Bamboo Soundproofing to Reduce Traffic Noise

By Bamboo Grove on April 26, 2018

Traffic is an integral part of American life. Often times we are most concerned about it when we are running late and it’s not moving. Or we worry about the emissions we’re putting in the air. An often overlooked byproduct of traffic and large roadways is noise pollution. Do you live on a busy street? Does your neighbor’s teenage son like to rev his engine every time he heads out for the night? Then you’ve experienced some of the noise issues that traffic creates. However, what happens when the noise levels from a nearby interstate become so loud that residents seek help from the government to get peace of mind.

Baton Rouge, is the capital of Louisiana. That said, it has a lot of traffic. A lot of that traffic drives on I-10. Large semis, motorcycles, pickup trucks, and even Prius’ contribute to what residents find absolutely unbearable. The problem is normally remedied by the building of large concrete sound walls. The drawback of such measures is that these projects require a lot of labor, time, and money. Sen. Eddie Lambert is looking for a more natural solution to I-10’s noise problem. You guessed it, it’s bamboo. His reasoning is that a thick natural wall of bamboo would provide a cheaper alternative to a multi-million dollar soundwall.

If the bill passes, it doesn’t mean that bamboo will be planted the next day. What it will accomplish is that it require a new sound study to be done to determine the need for a wall. Work is in progress to widen the interstate and federal law requires that sound studies be conducted whenever federal money is spent. The study will determine whether there is the right of way to start planting bamboo. Also, how much bamboo will need to be planted? You have to get enough bamboo to form a worthy soundwall. It will be an interesting situation to watch. Especially since Louisiana’s climate lends naturally to the growth of bamboo.