Chapter 10.08
TRAFFIC CONTROL REGULATIONS

Sections:

10.08.010    Official traffic control map.

10.08.020    Bicycle lanes and bicycle ways.

10.08.030    All night parking prohibited.

10.08.040    Vehicular weight limitations.

10.08.050    Heavy traffic and trucking.

10.08.060    Use of heavy machinery.

10.08.070    Temporary and emergency traffic signs.

10.08.080    Crossing guards.

10.08.090    Repealed.

10.08.100    Erection of official traffic signs and signals.

10.08.110    Operation of mini-bikes, go-carts and gasoline powered play vehicles.

10.08.120    Parking during snowstorm emergencies.

10.08.130    Operation of motor vehicles on premises held out to the public for use of their vehicles.

10.08.140    Stopping of school buses on highways.

10.08.010 Official traffic control map.

Speed limits, through streets, stop signs, yield-right-of-way signs, one-way streets, streets where heavy traffic is prohibited and parking restrictions shall be shown on an official traffic control map on file in the office of the engineering division of public works, which map is adopted as part of this section. Failure to observe the restrictions shown on such map shall be a violation of this chapter. The council may, from time to time, make additions to or deletions from such traffic map. The city engineer shall cause all such additions to or deletions from such map to be made. (Ord. 2004-05 § 1, 2005: prior code § 7.03 (part))

10.08.020 Bicycle lanes and bicycle ways.

Pursuant to Section 349.23, Wisconsin Statutes, all portions of roadways when appropriately signed or marked are officially designated as one or two-way bicycle lanes. Pursuant to Section 349.23, Wisconsin Statutes, all sidewalks and all off-road hard-surface bicycle and pedestrian paths in the city are officially designated as bicycle ways and two-way bicycle traffic is authorized thereon. (Ord. 2006-05 § 1, 2005)

10.08.030 All night parking prohibited.

No person shall park any vehicle on any street in the city between two a.m. and six a.m. of any day except with express permission of the police department. (Prior code § 7.04)

10.08.040 Vehicular weight limitations.

A.    Class A highways shall be as defined in Section 348.15, Wisconsin Statutes, and shall include all state trunk highways and city streets, or portions thereof, which have not been designated Class B highways.

B.    No person, without permit therefor, shall operate any vehicle or combination of vehicles on any Class A highway in the city which does not comply with the weight limitations of Section 348.15, Wisconsin Statutes.

C.    Except as prohibited in Sections 348.15(3) and 348.175, Wisconsin Statutes, no person without permit therefor shall operate any vehicle or combination of vehicles imposing wheel, axle, group of axles or gross weight exceeding sixty (60) percent of the weights authorized in Section 348.15(3), Wisconsin Statutes, on a Class B highway in the city.

D.    Temporary Prohibition or Regulation. The city engineer may prohibit temporarily or regulate the weight and movement of any vehicle upon any street, highway or alley in such manner and for such length of time as may be necessary to prevent such street, highway or alley from being damaged or rendered impassable by reason of vehicular traffic, provided the engineer may permit the city to use such street, highway or alley for the delivery of emergency supplies, fuel, construction equipment and supplies and for use by the city of equipment owned by or operated on behalf of the city. (Prior code § 7.05)

10.08.050 Heavy traffic and trucking.

A.    In this section, “heavy traffic vehicle” means all vehicles not operating completely on pneumatic tires and all vehicles or combination of vehicles, other than motor buses, designed or used for transporting property of any nature and having a gross weight of more than 10 tons.

B.    No person shall operate a heavy traffic vehicle on any streets or parts of streets designated as closed to heavy truck traffic after proper signs indicating such restrictions have been erected; provided, the ordinary use of such streets for the purpose of obtaining orders for supplies, or moving or delivering supplies or commodities to or from any place of business or residence fronting on such streets, shall be permitted.

C.    The following streets are designated as closed to heavy traffic:

1.    Burleigh Place, from Pilgrim Road to Calhoun Road;

2.    Lilly Road, from Hampton Avenue to North Avenue;

3.    Gebhardt Road, from Barker Road to Pilgrim Parkway. (Ord. 2830-23 § 1, 2023; Ord. 2004-05 § 2, 2005: prior code § 7.06)

10.08.060 Use of heavy machinery.

A.    Permit Required. No steam shovel, power shovel, concrete or cement mixer, excavator, trench machine, tractor with caterpillar type tracks with or without cleats, bulldozer, nor any similar machine having caterpillar-type tracks, lugged wheels, flanged wheels, metal disc wheels, metal bevelled wheels or wheels of any type other than pneumatic rubber tired wheels, except a road roller, shall be driven or operated upon any street, alley, crosswalk, sidewalk or public place in the city unless a permit shall first be secured from the city engineer.

B.    Conditions of Permit. Such permit shall be issued only upon the removal of any caterpillar-type tracks, flanges, cleats, lugs or other parts which tend to damage streets, alleys, crosswalks, sidewalks or public places, or upon the furnishing of other protection adequate, in the judgment of the city engineer, to protect the streets, alleys, crosswalks, sidewalks or other public places. The city engineer shall specify in the permit the route to be taken, the parts to be removed, and the protection to be rendered to the streets and places previously enumerated, and it shall be unlawful to deviate from such route or to drive or operate such machinery except as provided in such permit.

