City of Edmonton to trial manned enforcement as it tackles loud vehicle noise

The City of Edmonton plans to take a different strategy when it comes to tackling excessive vehicle noise – manned enforcement.

On Wednesday, the Community and Public Services Committee passed a motion for a pilot project that would involve automated technologies, including cameras, as well as a human presence with the noise-monitoring devices.

READ MORE: Edmonton turns off 4 vehicle noise displays after complaints of stunting, intentional noise

Gerry Shimko, executive director of the city’s Office of Traffic Safety, said this new strategy will make a difference when it comes time to go to court.

“We want to come up with a solution that, if we take it to court, the courts are satisfied the particular vehicle operated at a particular time is creating excessive noise. The technology itself will give us the metrics and voice and so on,” Shimko said.

“But we want to combine that with a bylaw officer to unequivocally say, ‘I was there when the technology recorded this. Here’s the video and here’s the level of sound.’

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“That combination, I think, in a court perspective, will provide better clarify for the system to make a judgment.”

READ MORE: Edmonton monitoring vehicle noise as part of pilot project

The city has been studying excessive vehicle noise for several years. Shimko said there are a couple reasons why it is taking so long to find the best approach.

“It’s a very complex piece of thing to measure and actually quantify, one. And two, you have to quantify it and actually attribute it to a specific vehicle,” he said.

Councillor Ben Henderson, who said the loud noise from vehicles affects the city’s health and economics, said he hopes to see the manned enforcement start as soon as possible.

Watch below (May 11): With the weather warming up, more motorcyclists are hitting the road and Edmonton police officers want to educate them about noise restrictions. An event Saturday allowed riders to stop by, get educated about their bikes’ noise levels and receive amnesty if they violate the bylaw. Julia Wong reports.

1:36 Motorcycle noise testing