Residents press council on Shiloh and Rimrock noise; council orders work session on aggressive driving and noise reduction

Billings — Residents from Shiloh Commons and Park Lane told the council that hours of vehicle noise, street racing and wheelies have made outdoor spaces unusable and are disturbing sleep, especially for families with young children.

Susie Casper, who lives at Shiloh Commons, said: "The noise is absolutely unbearable on Shiloh Road... We can't keep our windows open. We cannot sit out on our balcony." Sam Minter described repeated late-night noise spikes measured with a decibel app and said neighbors were leaving the complex. Jordan Weber said his backyard abuts Rimrock and that night noise has repeatedly woken his family: "I'm begging you, move forward with this initiative because I'd like to get a good night's sleep again and not have to worry about somebody with a big truck waking up my 2-year-old at 3 in the morning," he said.

Councilor Tom Ripsis introduced an initiative to schedule a work session dedicated to aggressive driving and excessive vehicular noise reduction. He said the goal is to consider enforcement, environmental/engineering measures and technology while recognizing law enforcement will remain a component. The motion to schedule a work session passed unanimously.

Council members emphasized the citywide nature of the problem; Council member Nees asked whether the initiative would apply citywide, mentioning Main Street as another hot spot.

Next steps: staff will schedule a work session to explore enforcement practices, traffic-calming engineering measures, and technology options, and will report back with recommended actions for possible pilot projects and enforcement strategies.