Ohio Plans Giant Chia Pet to Muffle Road Noise

July 19, 2010 5:39pm by underthesea

Ohio plans to build a sound barrier on its highways—the plan: basically a giant Chia Pet to extend hundreds of feet in length. Made of soil and plants, the barrier will serve as the state's first eco-friendly attempt to muffle highway vehicle noise.

Ohio state transportation department says the 12-foot high wall—similar to a Chia Pet—will be filled by workers with water bags, soil and seeds. The plan: plant that Chia and watch it grow.

The planned wall to combat highway noise is slated to be built this fall, spanning 400 feet along a westbound stretch of Interstate 70 near Columbus, Ohio.

The state of Wisconsin tried something similar a decade and a half ago—creating a sound wall comprised of plastic forms containing soil and plants. Wisconsin removed the sound wall in 1996 when part of the created barrier collapsed—forming a new type of “Chia Pet” of spreading weeds.