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.