Tom;
The 12th at Whitemarsh Valley definitely suffers by location next to a busy road, and I understand that something had to be done to the right side. The mounding that was put there is regrettable, but necessary as you point out. I'm still not sure it prevents balls from hopping over into traffic, but it's clearly a case of function, safety, and liability overriding aesthetics and architectural purity. That road is much more trafficked than it was in Thomas's day, no question.
What that doesn't explain is the left side changes. To prevent balls from rolling down the steep hill into golf oblivion, a series of terraced steps were built up and heavily grassed. That change took all of the bite out of the mid-length par three, and looks pretty awful, as well. I know an argument can be made that the further down the hill a ball rolled, the further the pitch back towards the road, but at some point I think a green linen fence becomes a better aesthetic and functional option.
This also isn't meant as a dig to Ed Shearon and his group. Although I'm not high on the changes to WV, some of it is pretty good, and their original course at RiverWinds in NJ is worth a play and classically inspired in stretches. I'm also hoping to get down to their new course at Renault Winery in south Jersey (called "Vineyards GC, I believe) this winter.