349.04 HistoryHistory: 2001 a. 16; 2003 a. 33, 139, 326. EXPRESS REGULATORY POWERS
349.06349.06 Authority to adopt traffic regulations in strict conformity with state law. 349.06(1)(a)(a) Except for the suspension or revocation of motor vehicle operator’s licenses or except as provided in par. (b), any local authority may enact and enforce any traffic regulation which is in strict conformity with one or more provisions of chs. 341 to 348 and 350 for which the penalty for violation thereof is a forfeiture. 349.06(1)(b)(b) Any local authority shall enact and enforce parking regulations and penalties for violations of those regulations which are in conformity with the provisions of ss. 346.503, 346.505 and 346.56. 349.06(1)(c)(c) Any local authority may enact and enforce any traffic regulation that is in strict conformity with any rule of the department promulgated under ch. 110, 347 or 348, except rules pertaining to federal motor carrier safety standards, for which the penalty for a violation thereof is a forfeiture. 349.06(1m)(1m) Notwithstanding sub. (1), a municipal court may suspend a license for a violation of a local ordinance in conformity with s. 346.63 (1) or (2m). 349.06(2)(2) Traffic regulations adopted by local authorities which incorporate by reference existing or future amendments to chs. 340 to 348 or rules of the department shall be deemed to be in strict conformity and not contrary to or inconsistent with such chapters or rules. This subsection does not require local traffic regulations to incorporate state traffic laws or rules by reference in order to meet the requirements of s. 349.03 or sub. (1). 349.06(3)(3) If an operator of a vehicle violates a local ordinance in strict conformity with s. 346.04 (1) or (2), 346.18 (6), 346.27, 346.37, 346.39, 346.46 (1), 346.57 (2), (3), (4) (d) to (h), or (5), or 346.62 (2) where persons engaged in work in a highway maintenance or construction area, utility work area, or emergency or roadside response area are at risk from traffic or violates a local ordinance in strict conformity with s. 346.57 (2), (3), (4) (d) to (h), or (5) or 346.62 (2) where sanitation workers are at risk from traffic and the operator knows or should know that sanitation workers are present, any applicable minimum and maximum forfeiture for the violation shall be doubled. 349.06 AnnotationSection 349.03, in prohibitory language, is the same concept of municipal power that is expressed affirmatively in this section. These sections must be read together and establish one test. Janesville v. Walker, 50 Wis. 2d 35, 183 N.W.2d 158 (1971). 349.06 AnnotationA city ordinance prohibiting loud and unnecessary tire or engine noise was valid under s. 349.03 (1) and sub. (1). City of Janesville v. Garthwaite, 83 Wis. 2d 866, 266 N.W.2d 418 (1978). 349.06 AnnotationA county can enact and enforce traffic ordinances in strict conformance with state statutes that are applicable to town roads. 64 Atty. Gen. 172.
349.065349.065 Uniform traffic control devices. Local authorities shall place and maintain traffic control devices upon highways under their jurisdiction to regulate, warn, guide or inform traffic. The design, installation and operation or use of new traffic control devices placed and maintained by local authorities after the adoption of the uniform traffic control devices manual under s. 84.02 (4) (e) shall conform to the manual. After January 1, 1977, all traffic control devices placed and maintained by local authorities shall conform to the manual. 349.065 HistoryHistory: 1973 c. 185. 349.065 AnnotationThe decision to erect a stop sign, once made, carries with it the responsibility to ensure that the sign is properly installed and maintained to ensure that it remains visible to the motorists whose conduct the sign was intended to control. A local government that erects a stop sign should not be shielded on public policy grounds from liability when a tree obscures the stop sign. Physicians Plus Insurance Corporation v. Midwest Mutual Insurance Co. 2001 WI App 148, 246 Wis. 2d 933, 632 N.W.2d 59, 00-1836. 349.065 AnnotationThat the county erected a stop sign at the intersection of town and county highways, within the town right-of-way did not preclude possible liability in the town or the adjacent landowner for an accident resulting from the sign being obscured by a tree. Both units of government and the landowner had a duty to correct the hazardous condition created by the tree. Physicians Plus Insurance Corporation v. Midwest Mutual Insurance Co. 2001 WI App 148, 246 Wis. 2d 933, 632 N.W.2d 59, 00-1836. 349.07349.07 Authority to designate through highways. 349.07(1)(1) The department may, when it deems it necessary for the public safety, by order declare any state trunk highway or connecting highway or portion thereof to be a through highway. 349.07(2)(2) Every county highway committee may, when it deems necessary for the public safety, by order declare any county trunk highway or portion thereof to be a through highway, except that where a state trunk highway intersects a county trunk highway the department shall designate the through highway. 349.07(3)(3) Every local authority may, when it deems it necessary for the public safety, by ordinance or resolution declare any highway or portion thereof under its exclusive jurisdiction to be a through highway. 349.07(4)(4) No order, ordinance or resolution declaring any highway to be a through highway is effective until official stop signs or traffic control signals have been installed at the entrances thereto from other highways. 