AUSTIN, Texas — Austin leaders are considering cracking down on noisy vehicles. Years of complaints about vehicle revving and speeding will have the city council voting on tightening the rules later this week.
The proposal targets vehicle noise that is considered loud or disturbing.
At Tuesday’s Austin City Council work session, residents said they want more enforcement to stop high speed racing and revv-bombing in their neighborhoods. Complaints are surging about loud cars and motorcycles on Loop 360 and RM 2222. Residents say the current sound ordinance has no teeth to combat the noise problems.
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They say the way the current ordinance is written it targets amplified music that is over 85 decibels not explosive engine acceleration.
“Vehicles with modified exhaust systems are disturbing entire neighborhoods at all times of the day inside our homes. Outdoors, particularly for those closest to the road, it sounds like you are standing next to the COTA track,” said Lisa Capps, a resident of Northwest Hills.
Residents say they are not asking for silence, they are asking for reasonable limits and enforceable tools. During the work session, council members talked about tweaking the language in the ordinance update and wanted more information on how enforceable it will be by police.
The Austin City Council will vote on Thursday on the ordinance changes.