KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Knoxville has moved its noise monitoring cameras from the downtown are to Cumberland Ave. and 18th Street — near the University of Tennessee campus.
City officials said the cameras are meant to monitor, gather and track engine car noises passing through Cumberland Ave. Carter Hall, Policy and Strategic Projects with the City of Knoxville, said the move comes as the road brings in heavy foot and car traffic.
"There's also a lot of pedestrian traffic on Cumberland, so we want to make sure that there's not any sort of reckless driving that comes along with things, like revving your engine," Hall said.
Another significant reason behind the move is the area's busy business strips.
The cameras arrived at Cumberland Avenue in late September, after being downtown for at least eight months. Officials said that since the move to the busy strip, they are already seeing a trend.
"We see a few more violations than when it was downtown," Hall said.
The noise cameras work by the microphone and sound meter on the device triggering the camera to turn on. The city is experiencing more noise violations on weekdays than downtown, while fewer violations are reported during the weekend.
The cameras will remain on The Strip for the next several months as they continue to track engine noise levels.
They are expecting factors like football season will have an effect on the noise levels in the area. The city hopes to find a solution to noise-related issues, like loud car engines, before issuing any tickets. At the moment, no citations have been issued, although this can change.
City officials said the noise monitors will only be used on main roads and not in local neighborhoods.