The proposed noise wall for MLK Blvd. east of Ironton was defeated last week with almost three-quarters of residents voting against the concept. Residents were concerned with poor routes for pedestrians, blocked views, potential for graffiti, and just the overall tackiness of the project. “I don’t want a wall in my backyard,” said resident Nikki Dove. “It just looks really trashy. It’s like building a golf ball barrier but not being able to see the golf course.” Resident Cori Focht expressed similar concerns. “I found myself thinking we would always be wondering, ‘what is going on on the other side of that wall,’” said Focht. “I’m sure, like most people in this area, we will complain about not having one in five years, but for now, I’m glad the measure didn’t pass.”
Although residents were not interested in the unpleasant and useless noise wall, some did express interest in another type of wall. “One of the things many of us in the neighborhood did ask about is providing a bullet-proof wall,” said resident Geoff Mercurio. “I can handle the sound of gun shots. It’s the gun shots I could do without.” Aside from the practical use of a bullet-proof wall in that area, residents also find the look of bullet-proof glass much more appealing. “Obviously, we could still see through the glass, so if we kept it cleaned properly, it would almost be like it wasn’t even there,” said Bryant Hardy. “It’s much less likely to get tagged, and glass won’t cause many shading issues which were of concern to most residents. Heck, maybe it will even deaden the noise a little.” Residents in the area are unsure how seriously the city will consider a bullet proof wall over a noise wall. “I know a lot of us made this request during the vote,” said Mercurio. “I figure it’s win-win. The city still gets to build a wall, and we don’t have to have bullets whizzing around our backyards.”