Neighborhood Named After Developer's Favorite Words Now Features 'Serenity Court,' 'Tranquility Lane,' and 'Harmony Drive' Near Active Freeway

A residential subdivision in suburban Baltimore whose streets are named Serenity Court, Tranquility Lane, Harmony Drive, and Peaceful Way is located 200 feet from Interstate 95, a six-lane highway carrying approximately 120,000 vehicles per day at an average noise level of 78 decibels. 'The names were aspirational,' conceded developer Richard Bliss, who named the subdivision's twelve streets using words he found in a thesaurus entry for 'calm.' 'I wanted the names to evoke a feeling. The feeling I was going for was peace. The feeling residents actually experience is more like a continuous low-grade rumble interspersed with air brakes.' Residents of the subdivision, known collectively as Harmony Estates, have noted the irony extensively. 'I live on Tranquility Lane,' said homeowner Karen Decibel. 'The word tranquility means a state of calm. My state of calm is interrupted every forty-five seconds by a tractor-trailer. I can hear the highway from every room in my house. The only tranquil thing about Tranquility Lane is the sign, which I can't read at night because it vibrates.' The subdivision also features Whisper Way (described by residents as 'the loudest street'), Quietude Court (which backs directly onto the highway sound wall), and Bliss Boulevard, named after the developer, which residents say 'captures the exact opposite of the living experience.' 'Names are powerful,' said toponymist Dr. Cordelia Atlas, who has studied the subdivision. 'But they cannot overpower 120,000 cars. Calling a street Serenity Court does not make it serene. It makes it a serene-sounding address on your insurance paperwork while you lie awake listening to trucks.' Bliss has since developed another subdivision near an airport, with streets named 'Stillness Avenue,' 'Silence Lane,' and 'Calm Circle.' He describes himself as 'an optimist.'