Sound effects

Drivers on Interstate 83 in the Sparks area might have recently noticed what looks to be the start of some construction. Crews have begun work on a sound barrier, the North County News reports.

The project's start comes a decade after residents on three nearby roads petitioned state highway officials for a barrier that would reduce traffic noise, the newspaper reports. The neighborhood was eligible because the houses predate 1962, the year Interstate 83 became a system, according to the report.

An area community group opposed the wall, saying it would mar the scenic views, the paper goes on to report. Discussions led to a plan to build a barrier that looks different than other ones further south on the highway. This wall -- with a $2 million pricetag, including the cost for some drainage improvements -- is to look as though it is made of Butler stone, according to the report.

We'll soon see exactly what that means.