Traffic Noise Monitors Listening In

Measuring sound first step to a safer highway

One of the goals set out in the parking and traffic noise task forces established back in December, 2023 has come to fruition with this week's installation of traffic noise monitors on the highway.

SLX Noise microsensors were installed by Public Works staff on Tuesday at several locations along the Sea to Sky within Village limits. The equipment is installed using existing light sockets of street lamps, drawing power without impeding the light source.

The noise-measuring equipment is the brainchild of Kelvin Grove resident Vincent Reiche, who is concerned about the noise and high accident rate along the Sea to Sky.

Reiche approached Councillor Neville Abbott to ask what efforts the Village had made to address these problems, and cited the successful installation of similar equipment in Port Moody last year.

Port Moody Councillor Samantha Agtarap successfully promoted a data-gathering program in their municipality, and Abbott connected with her at the 2025 Union of BC Municipalities. At that meeting, Port Moody successfully pitched a Noise Camera Pilot Project to the province (HERE).

Last October, Agtarap commented on the results from Port Moody's new sensors after a week of operations at the intersection of Ioco and Murray streets. She said that Motor Vehicle Act sound limits were exceeded 374 times in seven days. "As time goes on, we will gather more data and use this to build a case for automated noise cameras."

Noise cameras capture the offending vehicles so that local enforcement can take action.

In February, Councillor Neville Abbott brought a report forward to Council introducing the possibility of installing noise-monitoring equipment.

In his report, Abbott noted that "after years of fruitless requests to the Province and MOT to provide funding for measures to reduce the number of fatalities and highway closures it is clear that without baseline data to support the need for Average Speed Over Distance (ASOD) or other traffic management measures the incidence of accidents and closures will become increasingly problematic as traffic volume continues to increase."

He added that excessive highway noise created has long troubled local residents, many of whom have "attested to the mental health concerns and negative impact on their way of life caused by excessive noise."

Council endorsed the project in December, 2025, and the monitors were installed this week.

"The data is sent to the cloud in real time and can be downloaded for analysis," Reiche told The Watershed.  An example of the sound analysis taken in Port Moody can be seen below.

A sample of a Port Moody sound level summary report. Image courtesy City of Port moody.

Abbott sees this project "as the first step towards building a case for the Province to take measures necessary to protect the residents of Lions Bay from the health impact created by the incessant highway noise from speeding vehicles on the Sea to Sky highway. Hopefully at some point we can combine noise control with speed control through ASOD (average speed over distance) regulations to create a safer highway for everyone."     

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