PROVIDENCE – The Brett P. Smiley administration in June gave an update on proactive steps to mitigate sound disturbances across the city.
One of the first steps the administration took was to partner with BOND Applied Technologies to roll out a pilot Sound Mitigation program at two popular venues, Noir and Troop. The initiative began with BOND conducting baseline acoustic measurements during quieter hours, followed by evaluations during peak times on weekends. The second phase will see the city’s Department of Art, Culture, and Tourism collaborating with these venues to assess the effectiveness of the strategies implemented.
Facing the Holidays with a Cancer Diagnosis
The holidays are often painted as a time of joy, tradition, and togetherness. But for…
Learn More
The findings from this pilot will guide the department and other city stakeholders as they prepare to expand the initiative by inviting more venues to join in the upcoming year.
Additionally, the city has formed the Life at Night task force, which comprises a wide array of stakeholders, including representatives from licensing, health and human services, and economic development, as well as venue managers, artists, hospitality leaders and nightlife industry experts. This task force will meet monthly in smaller groups and convene quarterly to drive forward the recommendations detailed in the “Life at Night in the Creative Capital” report.
In his fiscal 2026 budget proposal, Smiley included $68,962 to hire a nighttime manager and $30,000 for soundproofing and sound mitigation efforts for Providence businesses.
But critics say it’s not enough.
In April, the Providence Noise Project announced the deployment of the first in a planned citywide network of sound monitors intended to ascertain baseline sound levels to determine if the Smiley administration’s efforts are sufficient.
In May, the group said the administration “neither measures noise nor reports on its specific polices and actions to reduce it, other than occasional aspirational statements to the media. As a result, the Noise Project has begun measuring noise in Providence ourselves.”
