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Senate Advances Noise-Abatement Program to Guide Highway Sound‑Wall Policy
Summary
The Utah Senate on Jan. 25 advanced Senate Bill 52, establishing a state fund and directing the Utah Department of Transportation commission to create rules and a prioritization system for highway sound walls; the measure passed a roll call and was placed on the third‑reading calendar.
Senate President Lane Beatty told colleagues on Jan. 25 that Senate Bill 52 would create a dedicated fund and assign the Department of Transportation commission responsibility to set rules and priorities for highway sound walls.
"Basically, what this bill does is set up a fund and a responsibility for the commission through the Department of Transportation to set up rules and guidelines on how those sound walls are going to be put in and where they are gonna be put in," Beatty said on the Senate floor.
Supporters said a commission-led prioritization system would be fairer than ad hoc, locality-by-locality decisions. Senator Peterson cited national and state standards, saying projects generally must demonstrate at least a 5‑decibel reduction and often require a baseline noise level (cited in debate as about 67 dBA) to qualify.
Senators described local impacts along I‑15, I‑215 and I‑80 and noted UDOT has identified projects totaling about $8,700,000 statewide, including more than $2,000,000 in one district. Senator Black said the bill also allows private contributions to the fund and flagged a companion bill to codify current DOT policy on sound-wall procedures.
The Senate adopted the committee report and called the question on third reading. A roll call recorded 26 ayes and no nays; the chamber recorded SB 52 as passing to the third‑reading calendar.
The next formal step is third reading on the Senate calendar; appropriations to the new fund were not made on the floor and would require separate action.
