History

 

 More than 30 years ago, what is known now as PIR was forced upon neighbors with little or no thought to the disruption racing would have upon the neighborhoods. Promises were made by Portland City Council to mitigate the noise, but, to date, no tangible results have ever been made. Commissioners and mayors have come and gone and still the “noise issue” is not seen as a priority. There is nothing more than a plywood wall surrounding the racetrack, which offers no insulation of the noise from racing events. Portland International Raceway is a city park, and we feel that in a city that prides itself on — (and is nationally known for) — its livability, a city park should not emit dangerous1 levels of noise into neighborhoods.

According to city code Title 18, races should be at or below 103 decibels trackside which should translate to 65 decibels (dB) in the neighborhoods. The code also allows for four (4) varianced events.
  • One event at 110
  • Two events at 112 
  • One event at 115 

(keep in mind that perception of sound doubles for every 10 decibels) 

From the recent Greenbusch Group Noise Study(link to Noise Study Draft address below) several measurements were collected in neighborhoods above 70 dB- this is a violation of city code.

PIR recently spent $2 million dollars to resurface the track, but, to date, has not spent a dime on noise-abatement solutions.


As infill increases North Portland’s density, more lives are impacted by the almost-constant noise from PIR from early spring through fall.

1 World Health Organization