City of Knoxville plans to try out noise reduction cameras

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - The City of Knoxville announced plans to deploy noise reduction cameras from a company called 24 Acoustics. Based out of the UK, the company claims on their website “have completed over 2500 projects for over 450 different clients and provide a pragmatic and uncomplicated approach to the assessment and engineering of noise and vibration.”

The City of Knoxville said they’re planning on taking part in a demonstration of a new noise enforcement technology. They requested a 40-day demo of the camera system. The cameras work similarly to a red-light camera. The noise monitor on the camera will monitor noise levels and take visual and audio recordings when the noise exceeds a certain decibel level.

Downtown Knoxville neighbors share they hear people revving their car engines and 3 am and playing their music loudest enough for them to hear from their living rooms. Ashton McDanel is a student at UT and said the cars keep her up at night.

“I had an 8 am final this morning, and I woke up at 2:30 and 3:00 this morning from the revving from cars,” said McDanel.

The City of Knoxville’s motor vehicle noise ordinance requests that cars keep their noise levels under 90 decibels if they are driving faster than 35 miles per hour. If the new cameras catch you breaking the noise limit, they could help the city hand you a $50 fine.

Justice Stewart said he hears the noise too, but it comes with the territory of living downtown.

“People want to do whatever they want with their cars. But it doesn’t bother me; I’m not too worried about it either way,” said Stewart

Knoxville also said they’re working on finalizing a plan on where the cameras will be, how many will be used and how that fine will be enforced. When they decide to implement the cameras, they plan to post signage around downtown Knoxville letting people know about the plan to deter loud vehicles.

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