Maybe Palo Alto should demand that 101 be shut down, since there is too much traffic and too much noise.

There is supposed to be a soundwall, complete with a mural of painted birds, extending to where the new homes are being built at the end of Loma Verde on Bayshore. This may be for the benefit of the new homes, but I expect we shall all benefit. However, the choice of the birds on the wall has caused plenty of mixed views.

They were built by the State when we passed a highway improvement bond measure several years ago.

Be careful for what you may ask for. When sound walls are built, the sound simply jumps the walls and those living farther away hear the noise from the freeway when previously they did not.

Sound walls are ugly, and targets for graffiti.

"Sound jumps the walls and those living farther away hear the noise from the freeway when previously they did not" - interesting... Never thought about it. Is that indeed so?
What about absorptive sound walls versus reflective?
Maybe trees might be a compromise, some local drought-resistant varieties perhaps?

If the sound wall is built only on one side of the freeway the sound should not bounce back. The sound bouncing would come from the other wall on the other side, I believe.

Maybe hi tech sound cancelling equipment could be put in place. OH, I forgot this is Palo Alto, only low tech works here ,like the 50 yr old traffic signals.

This sounds familiar. There was some controversy years ago about residents complaining that freeway sounds were evidently bouncing farther away from the freeway owing to new soundwalls around Hwy 85. I think this was in the "newer" section of 85 that was the last to open (Cupertino, West Valley Saratoga etc.)

One more thing: double-paned windows are wonderful and really block freeway noise. I highly recommend getting them for your home.

Double-pane windows indeed reduce noise, but many people prefer to sleep with windows open in summer, to let the fresh air in. Highway noise at night is so much more distinct than in the day time. I kind of got used to it, but I still wonder if something can be done to reduce it. Soundwalls or trees, perhaps

It is actually a good idea to have ventilation in a bedroom all year round, not just summer. In summer it may be that windows should be open wider than in winter, but ventilation is necessary for good sleep, particularly if more than one person is sleeping in the room and the door to the main part of the house is also kept closed for privacy or other reasons (fires spread more quickly through homes where the interior doors are kept even partially open).

Ivy on the sound walls apparently reduced the bouncing sound.

We really need the sound wall to reduce the noise. Today, a group of motorcycle rider passed through the 101. The noise makes our community like " War zone ". It makes me crazy. I really don't understand why the city planer didn't track this big issue? Or Police should stop this kind group to pass through 101 ?

www.vta.org/inside/boards/packets/2008/01_jan/17.pdf
The above document posted by the Valley Transportation Authority indicates the process that is in place and the funding that is available to support installation of sound barriers along highways and freeways. The money is there...Complain to the PA City Council. It is so easy to send everyone on the council an email complaining about the noise! Let's do this!
"The VTA Sound Barrier program requires sound barrier projects to be submitted by the cities, the County and Caltrans. Each project request must be supported by noise studies that verify that the location meets the standard adopted by the VTA Board, and by a preliminary engineering study called a Noise Barrier Summary Scope Report (NBSSR) that conforms to Caltrans’ methodology."