349.07(5)(5) Through highway declarations under this section shall not apply to any paralleling service roads. 349.07(6)(a)(a) Nothing in this section shall prohibit local authorities from placing additional stop signs on the roadway or temporary school zoning warning signs or temporary stop signs in the roadway at school crossings during periods of daylight when school children are using such crossings if such signs do not physically obstruct traffic. 349.07(6)(b)(b) Nothing in this section shall prohibit local authorities from placing temporary stop signs in the roadway at intersections or crosswalks for limited periods of time if the local authorities deem it necessary for the public safety and if the signs do not physically obstruct traffic. 349.07(7)(a)(a) The department may, when it deems necessary for the public safety, by order provide for the installation of yield signs on state trunk highways and connecting highways, and the governing body of any city, or county, may by ordinance or resolution provide, when it deems it necessary for the public safety, for the installation of yield signs on any through highway which has been so declared under sub. (3) and under its exclusive jurisdiction to regulate merging traffic movements and conflicting movements occurring within the intersection of 2 or more highways. Yield signs shall not be used in lieu of stop signs where a highway directly crosses a through 2-way highway. 349.07(7)(b)(b) The governing body of any town, city, village or county may by ordinance or resolution provide for the installation of yield signs at any intersection over which it has exclusive jurisdiction, but if the intersection is part of a through highway such yield signs can be installed at such intersections only as provided in par. (a). 349.07(8)(8) The governing body of any town, city, village or county may by ordinance or resolution provide for the installation of stop signs and traffic signals at intersections on highways over which it has exclusive jurisdiction. 349.07 AnnotationLegislative Council Note, 1977: Section 349.08 (6) (a), relating to the placement of yield signs, is renumbered s. 349.07 (7) (a) and amended to prohibit the use of yield signs in lieu of stop signs where a highway directly crosses a through 2-way highway; the present prohibition against the use of yield signs in lieu of stop signs is overly broad in that it is not restricted to highways which directly cross through highways. By definition, the entrances to a “through highway” from intersecting highways must be controlled by traffic control signals or stop signs; “through highway” is defined in s. 340.01 (67). [Bill 465-A]
349.08349.08 Cost of signs and traffic control signals. The department may, when requested, furnish official traffic control devices and highway paint at cost to any local authority. 349.085349.085 Authority to install stop signs at railroad grade crossings. Local authorities may, by ordinance, when they deem it necessary for the public safety, install official stop signs at public traveled railroad grade crossings on highways maintained by the respective authorities. 349.085 HistoryHistory: 1977 c. 116. 349.09349.09 Authority to remove prohibited signs or signals. Every sign, signal, pavement marking, or device which is placed, maintained, or displayed in violation of s. 346.41 is declared to be a public nuisance. The authority in charge of maintenance of the highway in question may notify in writing the owner or occupant of the premises upon which the nuisance exists or the person causing or maintaining the nuisance to remove the same. If such nuisance is not removed within 30 days after such notice is given or if an unauthorized signal or device is found to be in operation at any time after such notice is given, the authority in charge of maintenance of the highway may cause the nuisance to be removed and collect the expense of removal from the person notified to remove it. The expense of removal may be charged against the premises and, upon certificate of the highway authority causing the removal, assessed as are other special taxes. 349.09 Cross-referenceCross-reference: See also s. Trans 200.04, Wis. adm. code. 349.09 HistoryHistory: 2015 a. 124. 349.10349.10 Authority to designate one-way highways, safety zones, turns and lanes. 349.10(1)(1) The department, county highway committees and local authorities in regard to highways under their respective jurisdictions, may: 349.10(1)(a)(a) Declare by order, ordinance or resolution and designate by appropriate signs any highway or portion thereof to be a one-way highway and require that all vehicles be operated in one specific direction on such highway. 349.10(1)(b)(b) Designate by pavement marking certain places on highways as safety zones or erect and maintain islands of safety and regulate and control traffic with respect to such safety zones and islands of safety. 349.10(1)(c)(c) By order, ordinance or resolution and by the erection of appropriate signs, prohibit right or left turns at intersections by all vehicles or by certain types of vehicles. 349.10(1)(d)(d) Place official traffic control devices within or adjacent to intersections and thereby require and direct that a different course from that specified in s. 346.31 be traveled by vehicles turning at the intersection. 349.10(1)(e)(e) Mark lanes for traffic upon any roadway and designate specific lanes for slow-moving traffic or for traffic moving in a particular direction. 