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Fishers couple turns to door knocking to keep I-69 sound away

FISHERS, Ind. (WISH) – A Fishers couple is petitioning the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) to build a sound wall before an expansion project ends.

Jim and Diane DeLuca moved to a Fishers home on Packers Avenue six years ago. They bought the house despite its proximity to Interstate 69, but now they’re afraid the noise about to get worse.

“We bought four lanes, we didn’t buy six lanes,” DeLuca said. This summer, INDOT will begin to expand I-69 to three lanes on both side.

“I’m convinced something should be done,” DeLuca said.

In fact, he did do something. DeLuca and his wife went door-to-door, collecting signatures in hopes INDOT would build a sound barrier.

“I now have between 170 and 180 signatures, very easy to get,” DeLuca said. “Absolutely no one said ‘no, I don’t want to sign it.’”

WISH-TV asked INDOT if it plans to add a sound wall. Officials said they studied the area.

Results showed a sound wall needed to be built, but not in the DeLuca’s neighborhood. The wall will end before his block.

“We certainly understand that traffic has an impact on people’s quality of life, and that our construction project likely has an impact on that, and that’s why we do the noise analysis,” INDOT Information Director Nathan Riggs said.

In areas where walls will be built, INDOT officials said the cost per house is low, ranging from $7,200 to $15,700.

For DeLuca’s neighborhood, INDOT said the barrier would only benefit five structures, costing $147,400 per home.

“We want to make sure that we invest taxpayer dollars wisely,” Riggs said.

DeLuca doesn’t buy it. With the project still months away, he hopes there’s time.

“I’m just pleading to their good common sense,” DeLuca said. INDOT said work will begin on I-69 next week, and continue until next year.

In addition to DeLuca’s petition, a fellow neighbor created an online one. To view it, click here.