SANDY, Utah — Fast and noisy cars on 13th East in Sandy continue to disrupt the lives of those who live near and work along the busy road, especially the mile-long stretch that runs from 77th to 86th South.
FOX 13 News first told you about these problems in June as police received more noise and speeding complaints between 8 p.m. and 1 a.m.
While the Sandy City Police Department has ramped up patrols in recent months, Tyler, who lives near 13th East reported these issues aren’t going away despite officers’ efforts.
“If my family was okay with it, I would've already moved,” Tyler explained. Currently, car noise is keeping him and his family awake at night several days a week, and a lot of it stems from vehicles gathering at a nearby shopping plaza on 79th South.
"It's super annoying to hear this in the middle of the night, right? Just that thud, thud, thud, thud,” he said. “It’s to the point where…let's take bigger action.”
FOX 13 News brought these concerns to those who serve and protect the City of Sandy. From May first to July 11 of this year, Sandy police received a total of 511 calls for service, within half a mile of 79th South, 1300 East: 27 noise complaints, 10 for reckless drivers, and 63 reported traffic stops.
“As a police department, we can only do so much,” explained Sergeant Greg Moffitt with Sandy police. “It’s the unfortunate reality of when you’re looking at your staffing levels, and the calls for service, and trying to meet the needs of absolutely every person.”
Moffitt explained they have around eight officers working per shift, in a city of roughly 100,000 people. For that reason, officers must decide which calls to respond to first and noise complaints aren’t usually top priority.
“By the time we are able to get to that call, we come out, and we don’t find an issue," Moffitt said. "I know that’s incredibly frustrating to our citizens because they’re thinking the problem is not being dealt with.”
However, Moffitt believes residents, like Tyler, can turn frustration into meaningful change by redirecting their car noise worries to state lawmakers.
In 2017, the Utah State Legislature got rid of vehicle safety inspections, which means fewer people are keeping tabs on vehicles using the roads.
“I honestly think that bringing back safety inspections would help,” Moffitt said.
Meanwhile, Susan Wood, a spokesperson for the City of Sandy, said they have a team that’s working with the legislature on that, too. They also plan to do what they can to beef up noise ordinances in the city. However, Wood says the solution can ultimately be found within us.
“Respect one another. You know, that's what it's all about. Think about what other people in the area may be thinking and how they might be affected,” Wood explains.
