Pair of City Council bills aims to tackle loud noises like sirens in NYC

NEW YORK -- The sound of sirens in New York City could soon change.

Reducing street noise is the goal of new City Council bills designed to stop high decibel sounds that hurt our health. 

New York City is noisy - it rarely goes quiet. 

"The sirens. Like, you hear the ambulance," one woman said. 

"When they start doing street construction at 7 a.m.," said Hell's Kitchen resident Catie Savage. 

Some city dwellers say they get accustomed to lots of noise, but medical experts say - not really.

Several studies, including one for the University of Michigan School of Public Health, found that when our bodies are rattled by chronic noise, it raises the risk of hypertension, heart attack and stroke. 

Noise exposure levels should not exceed 70 decibels over a 24-hour period. But research found one in three Americans are being exposed to noise levels exceeding the 70 decibel.s 

A pair of City Council bills are designed to make road traffic in New York City quieter by changing the sounds of sirens, using alternative high and low frequencies. 

"How do you get people to move and not have it blasting noise," City Councilmember Gale Brewer said. 

Brewer is pushing for more "rumbler"-style sirens, enabling them to be felt, as well as heard - and they're easier on the ears. 

"Slightly less piercing, and people move," Brewer said. 

The experts say, whenever you can, seek out spots for peace and quiet. 

"Central Park is a good place," one woman said. 

You'll be happier and healthier. 

There is an online noise map developed by the Transportation Department. You can search it by entering your zip code and see how high the decibel levels are. CLICK HERE to check it out.