation prioritizes funding for residential sound walls. The measure adds time on the waiting list as a secondary criterion to the established decibel-level threshold; the final recorded vote was 46 yes and 24 no.
Supporters, including Representative Bordeaux, framed the change as an equity measure for neighborhoods that have waited decades for relief. Bordeaux said the amendment would allow UDOT to fund projects that "reach a certain level" by decibel and then, for the remaining list, consider time on the list as an additional factor. Representative Carnahan and others cited cases of communities that had waited many years — one area referenced had been waiting 26 years — and argued that long-term exposure can pose health and quality-of-life harms.
Opponents warned the change could elevate a long-waiting but quieter neighborhood ahead of an area with a demonstrably higher noise level. One representative voiced concern that moving away from a strictly decibel-based system risks injecting politics into project prioritization. The sponsor responded that the bill retains a tiered approach: the loudest locations (sponsor gave 75 decibels as an illustrative example during debate) would be funded first, and secondary lists would apply both decibel and waiting-time criteria.
UDOT and the commission would apply the new criteria in ranking projects; funding mechanisms and federal eligibility were discussed in committee and during floor remarks but not changed by this legislation. The bill was reported from committee with amendments and passed the House; it will return to the Senate for further action.
The House's action came amid broader transportation and appropriations discussions earlier in the session. The House adopted the committee amendment on the pink sheet under Representative Bordeaux’s name before the final vote. No specific dollar amounts or implementation dates were stated on the floor during the recorded debate.
The Speaker closed debate after summations and the House recorded the vote. The next procedural step is Senate consideration of the House-passed version.
