Chapter Trans 200

Trans 200.01 Trans 200.01 Purpose. The purpose of this chapter is to interpret and implement ss. 86.19, 86.191, 86.195, 86.196, 340.01 (73m), 346.41 and 346.503, Stats., relating to erection and maintenance of signs on public highways and signs related to reserved parking spaces for individuals with disabilities. This chapter does not apply to signs erected and maintained on property beyond the limits of a public highway, except signs related to reserved parking spaces for individuals with disabilities.

Trans 200.01 History History: 1-2-56; renum. from Hy 10.01 and am. (1), Register, July, 1980, No. 295, eff. 8-1-80; r. and recr., Register, March, 1984, No. 339, eff. 4-1-84; am. Register, July, 1992, No. 439, eff. 8-1-92; am. Register, March, 1999, No. 519, eff. 4-1-99; CR 22-048: am. Register July 2023 No. 811, eff. 8-1-23.

Trans 200.015 Trans 200.015 Definitions.

Trans 200.015(1) (1) The definitions of words and phrases in chs. 84, 86, 340 and 990, Stats., except s. 990.01 (12), Stats., apply to this chapter unless a different definition is specifically provided.

Trans 200.015(2) (2) In this chapter:

Trans 200.015(2)(a) (a) “Business sign” means a separately attached sign mounted on a specific information sign to show the brand, symbol, trademark or name, or combination of these, for a motorist service available on a crossroad at or near an interchange or an intersection. Each sign on an exit ramp sign under s. Trans 200.06 (7) (a) 4. is a separate business sign.

Trans 200.015(2)(b) (b) “Conventional highway” means a highway that is neither a freeway nor an expressway.

Trans 200.015(2)(f) (f) “Double-exit interchange” means a highway interchange facility with 2 exit ramps for traffic approaching the interchange from the same direction with one exit ramp leading to one direction of travel on the intersecting highway and the other exit ramp leading to the opposite direction of travel on the intersecting highway.

Trans 200.015(2)(g) (g) “Erect” means to construct, manufacture, fabricate, build, raise, assemble, place, affix, attach, create, paint, draw, or in any other way bring into being or establish a sign or sign structure, but it does not include any of the foregoing activities when performed as customary maintenance of the sign or sign structure.

Trans 200.015(2)(h) (h) “Exit ramp sign” means a specific information sign installed along the ramp or at the ramp terminal at single-exit interchanges that corresponds to the specific information sign along the main roadway, but which is reduced in size.

Trans 200.015(2)(i) (i) “Federal-aid primary highway” means a highway designated by the department and approved by the secretary of the United States department of transportation under s. 84.105 or 84.29, Stats., and 23 USC 103 (b) or 103 (e).

Trans 200.015(2)(im) (im) “Federal-aid secondary highway” means a highway designated by the department and approved by the secretary of the United States department of transportation under s. 84.01 (15), Stats., and 23 USC 103 (c) that is under the jurisdiction of the department.

Trans 200.015(2)(j) (j) “Guidance sign” means a sign permitted under s. Trans 200.03.

Trans 200.015(2)(jm) (jm) “Install” has the same meaning as “erect.”

Trans 200.015(2)(k) (k) “Maintain” means to keep in a state of repair, efficiency, or validity; to preserve from failure or decline; and to allow to exist.

Trans 200.015(2)(L) (L) “Motorist service” means a service that qualifies under s. Trans 200.06 (2).

Trans 200.015(2)(m) (m) “Motorist service sign” means an official traffic sign that includes one or more of the words “GAS,” “FOOD,” “LODGING,” “CAMPING” or “ATTRACTION” and directional information, but does not identify the business offering the service or the name of the brand of products offered.

Trans 200.015(2)(mg) (mg) “Region” means the geographical area under the administration of a region office.

Trans 200.015(2)(mr) (mr) “Region office” means an office of the division of transportation system development of the department of transportation.

Trans 200.015(2)(n) (n) “Specific information sign” means a rectangular sign panel that displays:

Trans 200.015(2)(n)1. 1. One or more of the words, “GAS,” “FOOD,” “LODGING,” “CAMPING” or “ATTRACTION”;

Trans 200.015(2)(n)2. 2. Directional information; and

Trans 200.015(2)(n)3. 3. One or more business signs.

Trans 200.015(2)(o) (o) “State trunk highway” means a highway designated as part of the state trunk highway system as provided in s. 84.02, Stats., including national parkways as provided in s. 84.105 (5), Stats., and interstate highways as provided in s. 84.29 (2), Stats.

Trans 200.015(2)(p) (p) “Tourist-oriented directional assembly” means a group of one to 4 tourist-oriented directional signs attached to the same post.

