Councilmember Paul Krekorian and community members recently celebrated the long-awaited completion of the sound walls along the 170 freeway running through North Hollywood, Valley Village and Valley Glen. The sound walls now run continuously for four miles from Sherman Way to the junction of the 101 freeway. The project was the culmination of 15 years of work by Krekorian, in his roles as Councilmember and Metro Board Member and previously as State Assemblymember. The completion of the project also would not have been possible without the strong support of the areas current State Assemblymember, Adrin Nazarian, who was instrumental in securing the cooperation and funding of CalTrans. Also joining in the celebration were Krekorians fellow Metro board members, County Supervisor Kathryn Barger and Metro Board Chair Ara Najarian, along with Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins.
Since the 170 Freeway first sliced through the East Valley, the neighborhoods surrounding the freeway have been pleading for sound walls to relieve them of the incessant traffic noise and the damage it causes to the quality of their lives, said Councilmember Krekorian. Throughout my time in the State Assembly and on the Council, I have been fighting for funding for these sound walls and to ensure that the entire project moved forward. Its taken 15 years, but at long last, the residents and homeowners of the East San Fernando Valley are now getting the relief they deserve.