Ohio to test Chia Pet-like sound wall

Ohio plans to test a sound barrier made out of soil and plants in an attempt to develop eco-friendly ways to muffle highway noise.

The Ohio Department of Transportation says the Green Noise Wall, to be built this fall, will span 400 feet along a westbound stretch of Interstate 70 near Columbus.

“It is like a Chia [Pet] wall — basically filling bags with dirt and seed, watering it and watching it grow up and out,” said ODOT spokesman Scott Varner. “And much like the novelty plant on the windowsill, it will take some care in the beginning and ongoing maintenance.”

Over two years, ODOT will determine how much water and maintenance the wall of vegetation will need. The department plans to look at whether the wall of plants and grass can survive Ohio’s weather and whether it can cut down on as much noise as a concrete wall, Varner said.