Trans 200.015 History History: Cr. Register, March, 1984, No. 339, eff. 4-1-84; emerg. am. (2) (e), cr. (2) (im), r. (2) (o), eff. 6-13-86; cr. (2) (im), r. (2) (o), Register, September, 1986, No. 369, eff. 10-1-86; am. (2) (e), Register, February, 1987, No. 374, eff. 3-1-87; am. (2) (a), r. (2) (c), cr. (2) (jm), (o) and (p), Register, July, 1992, No. 439, eff. 8-1-92; CR 06-103: am. (2) (m) and (n) 1. Register July 2007 No. 619, eff. 8-1-07; corrections in (2) (d), (e) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 6., Stats., and renum. (2) (d), (e) to (2) (mg), (mr) under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 1., Stats., Register February 2013 No. 686.

Trans 200.02 Trans 200.02 Authority for the erection of signs.

Trans 200.02(1) (1) The department of transportation or its authorized representatives in the case of the marked routes of state trunk highways, and local authorities with respect to highways under their exclusive jurisdiction, may place and maintain such traffic signs and signals as they deem necessary to warn, guide, inform, and regulate traffic, and also such signs and signals as are expressly permitted or required by the statutes or by these regulations, subject, however, to such limitations and restrictions as are contained in the statutes and these regulations.

Trans 200.02(2) (2) The department of transportation with respect to the state trunk highway system, and local authorities with respect to highways under their jurisdiction, may erect or permit any department of the federal, state or local government to erect such standard signs as the department of transportation or local authorities deem necessary to inform and warn the public of federal or state laws, local ordinances and lawful regulations by any such department.

Trans 200.02 History History: 1-2-56; am. (2), Register, June, 1973, No. 210, eff. 7-1-73; renum. from Hy 10.02 and am., Register, July, 1980, No. 295, eff. 8-1-80.

Trans 200.03 Trans 200.03 Guidance signs for resorts, hotels, county institutions, etc.

Trans 200.03(1) (1) Any person or persons conducting a summer or winter resort, hotel, or any place of public entertainment or instruction, or any place of religious worship, or persons having charge of any county institution or of any scientific experiment for the furtherance of agriculture or other science or art may be permitted to erect guidance signs of a type approved by the department subject to the conditions contained in this section.

Trans 200.03(2) (2) No guidance sign may be permitted on freeways, including the national system of interstate highways.

Trans 200.03(3) (3) Only where such institution or business is located removed from the state trunk highway system may such guidance signs be erected.

Trans 200.03(4) (4) Such guidance signs may be erected at only 2 intersections of the state trunk highway system with county highways or town roads, and at such intersections of county or town highways as are deemed necessary by the local authorities having jurisdiction over those highways.

Trans 200.03(5) (5) One sign of an approved size and shape may be erected at the entrance to any of the enumerated institutions or businesses.

Trans 200.03(6) (6) No person may be permitted to erect or maintain a guidance sign on a highway if that person has any advertising sign in the vicinity of the intersection where the guidance sign is proposed to be erected or has a business sign under s. Trans 200.06 on the same highway.

Trans 200.03(7) (7) All guidance signs erected on any public highway shall be of a type and design approved by the department. No flashing, illuminated, or reflecting signs or installation shall be permitted.

Trans 200.03(8) (8) No guidance sign may be erected upon state trunk highway right of way at an intersection with the state trunk highway system until the location and manner of erection of the sign have the written approval of the department. No guidance sign may be erected on the right of way of a county and town highway until the location and manner of erection of the sign have the written approval of the local authorities having jurisdiction over the said highway.

Trans 200.03(9) (9) All guidance signs and their supports shall be maintained in good condition. Signs or installations not satisfactorily maintained shall be removed by the officers in charge of the maintenance of the highway.

Trans 200.03 History History: 1-2-56; renum. from Hy 10.03 and am. (1), (6) and (7), Register, July, 1980, No. 295, eff. 8-1-80; r. (5), renum. (2) to (4) and (6) to (8) to be (3) to (5) and (7) to (9); cr. (2) and (6), Register, March, 1984, No. 339, eff. 4-1-84.

Trans 200.04 Trans 200.04 Prohibited signs and signals.

Trans 200.04(1) (1) No person may erect, cause to be erected, permit to be erected, or maintain any advertising, warning, route, guide, information, or regulatory sign or signal within the limits of any highway except as authorized in s. Trans 200.02, 200.03, 200.05 or 200.06.

Trans 200.04(2) (2) No person may place or maintain nor may any public authority permit upon any highway any official traffic control device bearing thereon any commercial advertising except as authorized in s. Trans 200.06. (See ss. 346.41 and 349.09, Stats.)

