If you are considering Prunus, then I'd focus my attention on a native species, Prunus caroliniana, Carolina cherry laurel. This can grow to a considerable size (much more tree-like than shrubby) but dwarf cultivars are available. I'd also consider Japanese aucuba, Aucuba japonica. Will grow in almost complete shade, very drought tolerant once established and grows rapidly. Other choices would be some of the hollies - Ilex opaca, glabra or crenata - all quite shade tolerant but slow growers. Also Leucothoe fontanesiana (also a native), Pieris japonica, Viburnum davidii, Eleaegnus pungens or one of the taller Sarcococca species. Nandina domestica and mahonia are also possibilities but both have invasive tendencies in your neck of the woods. My second suggestion is to consider a mix of suitable evergreen shrubs. A single species planting invites more disease and pest issues than does a diversified planting and diversification encourages wildlife and offers more visual interest. Wouldn't hurt to throw a few deciduous shade shrubs into the mix also - they will help with the screening (at least during the growing season) and typically offer showier flowering and often fall color as well. And there are LOTS to choose from - Itea, Clethra, Fothergilla, Disanthus, Callicarpa, Kerria, shrub dogwoods, more viburnums, hydrangeas.....etc., etc. btw, plants really do not help with muffling road noise - you need either a significant distance or a solid surface (solid wall or fence) to really accomplish that feat.

I like the blueberries. I think I'll put them on the other property line. Doesn't entirely solve my current issue, but it still helps. They're typically 3-4 feet, and tolerate a higher Ph than other blueberries. I would still like to do a raised bed for them. I could have 4-6 feet with a raised bed. I rarely drink tea, to be honest. I think you may be correct about the Viburnums. Some seem like they are tasty, but from my little bit of digging, most of those don't appear to be evergreen, however, they do work in my zone. There is V. Pragense, but I am unable to find a definitive answer if they are human edible. Some said it was, most said it was not. And even the ones that said it was edible said it was not...that tasty. Some people claimed that not even birds or deer would eat some of the Viburnum berries. It seems the further away you get from "normal" plants, the harder it is to find solid answers. I like Unedo. I think I will make a place somewhere, probably near the hedge, but not a row of them, if that makes sense. I have looked at Elaeagnus Ebbingei quite a bit. It has it's own set of issues, though. It's invasive in some states. Although, I did not see it as being invasive in mine. Additionally, it doesn't appear to fruit reliably. There is also a fairly large seed inside of it. Fortunately, it's supposed to edible as well, from my understanding. I wonder if I could plant something like Ebbingei since it will still fruit and is evergreen, and then maybe plant something like huckleberry (vaccinium ovatum, similar to a blueberry?) supposed to evergreen, but quite small, or maybe sea buckthorn (not evergreen) in front of it. Sea and Huckle are supposed to be smaller than Ebbingei, so it would not shade, and both could get sun. I'm not sure if that would work or not.

^ true I figured that before I made this thread but if can get a large pine nut variety to grow would be even better. local nurseries I'm a bit shocked at prices are like $200 a tree for ~6 foot large variety trees . eBay has various oak starter plants for only like $10 shipped. Albeit only about a foot tall but it should be fine. Eastern white pine also ebay about $10, maybe other pine varieties too, want a dense and tall pine if decide on Pine. Neighbor has a very tall pine maybe I can propigate a cutting with rooting hormone but may be too late in season for that and I read isn't commonly done (at least in terms of oak trees usually not started from a cutting but yes from grafting which I'm not going to get into and would rather buy a $10 oak starter but some Pine starters on ebay for $10 look like simply cuttings taken from a larger tree, EDIT: maybe it's not too difficult to plant pine/oak from cuttings but for $10 I might as well just buy a starter plant especially since I want to plant it ASAP). For the sidewalk, 3 fragrant white flowering trees on the ok list. Maybe a crabapple also on the other side of the driveway. And, near sidewalk but ~4 feet back on front lawn: 2 on each end, something bushy fragrant like korean spice, or something evergreen and dense, but small since powerline on one side and two existing ~30' tall trees on the other side don't want to crowd it too much. And, after removing existing stump, replacing White Birch which was in main front, was about 35 feet tall but had to be felled a few years ago due to rot, it didn't bloom and had been topped a few years prior probably incorrectly plus maybe pruned incorrectly had a hole down the top 2 feet deep with squirrel nest and tons of ants when chopped. I read these verieties are a bit fragile when it comes to pruning etc but it should be ok. I guess it makes seeds etc for wildlife to eat also. Took a while to get the above list situated. Lots to learn about trees... EDIT: ehh, looks like about only a week more until the common deadline of "Fall" planting (eventhough it's only been fall for a couple weeks) so I will probably just plant these in Spring as soon as soil temps are ok, they will be watered too so no worry they will fry. I think now even if mulched may get root frost damage. I can maybe grow stuff from seed too but will probably just buy the plants. I might buy the oak/pine now though for $10 and if dies no biggie buy another in Spring but the sidewalk trees and white paper birch will wait for Spring.

I've had good luck with winter gem boxwoods here in zone 5. Also have had green velvet without a problem with the cold. I think these are both varieties of Korean boxwood. I have lost one or two over the years to what I believe was a fungal disease, but most years they look great. I don't happen to be using them as Foundation plants but you could. I also have had no problem growing densiformis yews in partial shade. Probably a prosaic plant but it works and stays fairly small. Maybe three feet wide and two feet tall. I do use some of these as Foundation plantings. Obviously you would want to combine several different types of plants. Annabelle hydrangeas are also popular here as foundation plants in shady spots.