Chapter 349

349.02   Police and traffic officers to enforce law.

349.025   Quotas relating to the enforcement of traffic regulations prohibited.

349.03   Regulation by local authorities forbidden; exceptions.

349.04   Truck driver education surcharges.

SUBCHAPTER II

EXPRESS REGULATORY POWERS

349.06   Authority to adopt traffic regulations in strict conformity with state law.

349.065   Uniform traffic control devices.

349.07   Authority to designate through highways.

349.08   Cost of signs and traffic control signals.

349.085   Authority to install stop signs at railroad grade crossings.

349.09   Authority to remove prohibited signs or signals.

349.10   Authority to designate one-way highways, safety zones, turns and lanes.

349.105   Authority to prohibit certain traffic on expressways and freeways.

349.11   Authority to modify speed restrictions.

349.115   Authority to impound vehicles.

349.12   Authority to designate no-passing zones.

349.13   Authority to regulate the stopping, standing or parking of vehicles.

349.132   Authority to require vehicle registration.

349.135   Authority to regulate radios or other electric sound amplification devices.

349.137   Authority to regulate use of motor vehicle immobilization devices.

349.139   Authority to immobilize, remove, impound, and dispose of motor vehicles for nonmoving traffic violations.

349.14   Authority to use parking meters.

349.145   Authority to establish disabled parking enforcement assistance councils.

349.15   Authority to modify weight limitations and classify highways.

349.16   Authority to impose special or seasonal weight limitations.

349.17   Authority of cities, villages and towns to regulate heavy traffic.

349.18   Additional traffic-control authority of counties and municipalities.

349.185   Authority to regulate certain events and pedestrians.

349.19   Authority to require accident reports.

349.20   Authority to prohibit use of bridges for fishing or swimming.

349.21   Authority to regulate school bus warning lights.

349.215   Authority to appoint school crossing guards.

349.217   Authority to appoint traffic control attendants.

349.22   Authority to establish mass transit way.

349.23   Authority to designate bicycle lanes and bicycle ways.

349.235   Authority to restrict use of in-line skates on roadway.

349.236   Authority to regulate operation of electric personal assistive mobility devices and personal delivery devices.

349.237   Authority to regulate electric scooters.

SUBCHAPTER III

LICENSING POWERS

349.24   Authority to license taxicab operators and taxicabs.

349.25   Authority to license hayrack and sleigh rides.

349.26   Authority to allow or prohibit the operation of low-speed vehicles.

subch. I of ch. 349 SUBCHAPTER I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

349.01 349.01 Words and phrases defined.

349.01(1) (1) Words and phrases defined in s. 340.01 are used in the same sense in this chapter unless a different definition is specifically provided.

349.01(2) (2) In this chapter:

349.01(2)(b) (b) “Chauffeur” means a person employed full time or on a regular basis, including leased drivers, for the principal purpose of operating a motor vehicle.

349.01(2)(m) (m) “Political subdivision” means a city, village, town, or county.

349.01 History History: 1989 a. 105; 2023 a. 1.

349.015 349.015 Applicability of chapter to electric scooters and electric personal assistive mobility devices. An electric scooter and an electric personal assistive mobility device shall be considered a vehicle for purposes of this chapter, except those provisions which by their express terms apply only to motor vehicles or which by their very nature would have no application to electric scooters or electric personal assistive mobility devices.

349.015 History History: 2001 a. 90; 2019 a. 11.

349.02 349.02 Police and traffic officers to enforce law.

349.02(1) (1) It is the duty of the police, sheriff’s and traffic departments of every unit of government and each authorized department of the state to enforce chs. 346 to 348 and 350. Police officers, sheriffs, deputy sheriffs and traffic officers are authorized to direct all traffic within their respective jurisdictions either in person or by means of visual or audible signal in accordance with chs. 346 to 348 and 350. In the event of fire or other emergency, police officers, sheriffs, deputy sheriffs and traffic officers and officers of the fire department may direct traffic as conditions may require notwithstanding the provisions of chs. 346 to 348 and 350.

349.02(2) (2) 

349.02(2)(a) (a) Notwithstanding sub. (1), a police officer, sheriff, deputy sheriff, traffic officer or motor vehicle inspector may not stop or inspect a vehicle solely to determine compliance with a statute or ordinance specified under par. (b) unless the police officer, sheriff, deputy sheriff, traffic officer or motor vehicle inspector has reasonable cause to believe that a violation of a statute or ordinance specified under par. (b) has been committed. This paragraph does not limit the authority of a police officer, sheriff, deputy sheriff, traffic officer or motor vehicle inspector to make an arrest or issue a citation for a violation of any statute or ordinance specified under par. (b) observed in the course of a stop or inspection made for a lawful purpose. This paragraph does not apply to a traffic officer or motor vehicle inspector in the performance of duties under s. 110.075 (2).

349.02(2)(b) (b) The statutes and ordinances covered under par. (a) are all of the following:

349.02(2)(b)1. 1. This chapter and local ordinances enacted under this chapter.

349.02(2)(b)2. 2. Chapter 961 and local ordinances that strictly conform to s. 961.573 (1) or (2), 961.574 (1) or (2), or 961.575 (1) or (2).

349.02(2)(b)3. 3. Chapters 341 to 346.

349.02(2)(b)4. 4. Local ordinances enacted under s. 59.54 (25) or (25m) or 66.0107 (1) (bm).

