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 New Orleans
 Code of Ordinances
 Chapter 66. ENVIRONMENT
 Article IV. NOISE
 Division 3. REGULATIONS

  § 66-206. Motor vehicles.  

Latest version.

  • (a)

    Vehicles in motion. No person shall operate a motor vehicle at any time or under any condition of grade, load, acceleration or deceleration in such a manner as to exceed the sound level limits for the category of motor vehicle shown in Table 2. The sound level shall be measured at a distance of at least 15 meters (50 feet) from the center of the vehicle path at a height of at least 1.23 meters (four feet) above the immediate surrounding surface. This section shall apply to the total noise from a motor vehicle or combination of vehicles and shall not be construed as limiting or precluding the enforcement of any other provisions of this article relating to motor vehicle mufflers for noise control.

    TABLE 2

    MAXIMUM PERMISSIBLE SOUND LEVELS
    FOR MOTOR VEHICLES

    Type of Vehicle Sound Level Limit
    Speed limit
    40 mph or less     		Speed limit
    over 40 mph
    Motor vehicle with a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) or gross combination weight rating (GCWR) of 10,000 pounds or more, or any combination of vehicles towed by such motor vehicle 86 90
    Any other motor vehicle or any combination of vehicles towed by any motor vehicles 76 82
    Motorcycles 82 86

     

    (b)

    Static tests for motor vehicles.

    (1)

    No person shall operate a motor vehicle having a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating of at least 6,000 pounds which exceeds 93 dBA, measured 25 feet (7.6m) from the side of the vehicle. The sound level shall be observed during the full cycle of engine acceleration-deceleration, and the measured sound level reading shall be the highest value obtained during this cycle, excluding unrelated peaks due to extraneous ambient noise. When there is more than one outlet, the sound level for each side of the vehicle shall be measured, and the reported sound level shall be the average of the two highest readings within one decibel of each other on the loudest side.

    (2)

    No person shall operate a motor vehicle having a manufacturer's gross vehicle rating of less than 6,000 pounds, except a motorcycle, which exceeds 95 dBA, measured 20 inches (508mm) from the exhaust outlet. The measured exhaust system sound level of a stationary vehicle shall be the highest reading obtained during the test, disregarding unrelated peaks due to extraneous ambient noise. When there is more than one exhaust outlet, the reported sound level shall be for the loudest outlet. When there is more than one exhaust outlet from a single muffler, separated by less than 12 inches (305mm), measurements shall be made on the outlet closest to the side of the vehicle.

(Code 1956, § 42A-7)

Cross reference

Traffic and vehicles, ch. 154.