Trans 200.04(3) (3) No local authority shall place or maintain any stop sign or traffic control signal which stops or regulates the movement of traffic on or entering the state trunk highway system or the urban extensions of the marked routes thereof, designated by the statutes as connecting highways, without the approval of the department.

Trans 200.04 History History: 1-2-56; am. (1), Register, June, 1959, No. 42, eff. 7-1-59; renum. from Hy 10.04 and am., Register, July, 1980, No. 295, eff. 8-1-80; am. (1) and (2), Register, March, 1984, No. 339, eff. 4-1-84.

Trans 200.05 Trans 200.05 Warning signs for underground transmission lines.

Trans 200.05(1) (1) Subject to the conditions set forth in this chapter and in compliance with the provisions of s. 86.16, Stats., the department may grant permits to public utility companies and cooperatives to erect on highway right of way signs giving notice of the presence of underground conduit, cables or pipe for the transmission of electric power, communications or liquid or gaseous fuels.

Trans 200.05(2) (2) When warning signs are permitted in accordance with this chapter, they shall be placed on highway right of way within 2 feet of the fence or right of way line in such a manner that the face of the sign roughly parallels the highway centerline and shall be so adjusted as to height that they will in no way impair vision at intersections, curves, railroad crossings or private entrances. Signs may be erected at the following prescribed locations:

Trans 200.05(2)(a) (a) On one or both sides of a public highway or railroad right of way which the underground transmission line crosses.

Trans 200.05(2)(b) (b) On one or both sides of a stream wider than 50 feet. In the case of navigable streams or channels, additional signs may be permitted in the stream at such locations approved by the authority having control of navigation.

Trans 200.05(2)(c) (c) On one side of a small stream or drainage ditch.

Trans 200.05(2)(d) (d) At such intermediate points that signs will be located at intervals of approximately one-half mile.

Trans 200.05(2)(e) (e) At such other points as may be specifically authorized upon a determination that such additional signs are necessary to reduce the likelihood of damage to the transmission lines.

Trans 200.05(3) (3) The signs shall be rectangular in shape and not larger than 24″x 18″ when mounted horizontally or not larger than 12″ x 18″ when mounted vertically. Roof-type aerial markers shall not exceed 24″ x 18″measured on the plane connecting the 4 lower corners of the marker with a maximum vertical dimension of 8″. Adequate contrasting color combinations for signs may be selected at the discretion of the utility, except that the following 2-color combinations are specifically prohibited:

Trans 200.05(3)(a) (a) Black on federal yellow.

Trans 200.05(3)(b) (b) White on red (except where specifically required by other legal authority).

Trans 200.05(3m) (3m) The signs shall not be reflectorized.

Trans 200.05(4) (4) In addition to the warning message, the signs may include an arrow or arrows indicating the general direction taken by the transmission line. The arrow signs may also be separate from the warning sign, in which case they shall be not greater than 4″ x 12″ in size. The warning signs may carry the name, address, and telephone number of the company owning the transmission line, provided that such lettering shall not exceed one inch in vertical height. The word “Danger” shall generally be avoided unless specifically required by statute or other legal authority. No advertising will be permitted except that the signs may carry the company symbol provided that such symbol is restricted in size to a minimum of one inch and a maximum of 20% of the vertical height of the sign. Such restrictions shall apply to both horizontal and vertical dimensions of the symbol.

Trans 200.05(5) (5) All signs and their supports shall be erected, maintained, and replaced as necessary by the company owning them. They shall be moved by the company at its own expense upon request from the authority maintaining the highway.

Trans 200.05(6) (6) In accepting permission to erect signs of the type provided for in this chapter, the company (or cooperative) agrees that such permission in no way constitutes assumption by the highway maintaining authority of any liability for any damage to the transmission line resulting from work performed by or for said highway authority.

Trans 200.05(7) (7) The regulations of this chapter shall not be retroactive but shall apply to all sign installations made subsequent to the date of adoption of this chapter, and shall also apply to any replacement of existing signs made after said date.

Trans 200.05(8) (8) Special cases where application of this general policy is deemed impractical, inadequate or unreasonable shall be subject to special study and individual decision by the department as to disposition.

Trans 200.05 History History: Cr. Register, June, 1959, No. 42, eff. 7-1-59; renum. from Hy 19.05 and am.(1) and (8), Register, July, 1980, No. 295, eff. 8-1-80.

Trans 200.055 Trans 200.055 Warning signs for utility work areas. The first advance warning sign and the “END UTILITY WORK” sign shall be placed in accordance with the Wisconsin manual on uniform traffic control devices, the department’s utility accommodation policy, or any other work zone traffic control guidance that has been accepted for regular use by the department with respect to the state trunk highway system, or a county, town, or municipality with respect to highways under their jurisdiction.

