Residents of League City neighborhood along I-45 describe sleepless nights, noisy days as they wait for sound wall
“There’s nothing we can do out there,” Penny Dougherty said. “We have a pool that we rarely use. The kids don’t want to go out here — it’s too noisy.”
Residents living alongside Interstate 45 in League City’s Clear Creek Village subdivision have endured constant highway noise for decades while waiting for a promised sound barrier that has yet to materialize.
Penny and Tom Dougherty, 75 and 81 respectively, say the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) first promised a sound wall in the 1990s. The couple has collected renderings and diagrams of planned barriers that were supposed to be constructed including when highway expansion work began in 2012.
“There’s nothing we can do out there,” Penny Dougherty said. “We have a pool that we rarely use. The kids don’t want to go out here — it’s too noisy.”
Sound measurements taken at various points around the Dougherty property revealed the impact of highway noise:
- Inside their home: 44 decibels, equivalent to a quiet library
- Near the pool area: 64 decibels
- Property line: Nearly 70 decibels, comparable to constant conversation levels
The noise levels appear even more pronounced during nighttime hours, residents report.
When contacted about the delay, TxDOT officials explained the sound wall wasn’t incorporated into the I-45 expansion project due to complications with land acquisition and utilities.
However, relief may finally be coming for Clear Creek Village residents. A TxDOT representative confirmed the sound wall will move forward as a separate project, with construction expected to begin in late 2026 or early 2027.