349.02(2)(c) (c) Notwithstanding par. (a), a law enforcement officer may not stop a vehicle solely because the vehicle’s color differs from the color stated in the application for registration of that vehicle. This paragraph does not limit the authority of a law enforcement officer to issue a citation for improper registration of a vehicle whose color differs from the color stated in the application for registration of the vehicle, if the difference is observed in the course of a stop or inspection made for other purposes.

349.02(3) (3) 

349.02(3)(a) (a) In this subsection, “photo radar speed detection” means the detection of a vehicle’s speed by use of a radar device combined with photographic identification of the vehicle.

349.02(3)(b) (b) Notwithstanding sub. (1), the state and local authorities may not use photo radar speed detection to determine compliance with any speed restriction imposed by s. 346.57, 346.58, 346.59, 346.595 or 349.11 or a local ordinance in conformity therewith.

349.02 History History: 1971 c. 277; 1987 a. 34, 399; 1991 a. 39, 269; 1993 a. 246; 1995 a. 113, 201, 448; 1999 a. 90; 1999 a. 150 s. 672; 2003 a. 193; 2005 a. 116.

349.02 Annotation While it is clear that ss. 110.07 and 110.075 authorize the traffic officers of the state patrol and DOT to make stops and inspections and perhaps arrests for equipment violations, nothing in these statutes limits local law enforcements officers’ powers to do so. A city police officer is a traffic officer under s. 340.01 (70), and because s. 110.075 provides that any traffic officer can stop and inspect vehicles for violations of ch. 110 or rules issued under ch. 110, and because sub. (2) permits a police officer to enforce a city ordinance violation upon reasonable basis to believe a violation has occurred, a city officer had authority to make a stop for violation of an ordinance adopting a safety rule. State v. Bailey, 2009 WI App 140, 321 Wis. 2d 350, 773 N.W.2d 488, 08-3153.

349.02 Annotation In case of an emergency, a sheriff has the power to temporarily close any highway in the county and to divert traffic. 67 Atty. Gen. 335.

349.025 349.025 Quotas relating to the enforcement of traffic regulations prohibited.

349.025(1) (1) In this section:

349.025(1)(a) (a) “Law enforcement officer” has the meaning given in s. 165.85 (2) (c).

349.025(1)(c) (c) “State agency” means an office, commission, department or independent agency in the executive branch of state government.

349.025(1)(d) (d) “Traffic regulation” means a provision of chs. 194 or 341 to 348 or an ordinance enacted in accordance with this chapter.

349.025(2) (2) No state agency or political subdivision of this state may require a law enforcement officer to issue a specific number of citations, complaints or warning notices during any specified time period for violations of traffic regulations.

349.025(3) (3) A state agency or political subdivision may, for purposes of evaluating a law enforcement officer’s job performance, compare the number of citations, complaints or warning notices issued by the law enforcement officer to the number of citations, complaints or warning notices issued by all law enforcement officers employed by the state agency or political subdivision who have similar job duties and who serve in the same administrative unit as the law enforcement officer.

349.025 History History: 1999 a. 16; 2023 a. 1.

349.03 349.03 Regulation by local authorities forbidden; exceptions.

349.03(1) (1) Chapters 341 to 348 and 350 shall be uniform in operation throughout the state. No local authority may enact or enforce any traffic regulation unless such regulation:

349.03(1)(a) (a) Is not contrary to or inconsistent with chs. 341 to 348 and 350; or

349.03(1)(b) (b) Is expressly authorized by ss. 349.06 to 349.25 or some other provision of the statutes.

349.03(2) (2) No local authority may enact or enforce any traffic regulation providing for suspension or revocation of motor vehicle operator’s licenses or requiring local registration of vehicles, except as authorized by s. 341.35, or in any manner excluding or prohibiting any motor vehicle, mobile home, vehicle transporting a manufactured home or modular home, recreational vehicle, trailer, or semitrailer whose owner has complied with chs. 341 to 348 from the free use of all highways, except as authorized by sub. (3) and ss. 66.0429 (1) and (3), 349.13, 349.17, 349.22 and 349.23.

349.03(2m) (2m) Notwithstanding sub. (2), a municipal court may suspend a license for a violation of a local ordinance in conformity with s. 346.63 (1) or (2m).

349.03(3) (3) In a county having a population of at least 750,000, city councils and village boards may, as to streets within their corporate limits, and the county board may, as to all other highways, establish one-way lanes to be used only by specified public transportation vehicles but only to facilitate mass transit and taxicab movement. The authority granted by this subsection may be exercised extraterritorially by the county board of the populous county on those portions of county trunk and state trunk highways in contiguous counties which are within 2 miles of the populous county if the highways so affected are connected to highways similarly affected in the populous county and if the board of the contiguous county concurs.

349.03(4) (4) If a violation under s. 343.305 or 346.63 or a local ordinance in conformity with s. 346.63 (1), (5) or (7) occurs within a law enforcement officer’s jurisdiction, he or she may enforce the violation anywhere in the state.

349.03(5) (5) 

349.03(5)(a) (a) Notwithstanding sub. (1), a political subdivision may enter into a written agreement with the owner of a private road or driveway within a manufactured and mobile home community, as defined in s. 66.0435 (1) (cg), that is located within the boundaries of the political subdivision to enforce traffic regulations under ch. 346, or local ordinances in conformity with these regulations, on the private road or driveway.