The AcoustaShield sound wall is being erected in four neighborhoods located along the CSX line in order to minimize noise levels from trains traveling in these areas. Hinckley, Ohio-based Great Lakes Construction Inc., which is installing the sound walls, was awarded a contract of more than $3 million from the City of Cleveland as part of the CSX sound mitigation project.

The project resulted from a settlement of a lawsuit filed by the City of Cleveland against CSX in response to residents' complaints about heavy train traffic in their neighborhoods. The project includes the installation of nearly four miles of approximately twelve-foot tall Carsonite AcoustaShield sound barriers in the affected areas. Installation is expected to be completed by November 2003.

The AcoustaSheild system is constructed of fiberglass reinforced polymer panels, which offer inherent sound absorptive properties. This design provides superior noise reduction in neighborhoods close to freeways, high-speed road traffic, or railways. The panels feature a tongue-and-groove design that makes installation easier. Based on its durable, corrosion-resistant finish, the Carsonite AcoustaSheild is also easier to maintain than sound walls made of concrete, metal, or wood. These Carsonite sound walls also significantly reduce the amount of solid waste in the environment because the barriers can be filled with ground scrap tires that are usually disposed of at landfills.

Carsonite Composites is a leading U.S. manufacturer of composite products for highway and work zone safety. Carsonite invented the first flexible highway delineator post, and now offers drivable and surface-mounted delineators, the noise-reducing AcoustaShield, highway rumble strips, surface-mounted channelizers, and the Modular Guidance System for work zones, as well as mileposts, speed bumps, street name signs, visibility enhancers, reflective sheeting, decals, signs, and other safety accessories. Carsonite Composites is a Philips group brand.