Sgt. Anastasio (center).
For years, Tina Doyle has been suffering through the “tremendous roar” of motorcycles thundering down Townsend Avenue in the summertime. On Wednesday, cops offered to provide some relief.
As part of a “quality of life” initiative in the East Shore, cops will be cracking down on motor vehicle noise from car drivers cranking their stereos and bikers gunning their hogs.
The mayor, two aldermen, and a passel of cops gathered at Pardee Seawall Park to announce that news on Wednesday morning.
Mayor John DeStefano began by explaining the problem. Lighthouse Point Park is the most popular park in the city, he said. Townsend and Woodward Avenues are the two most common ways of getting there. While Woodward is equipped with roundabouts and other traffic-calming measures, Townsend is not, and therefore sees more and louder traffic, DeStefano said.
Sgt. Vincent Anastasio then described the solution. Starting Wednesday, police will be deploying additional patrol and traffic units — motorcycle cops — to the area, with the task of ticketing the drivers of noisy vehicles. Those vehicles could include cars with their stereos cranked up, or motorcycles with their mufflers altered to create the deafening rumble some bikers favor.
Tickets can be in excess of $200, Anastasio said. In addition, bikers with illegal “straight pipes” will be issued a DMV inspection ticket, requiring them to pay to have their bike altered and then inspected.
Anastasio said the increased enforcement will focus on weekends, when Townsend sees its peak of beach traffic.
Alderwoman DePino (center).
Local Aldermen Al Paolillo and Arlene DePino hailed the new plan. So did Doyle, the chair of the East Shore Community Management Team. She said loud bikes have been a nuisance in the area for years. “Since they’ve been making motorcycles,” quipped Barbara Carrol, another member of the management team.
“I’m glad they’re doing it,” said Doyle of the increased enforcement.
She said the motorcycle noise isn’t too bad until about 11:30 p.m., when the racket becomes “piercing,” she said.
DeStefano said the quality of life enforcement will go on alongside a continued policing emphasis on dealing with violent and drug-related crime.