Public meeting on new Highway 101 interchange, sound walls

<p>State and Sonoma County transportation officials will hold a public forum March 14 to unveil construction plans for two Highway 101 projects: A new interchange at Airport Boulevard north of Santa Rosa and four sound walls along the freeway in central Windsor.</p><p>Work on the projects is set to begin in late May or early June and finish by late fall 2014.</p><p>The $26 million Airport Boulevard project calls for a new interchange with longer ramps and a wider five-lane overpass, including a turning lane, bike lanes and a sidewalk on the north side of the bridge. </p><p>About 600 trees, mostly coast redwoods, have been cut down in the area to make way for the project.</p><p>The cost for the sound walls is about $3 million. They will be built next to residences between Shiloh Road and Windsor River Road. Three will go on the east side of the highway and one on the west. The gray, textured masonry walls will be 12 to 16 feet tall, and some will be covered with vines on the highway side.</p><p>The forum is hosted by Caltrans and the county Transportation Agency and will be 5 to 7 p.m. at the Sonoma County Water Agency, 404 Aviation Blvd., Santa Rosa.</p>