Contact a local mason or company that specializes in masonry or concrete walls and ask them your questions. Prices vary geographically and any guess here may be misleading.

Mark, Thanks. What type of wall would you suggest?

That question would probably best be answered by someone local. Contact a "landscape architect" to get their direction on the design, both functionally and aesthetically. This is something not to be left to someone inexperienced in sound attenuating walls.

A solid masonry wall will provide noise reduction. However, be prepared for the fact that you could spend lots of money and not get the level of noise reduction you would like, particularly if it's a wall that only goes along your property line and the road, rather than wrapping around the sides of the house. Also, if the house is two-story, the noise could be greater on the upper floor.

I started doing a little more digging. The house fronts a double lane US Hwy, single family, rural conservation designation. While the County might allow me to erect a masonry wall, it turns out the DOT has a right of way set back of 135 feet. While the house is on 4 acres, it is only about 60 to 75 feet from the road.

That's a risk I'm not willing to take. The government could come in by eminent domain and demolish the house if they wanted to widen the road. I'd be out of luck. The house predates the US Hwy system. Sucks. It's a beautiful old house. I'm going to have to pass on it.

Unfortunate, but I think you're making the right decision.

Sorry to hear that. Bet you'll find something you like even better!

Sound can be reduced by mass, resilience and absorption. Therefore outdoor sound pollution can be reduced by the mass of a masonry wall or the resiliency of a thin lightweight membrane at a fraction of the cost. These membranes are commonly used along highways for that purpose.

A resilient sheet barrier can be hung on a wood or chain link fence with a covering attachment that looks like a brick wall, a hedge or a wood fence from a distance. It can also be hung on the back side of a wooden fence or between the slats of a double sided wood fence.

If the property is taken by eminent domain you should be paid its market value. I was the foreman on a jury that increased the payment to a homeowner and we awarded a substantial increase even though the property was not in good condition.

Homechef...that's too bad. It sounds like a beauty.

On the bright side of things, learning about acoustiblok was interesting. I'll file that product away for future reference.

Before investing any money for any construction, you may want to consider consulting with an acoustical engineer to see the actual noise levels and just how high and dense any mitigation wall may have to be...

Low walls, as in the photos above, may have little practical value. As an example, look at the height and type of construction used to separate residential neighborhoods from major highway systems.