349.10(1)(f)(f) By order, ordinance or resolution and by the erection of appropriate signs, prohibit U-turns at specified locations. The local authority with the approval of the department may prohibit U-turns and erect appropriate signs on state trunk highways within cities, villages and towns. 349.10(2)(2) No local authority shall declare any part of a connecting highway between portions of the state trunk highway system to be a one-way highway or prohibit right or left turns or U-turns at any intersection of one such connecting highway with another without due regard for the expeditious flow of intercity traffic using the state trunk highways and without first conferring with the department on the problems involved. 349.105349.105 Authority to prohibit certain traffic on expressways and freeways. The authority in charge of maintenance of an expressway or freeway may, by order, ordinance or resolution, prohibit the use of such expressway or freeway by pedestrians, persons riding bicycles or other nonmotorized traffic or by persons operating mopeds or motor bicycles. The state or local authority adopting any such prohibitory regulation shall erect and maintain official signs giving notice thereof on the expressway or freeway to which such prohibition applies. 349.105 HistoryHistory: 1983 a. 243. 349.11349.11 Authority to modify speed restrictions. 349.11(1)(a)(a) Whenever the department with respect to the state trunk highway system and the local authorities with respect to highways under their jurisdiction determine upon the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation that any statutory speed limit is greater or less than is reasonable or safe under the conditions found to exist upon any part of a highway or that the actual speed of vehicles upon any part of a highway is greater or less than is reasonable and prudent, the department with respect to the state trunk highway system and the local authorities with respect to highways under their jurisdiction may, subject to the limitations set forth in subs. (2) and (3), determine and declare a reasonable and safe speed limit on the highway or part thereof in question. When appropriate signs giving notice of such speed limit have been erected and are in place, such speed limit shall be effective at all times or at such times as indicated by the signs. 349.11(1)(b)(b) Whenever the department with respect to the state trunk highway system determines, upon the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation, that any statutory minimum speed limit is greater or less than is reasonable or safe under the conditions found to exist upon any part of a highway or that the actual minimum speed of vehicles upon any part of a highway is greater or less than is reasonable and prudent, the department with respect to the state trunk highway system may, subject to applicable limitations in subs. (2) and (3), determine and declare a reasonable and safe minimum speed limit on the highway or part thereof in question. When appropriate signs giving notice of such minimum speed limit have been erected and are in place such minimum speed limit shall be effective at all times or at such times as indicated by the signs. 349.11(2)(2) The department may not do any of the following: 349.11(2)(c)(c) Modify the statutory speed limit on more than 2,000 miles of state trunk highways. The first mile outside of and immediately adjacent to any incorporated municipality shall not be counted in computing such 2,000 miles. This paragraph does not apply to freeways or to expressways, as defined in s. 346.57 (1) (ag) and (am). 349.11(3)(c)(c) Modify any existing speed limit without the consent of the department except to reduce the speed limit as provided under sub. (10), or to increase the speed limit stated in s. 346.57 (4) (e), (f) or (g), or to reduce by 10 miles per hour or less the speed limit stated in s. 346.57 (4) (a), (b) or (d) to (j), or to reduce by 15 miles per hour or less the speed limit stated in s. 346.57 (4) (k). Whenever department approval is required, no signs giving notice of a modification of the speed limit may be erected until such approval has been received. 349.11(4)(4) The department upon request from any county highway committee or local authority shall, or upon its own initiative may, conduct an investigation of any bridge, causeway, viaduct or structure on any highway. If it finds that any such structure cannot with safety to itself withstand vehicles traveling at the speeds otherwise permitted by law or if it finds that such structure is substandard as to width and that it is necessary from the standpoint of traffic safety to reduce the speed of vehicles using such structure, the department shall determine and declare the maximum vehicular speed which such structure can withstand or which can be maintained in safety on such structure. When appropriate signs giving notice of such maximum speed have been erected at a suitable distance before each end of the structure, such posted speed limit is the effective speed limit on such structure at all times when the signs are in place. The findings and determination of the department are conclusive evidence of the maximum speed which can be maintained with safety to or on any such structure. 349.11(5)(5) Except as provided in sub. (10), the department and local authorities shall place and maintain upon all highways, where the speed limit is modified by them pursuant to this section, standard signs giving notice of such speed. All speed limit signs so erected shall conform to the rules of the department. 349.11(6)(6) No liability shall attach to the department or to any local authority by reason of the posting of a speed limit pursuant to this section nor shall such posting guarantee that the posted speed is reasonable and safe under all conditions. 