Aurora to Consider $169K Design Contract for Orchard Road Sound Wall

The new concrete sound wall aims to shield residents from traffic noise on the busy road.

Feb. 6, 2026 at 5:07pm

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The Aurora City Council's Information and Technology Committee is set to consider a nearly $169,000 contract with Thomas Engineering Group to design a new sound wall along Orchard Road. The project has been in the works for years, with the goal of replacing the existing wooden fence with a concrete wall to reduce vehicle noise for nearby residents. The full $6 million project is expected to break ground before the end of 2026, with funding coming from state grants, the city's capital improvement fund, and a contribution from the local alderman's ward funds.

Why it matters

The Orchard Road sound wall project aims to address long-standing noise concerns for residents living near the busy thoroughfare on Aurora's far West Side. After years of planning, the city is now moving forward with the design phase, a key step towards construction and providing noise mitigation for the community.

The details

The proposed design contract would have Thomas Engineering Group develop plans for the new concrete sound wall, which is intended to be more substantial than the current wooden fence but not as tall as the full sound walls used along expressways. Once built, the city will be responsible for basic maintenance while Kane County handles any major repairs. The project's total cost has risen to $6 million, up from a previous estimate of $4 million, due to the loss of $500,000 in state funding and the need to establish multiple special service areas to have residents help pay for it.

  • The Information and Technology Committee will consider the design contract at a meeting on Monday, February 10, 2026.
  • If recommended for approval, the contract would still need to go to the Committee of the Whole and then the full Aurora City Council for final approval.
  • The sound wall project is on track to break ground before the end of 2026.

The players

Thomas Engineering Group, LLC

An Aurora-based engineering firm that has been selected to design the new Orchard Road sound wall.

Ald. Carl Franco

The 5th Ward alderman who represents the area where the sound wall will be built and has been involved in the project for many years.

Mayor John Laesch

The current mayor of Aurora who has taken a different approach to funding the sound wall project compared to the previous administration.

Brian Caputo

Aurora's Chief Operating Officer, who says the design contract proposal is the next step in the 'methodical process' of the sound wall project.

Kane County

The county that will be responsible for any major capital maintenance on the sound wall once it is built, per an agreement with the city of Aurora.

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What they’re saying

“I was in every single phone conversation, every meeting. I knew everything that was going on. Now, I'm going to have to find out about it through a committee.”

— Ald. Carl Franco, 5th Ward Alderman (The Beacon-News)

“The proposal set to go before the Infrastructure and Technology Committee on Monday is 'just the next step in what has been a methodical process.'”

— Brian Caputo, Aurora Chief Operating Officer (The Beacon-News)

What’s next

The design contract proposal must be recommended for approval by the Information and Technology Committee, then go to the Committee of the Whole and the full Aurora City Council for final approval before the design work can begin.

The takeaway

After years of planning, Aurora is moving forward with the design phase of the Orchard Road sound wall project, a key milestone towards providing much-needed noise mitigation for residents living near the busy thoroughfare. The project's rising costs and funding challenges highlight the complexities of infrastructure projects, but the city remains committed to seeing the sound wall through to construction.