BILLINGS — The Billings City Council is considering a new ordinance aimed at curbing aggressive driving and excessive vehicle noise, an effort driven by residents who say the problem is at their front doors.
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For 40 years, Rick Matosiak has lived along St. Andrews Drive in the Heights. But in recent years, he said speeding has turned the road outside his home into a hazard zone.
"They hit that valley bump, and they lose control of their vehicle, and they end up actually coming into my yard. I've lost at least five or six mailboxes," said Matosiak. "One car almost came right through my front window. They missed it by about three feet."
Matosiak said drivers regularly hit a dip at the bottom of a hill, lose control, and veer into his property. He estimates that he's seen over 15 vehicles land in his front yard. Over time, he’s lost several trees, bushes, and even had his parked van totaled when two drivers were drag racing at an estimated 90 mph and struck it.
"Especially in the wintertime when it's icy, they just completely lose control of their vehicle, and it's just a shame,” said Matosiak.
A recent Billings Police Department study validated the long-held concerns. Out of more than 36,000 vehicles measured over two weeks on St. Andrews Drive, 90% exceeded the 25 mph limit. Nearly 10% were categorized as excessive speeders, and the highest recorded speed was 92 mph.
Other locations in the study showed similar patterns. On Rolling Hills Drive near Lake Elmo, 61% of vehicles were speeding. On Shiloh Road, 38% exceeded the 45 mph limit over a three-day period, with one driver clocked at 97 mph.
Police data also show that those high speeds are major contributors to excessive noise across the city.
In September, the Council unanimously backed an initiative, introduced by Council member Tom Rupsis, regarding changes to the city’s traffic and noise regulations. During a work session Monday night, the Council will review new data and a draft ordinance targeting speeding, nighttime noise, and aggressive driving. No vote is expected.
The proposed ordinance would allow officers to issue citations for “unreasonable” vehicle noise without specialized sound-measuring devices. Noise "plainly audible" at 75 feet between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. in residential zones, or noise disruptive to a “person of ordinary sensibilities," could trigger a citation.
The broader initiative also outlines strategies such as saturation patrols, continued use of speed trailers and data tubes, and potentially roadway design changes that naturally slow traffic.
Public Works Director Debi Meling said the department recently completed its own brief traffic and noise study along Shiloh Road, King Avenue West, and Gleneagles Boulevard to present to the Council. While the area saw some excessive noise, it did not record unusually loud nighttime conditions during the two-week window.
"I think tonight is more about identifying the issue based on this really small sample set and then figuring out where we go from here," said Meling. "Our highest noise counts were during the day. I think the reason those one or two at night make a difference is when everything's quiet, and you get someone at 85, 90 decibels, you're going to hear it."
Meling emphasized that on major arterials, Billings’ speeding rates fall below national averages. Still, she said the city is working to address problem areas through traffic-calming projects and data-driven enforcement.
"The number of people going more than five miles an hour over the speed limit on a major arterial nationwide is 36%. Ours ranges from 6% to 24%," said Meling. "What we're trying to do, I think, is define, or at least figure out tonight: Are we looking at trying to do something about people going 60 miles an hour? Or are we looking at people that are going 85 and racing at night?"
While the Council has yet to decide whether to approve the ordinance, Matosiak said action is long overdue.
“It certainly couldn't hurt," said Matosiak. “I'm all for, you know, taking care of the law."