Trans 200.055 Note Note: Authority for the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices is found at s. 84.02 (4) (e), Stats. Section 227.01 (13) (d), Stats., also states that the Department is exempt from rulemaking with regard to use of highways that is made known to the public by means of signs or signals. A copy of the Department’s Utility Accommodation Policy may be obtained, without cost, by writing to the Division of Transportation Infrastructure Development, Bureau of Highway Operations, P. O. Box 7986, Room 501, Madison, WI 53707-7986.

Trans 200.055 History History: Cr. Register, March, 1999, No. 519, eff. 4-1-99.

Trans 200.06 Trans 200.06 Specific information and business signs.

Trans 200.06(1) (1) Signs permitted. The department may authorize the erection and maintenance of business signs on specific information signs in accordance with s. 86.195, Stats., subject to the following restrictions:

Trans 200.06(1)(c) (c) No business sign may be erected or maintained for any business that has a guidance sign under s. Trans 200.03 on the same highway unless the guidance sign is removed before the business sign is erected.

Trans 200.06(1)(d) (d) When a business sign is erected, any existing motorist service signs for the same services at the same intersection in the same direction shall be removed.

Trans 200.06(1)(f) (f) Any person permitted to have a business sign shall provide any supplemental signing deemed necessary to guide traffic to the motorist service. Supplemental signing includes ramp signing or other lawful signing.

Trans 200.06(1)(g) (g) No business sign may be erected or maintained on an exit ramp sign without a corresponding business sign on the specific information sign along the main roadway. A business sign may be erected and maintained on a specific information sign along the main roadway without a corresponding business sign on an exit ramp sign unless deemed necessary by the department to guide traffic to the motorist service.

Trans 200.06(1)(h) (h) No business sign may be erected or maintained on a freeway for a business that is reached by any other freeway. No business sign may be erected or maintained on an expressway for a business that is reached by any other expressway or by any freeway. No business sign may be erected or maintained on a conventional highway for a business that is reached by any other conventional state trunk highway or by any expressway or freeway. The department may allow exceptions to the restrictions in this paragraph when it deems it necessary to provide motorists with service information.

Trans 200.06(1)(i) (i) No business sign may be erected or maintained at a location where there is an intersection or interchange on the same highway between the sign location and the intersection or interchange at which the business to which the sign applies is located. This paragraph does not apply to double-exit interchanges.

Trans 200.06(1)(j) (j) No business sign may be erected or maintained at less than normal spacing in order to accommodate the sign between 2 successive intersections or interchanges. This paragraph does not apply to double-exit interchanges.

Trans 200.06(1)(k) (k) When there are more business signs requested than the number that may be permitted, the businesses with existing permitted signs shall have priority; then the businesses that are nearest the through federal-aid primary or secondary highway shall have next priority. At double-exit interchanges, the distance shall be measured separately for each pair of double exits, and the shorter distance shall determine priority.

Trans 200.06(1)(L) (L) Any business sign for a motorist service operated on a seasonal basis shall be removed or covered during off seasons.

Trans 200.06(1)(m) (m) No business sign, brand, symbol, trademark or any other message may be erected or maintained that resembles any official traffic control device or railroad sign or signal.

Trans 200.06(1)(n) (n) No business sign may be erected or maintained that does not meet the department’s specifications.

Trans 200.06(1)(o) (o) No business sign may be erected or maintained that has an objectionable appearance as determined by the department due to vandalism, fading, deterioration or other causes.

Trans 200.06(1)(p) (p) No business sign may be erected or maintained for a motorist service that does not fulfill the service requirements of s. 86.195 (3), Stats.

Trans 200.06(1)(q) (q) No business sign may be erected or maintained by any applicant for the sign.

Trans 200.06(1)(r) (r) No business sign may be erected or maintained that fails to conform with s. 86.19, 86.191, 86.195 or 346.41, Stats., or rules interpreting and implementing these statutes, as determined by the department.

Trans 200.06(1)(s) (s) No business sign may be erected or maintained that fails to conform with Wisconsin statutes or federal statutes.

Trans 200.06(1)(t) (t) No business sign may be erected or maintained in violation of an order of the department or any court of competent jurisdiction.

Trans 200.06(1)(u) (u) No business sign may be erected or maintained for any business that fails to conform with all applicable laws concerning the provisions of public accommodations without regard to race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation or national origin.

Trans 200.06(1)(v) (v) Sign removal shall not be stayed by filing any appeal of the department’s decision or order to remove a sign.

Trans 200.06(1)(w) (w) Sign removal shall not affect a sign requestor’s liability for any unpaid fees, interest and costs of collection as determined by the department.