349.11(7)(7) The department with respect to the state trunk highway system and local authorities with respect to highways under their jurisdiction may increase the speed limits stated in s. 346.57 (4) (a) and (b), but any speed limit so established shall not be greater than the speed limit established on the adjoining sections of the same street or highway. 349.11(8)(8) Notwithstanding the authority otherwise granted to modify speed restrictions in this section, except as provided in sub. (9) and s. 346.57 (4) (gm), the department may not establish or continue: 349.11(8)(a)(a) A maximum speed limit on any highway within its jurisdiction in excess of 55 miles per hour; 349.11(8)(c)(c) Maximum speed limits which are not uniformly applicable to all types of motor vehicles using a highway, except that a lower speed limit may be established for any vehicle operating under a special permit because of any weight or dimension of such vehicle. 349.11(8m)(8m) Notwithstanding the authority otherwise granted to modify speed restrictions in this section, local authorities may not establish or continue: 349.11(8m)(a)(a) A maximum speed limit on any highway within their respective jurisdictions in excess of 55 miles per hour; 349.11(8m)(c)(c) Maximum speed limits which are not uniformly applicable to all types of motor vehicles using a highway, except that a lower speed limit may be established for any vehicle operating under a special permit because of any weight or dimension of such vehicle. 349.11(9)(9) The department, with respect to any highway, may alter speed restrictions during an energy emergency to comply with federal law or if the department finds that extraordinary circumstances in this state require such alteration. All decisions made by the department under this subsection will be subject to review by the joint committee for review of administrative rules in accordance with s. 227.26. 349.11(10)(10) Notwithstanding any speed limits imposed under this section or under s. 346.57, if a highway is being constructed, reconstructed, maintained or repaired, local authorities with respect to highways under their jurisdiction, any county highway committee performing maintenance on the state trunk highway system under s. 84.07 and any local authority with respect to highways not under its jurisdiction that are being constructed, reconstructed, maintained or repaired by the local authority may, for the safety of the highway construction and maintenance workers, pedestrians and highway users, post a temporary speed limit less than the speed limit imposed under this section or under s. 346.57. The temporary limits may be posted for the duration of the construction, reconstruction, maintenance or repair period. Temporary speed limits imposed under this subsection may be posted with signs on portable supports. When portable supports are used under this subsection, the bottom of the sign shall be not less than one foot above the surface of the pavement or shoulder. 349.11(11)(11) Notwithstanding any speed limits imposed under this section or under s. 346.57, if a local authority designates a highway under its jurisdiction as an all-terrain vehicle route under s. 23.33 (8) (b), the local authority may post a speed limit, applicable only to all-terrain vehicles and utility terrain vehicles, as defined under s. 23.33 (1) (ng), that is lower than the speed limit imposed under this section or under s. 346.57. 349.115349.115 Authority to impound vehicles. 349.115(1)(1) A political subdivision may, by ordinance, authorize a law enforcement officer to impound any vehicle used in the commission of a violation of s. 346.62 or a local ordinance in strict conformity with s. 346.62 at the time of issuing a citation for the offense if the person cited is the owner of the vehicle and the person has a prior conviction for a violation of s. 346.62 or a local ordinance in strict conformity with s. 346.62 for which a forfeiture was imposed that has not been fully paid. The ordinance may provide for impoundment of the vehicle until the person fully pays the prior forfeiture amount and reasonable costs of impounding the vehicle, including towing or other transportation costs and storage costs. 349.115(2)(2) A political subdivision shall return to its owner a vehicle impounded under sub. (1) upon payment of the amount required under the ordinance. 349.115(3)(3) A political subdivision that has impounded a vehicle under sub. (1) may dispose of the vehicle by following the same procedure as provided for disposing of an abandoned vehicle under s. 342.40 if the impounded vehicle remains unclaimed for more than 90 days after the disposition of the citation for which the vehicle was impounded. 349.115 HistoryHistory: 2023 a. 1. 349.12349.12 Authority to designate no-passing zones. The department, county highway committees and local authorities, in regard to highways under their respective jurisdictions, may determine, in accordance with standards and procedures adopted by the department, where overtaking or passing or driving to the left of the center of the roadway would be especially hazardous and may, by signs approved by the department or by a yellow unbroken line on the pavement on the right-hand side of and adjacent to the center line or a lane line of a roadway, indicate the beginning and end of such zones. 349.13349.13 Authority to regulate the stopping, standing or parking of vehicles.
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