SoftSound creates a quieter, more peaceful environment for Washington, DC area residents.

August 1, 2014 | Associate / Plant News

MIDLAND, Va. –

Currently being installed on the Dulles International Airport Connector Road, ground-mounted sound walls incorporate a sound-absorptive finish that is manufactured to the industry’s highest quality standards.

This summer, a 4-mile stretch of the Dulles Connector Road will become the first phase of a larger project to include absorptive sound wall containing SoftSound, a superior sound absorptive technology. Managed by the Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Transportation, this highway serves a 16-mile corridor between Route I-66 in Falls Church, Virginia and the Dulles International Airport.

Currently, work is underway on a total of 277,000 square feet of precast concrete sound wall situated on the west side of the roadway between Chain Bridge Road/Route 123 and I-66. The sound walls will mitigate noise from Dulles Connector Road traffic and the new Dulles Metrorail Silver Line extension, which is being constructed at-grade in the median and on elevated-rail flyovers.

The ground-mounted sound walls are made from precast concrete and include a sound-absorptive finish on the roadway side. Smith-Midland Corporation is currently delivering up to 4,000 square feet of precast panels to the jobsite daily. The new structure will replace a deteriorating wooden wall that weaves through several residential neighborhoods.

“The DOT wanted a new wall that was not only permanent, but that would also create a quieter environment for area residents,” said Matthew Smith, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Smith-Midland Corporation. Similar care is being taken during installation, with contractor Lane Construction erecting the structure in a manner that minimizes noise intrusion on the adjoining neighborhoods.

A proprietary material that is molded and compressed to meet the desired technical and aesthetic requirements, SoftSound combines a highly-specialized mineralized wood-chip aggregate using cement as a binder in a specific and exacting manufacturing process. Once installed, SoftSound surpasses other products for sound absorption, durability, strength, and moldability.

Produced under the industry’s most stringent quality assurance standards, SoftSound has been extensively tested to meet or exceed all state DOT requirements. SoftSound’s extensive production control program ensures consistent quality, appearance, and performance.

“By adopting a strict approach to quality, we can avoid some of the performance issues associated with other sound absorptive products,” said Moffette Tharpe, Managing Director for Easi-Set Worldwide, SoftSound’s developer and licensor, “and ensure more successful project outcomes for the long term.”

For more information please visit www.softsoundwall.com