I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7429 
To amend the National Highway System Designation Act of 1995 to permit 
the construction of certain noise barriers with funds from the Highway 
Trust Fund, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 20, 2024 
Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia (for herself and Mr. HIMES) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To amend the National Highway System Designation Act 
of 1995 to permit the construction of certain noise bar-
riers with funds from the Highway Trust Fund, and 
for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Negating Neighbor-
hood Noise Act of 2024’’. 
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SEC. 2. PERMITTING USE OF HIGHWAY TRUST FUND FOR 
CONSTRUCTION OF CERTAIN NOISE BAR-
RIERS. 
Section 339(b) of the National Highway System Des-
ignation Act of 1995 (23 U.S.C. 109 note) is amended 
to read as follows: 
‘‘(1) GENERAL RULE.—No funds made avail-
able out of the Highway Trust Fund may be used 
to construct a Type II noise barrier (as defined by 
section 772.5 of title 23, Code of Federal Regula-
tions) pursuant to subsections (h) and (i) of section 
109 of title 23, United States Code. 
‘‘(2) EXCEPTIONS.—Paragraph (1) shall not 
apply to construction or preservation of a Type II 
noise barrier if such a barrier— 
‘‘(A) was not part of a project approved by 
the Secretary before November 28, 1995; 
‘‘(B) is proposed along lands that were de-
veloped or were under substantial construction 
before approval of the acquisition of the rights- 
of-ways for, or construction of, the existing 
highway; or 
‘‘(C) as determined and applied by the 
Secretary, separates a highway or other noise 
corridor from a group of structures of which 
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the majority of such structures closest to the 
highway or noise corridor— 
‘‘(i) are residential in nature; and 
‘‘(ii) are at least 10 years old as of 
the date of the proposal of the barrier 
project.’’. 
SEC. 3. ELIGIBILITY FOR SURFACE TRANSPORTATION 
BLOCK GRANT FUNDS. 
Section 133 of title 23, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in subsection (b) by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘(25) Planning, design, preservation, or con-
struction of a Type II noise barrier (as described in 
section 772.5 of title 23, Code of Federal Regula-
tions) and consistent with the requirements of sec-
tion 339(b) of the National Highway System Des-
ignation Act of 1995 (23 U.S.C. 109 note).’’; and 
(2) in subsection (c)(2) by striking ‘‘and para-
graph (23)’’ and inserting ‘‘, paragraph (23), and 
paragraph (25)’’. 
SEC. 4. MULTIPURPOSE NOISE BARRIERS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Transportation 
shall ensure that a noise barrier constructed or preserved 
under section 339(b) of the National Highway System 
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Designation Act of 1995 (23 U.S.C. 109 note) or with 
funds made available under title 23, United States Code, 
may be a multipurpose noise barrier. 
(b) STATE APPROVAL.—A State, on behalf of the 
Secretary, may approve accommodation of a secondary 
beneficial use on a noise barrier within a right-of-way on 
a Federal-aid highway. 
(c) DEFINITIONS.— 
(1) MULTIPURPOSE NOISE BARRIER.—The term 
‘‘multipurpose noise barrier’’ means any noise bar-
rier that provides a secondary beneficial use, includ-
ing a barrier that hosts or accommodates renewable 
energy generation facilities, electrical transmission 
and distribution infrastructure, or broadband infra-
structure and conduit. 
(2) SECONDARY BENEFICIAL USE.—The term 
‘‘secondary beneficial use’’ means an environmental, 
economic, or social benefit in addition to highway 
noise mitigation. 
SEC. 5. AESTHETICS. 
A project sponsor constructing or preserving a noise 
barrier under section 339(b) of the National Highway Sys-
tem Designation Act of 1995 (23 U.S.C. 109 note) or with 
funds made available under title 23, United States Code, 
shall consider the aesthetics of the proposed noise barrier, 
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consistent with the latest version of the Noise Barrier De-
sign Handbook published by the Federal Highway Admin-
istration of the Department of Transportation. 
Æ 
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