Judge To Rule On C-470 Expansion Lawsuit
By Tom Mustin
HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colo. (CBS4)- Ceora Scharrer says the noise from the backyard of her Highlands Ranch home has gotten out of hand.
"You can set on the deck in the summer and you can hardly hear when you're talking to people, " she told CBS4's Tom Mustin.
Ceora is part of the Highlands Ranch Neighborhood Coalition fighting the Colorado Department of Transportation's planned $276 million expansion of C-470. The two-and-a-half-year project will add two express lanes on C-470- from Wadsworth to Interstate 25.
That's a bustling stretch of road that sees more than 100,000. The HRNC wants a wall built to combat the construction noise. They've filed a preliminary injunction to stop the project until the noise levels are verified.
"We want them to give us a wall," said Ceora.
She says the noise along the highway has already caused her property value to plummet.
"Fifty thousand to $60,000 off the asking price of these homes because everyone that comes through," said Ceora, "Is too noisy."
A 2006 CDOT study called for a noise barrier to be constructed. A more recent CDOT study found the walls weren't necessary- despite the population explosion. That contradicted the coalition's independent noise study.
Tuesday, after a 19-month battle, a judge heard the coalition's arguments at U.S. district court.
"We were stonewalled and steamrolled., and now the court has heard this case and we feel it's a decision we'll be pleased to get," said HRNC president, Carter Sales.
CDOT says the project is necessary to ease congestion in Dougco. The plan includes noise barriers - just not in certain areas.
"CDOT feels that we've followed all applicable processes, we are including a significant amount of noise walls, and we'll just see what the judge decides. " CDOT spokesman Jerome Estes told Mustin.
And as the judge deliberates, Ceora says it's time for CDOT to realize that silence is golden.
"Please CDOT, do your job and give us a wall."
CDOT says the project is already moving forward and is set to begin in the next few months. CDOT says delaying the project will cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Judge Raymond Moore says he will have a written decision on the case "in the near future."
Tom Mustin is CBS4's Weekend Anchor. He has been with CBS4 since 2002, and is always looking for great story ideas. Connect with Tom on Facebook or follow him on Twitter @TomCBS4.