Rubber Roads Coming To Lynnwood

This is interesting. Remember the story a few weeks ago about I-405 neighbors wanting the state to use rubber road to reduce the noise? If you recall, the rubber road plan had a bit of a problem: "But the problem for us is it doesn't wear like normal and it comes out in chunks." Something I didn't see mentioned in the article at all however was the fact that the state is already planning to test a new version of rubber roadway on a stretch of I-5 in Everett:

In August, the state will begin testing quieter asphalt, with the test material to be used on southbound I-5 in Lynnwood while the state repaves that section of the freeway.
...
According to the state's plan, two miles of that stretch, between Interstate 405 and 44th Avenue West, should be noticeably quieter for those who live nearby and even for people driving on it.
...
The problem is past versions of the quieter asphalt haven't held up to Washington state's wet weather, cold temperatures, and, worst of all, drivers using studded tires.

[Mia] Waters [acoustics program manager for Transportation Department] said the hope is that the newer, improved surfaces will hold together longer.

I still don't have any pity for people who chose to live next to a freeway but then complain about its noise. But if some fancy new polymer rubber can lower the volume, that would of course be a good thing. Just be careful driving I-5 south through Lynnwood in a few years in case that "coming out in chunks" thing is still a problem.

(Associated Press, Seattle P-I, 06.13.2006)