C.    Must be Locked and Incapable of Starting or Running after Working Hours. All heavy machinery, as herein defined, must be locked and rendered incapable of starting or running by unauthorized persons after working hours.

D.    Unauthorized Persons Not to Start or Run. Persons unauthorized to start or run heavy machinery by the owners or operators thereof are prohibited from doing so. (Ord. 2004-05 § 3, 2005; prior code § 7.07)

10.08.070 Temporary and emergency traffic signs.

A.    Construction Work Zones. The director of public works may place temporary traffic control signage for purposes of regulating traffic around or through construction work zones.

B.    Special Traffic Conditions. The police department may make and enforce temporary regulations to cover emergencies or special conditions resulting from the operation of motor vehicles and may place official traffic signs giving notice of such regulations. (Ord. 2004-05 § 4, 2005; prior code § 7.08)

10.08.080 Crossing guards.

A.    School Crossings. The chief of police may employ school crossing guards for locations approved by the council within budget allowances established by the council. Such crossing guards may direct or regulate traffic as necessary for the safety of the school children and others using their respective crossings, but shall not have the power to make arrests.

B.    Special Crossing Guards. The chief of police may, within budget allowance fixed by the council, hire special crossing guards at locations approved by the council. Such crossing guards shall serve at the pleasure of the chief and may direct or regulate pedestrian or vehicular traffic as necessary for public safety, but shall not have the power to make arrests. (Prior code § 7.09)

10.08.090 Trains prohibited from blocking crossings.

Repealed by Ord. 2541-19. (Amended during Supp. No. 17, 2-2007; prior code § 7.10)

10.08.100 Erection of official traffic signs and signals.

The director of public works shall procure, erect and maintain appropriate standard traffic signs, signals and markings conforming to the rules of the State Department of Transportation giving such notice of the provisions of Sections 10.04.010, 10.04.020 and 10.08.010 through 10.08.060, as required by state law. Signs shall also be erected in such locations and manner as authorized by the governing body as to give adequate warning to users of the street, alley or highway in question. (Ord. 2004-05 § 5, 2005: prior code § 7.11)

10.08.110 Operation of mini-bikes, go-carts and gasoline powered play vehicles.

A.    No person shall operate a motor or power-driven cycle, including the types commonly known as mini-bikes, go-carts or gasoline powered play vehicles, play vehicles being defined by Wisconsin Statutes, as follows:

1.    On any private property without obtaining written permission of the property owner, written permission to be carried on the person of the operator. Immediate members of the owner’s family are exempt from this requirement;

2.    Between the hours of nine p.m. and eight a.m.;

3.    On the shoulders or in the drainage ditches of public streets and highways;

4.    In excess of twenty-five (25) miles per hour, provided that a licensed vehicle operated by a licensed driver may be operated at the posted speed limit even though in excess of twenty-five (25) miles per hour;

5.    With more than one passenger;

6.    Without protective headgear;

7.    On a public street or highway unless the driver has an operator’s license and the vehicle is licensed by and meets the equipment requirements of the state;

8.    Who is under twelve (12) years of age;

9.    So as to race the engine or otherwise cause unnecessary or unusual noise which annoys, disturbs, injures or endangers the comfort, health, peace or safety of others;

10.    In a city park, except where designated by the park commission;

11.    Within one hundred fifty (150) feet of a dwelling, excepting those dwellings located on the property where permission to operate was obtained pursuant to the provisions of subsection (A)(1).

B.    The parent, parents or guardian having legal custody of an unemancipated minor child shall be liable for penalties and costs imposed for violations of this section, where such minor is unable to pay the same, including the jail sentence imposed for nonpayment thereof;

C.    Any person who violates the provisions of this section shall be subject to the penalty provided in Section 10.12.020. (Ord. 1828 § 1, 2001; Ord. 1651 § 1, 1998; prior code § 7.12)

10.08.120 Parking during snowstorm emergencies.

A.    No person shall park or leave standing any vehicle upon any uncleared street during or after a snowstorm so as to interfere with the operation of snow removal, police, fire or ambulance equipment, unless it is physically impossible to move such vehicle.

B.    The police department shall arrange for the towing of any vehicle which interferes with, or may interfere with, the operation of snow removal, police, fire or ambulance equipment, and charge the cost of removal and storage of such vehicle to the owner thereof.

C.    Any person violating the provisions of subsection A of this section shall be subject to the penalties provided in Chapter 1.12 in addition to the removal and storage charges provided in subsection B of this section. (Ord. 1680 § 1, 1999; prior code § 7.13)

10.08.130 Operation of motor vehicles on premises held out to the public for use of their vehicles.

A.    This section shall apply to all premises held out to the public for use of their motor vehicles, whether such premises are publicly or privately owned and whether or not a fee is charged for the use thereof. This section shall not apply to any street or highway.

B.    No person shall operate a motor vehicle on such premises:

1.    At a speed in excess of twenty (20) miles per hour;

2.    Outside of driving lanes indicated by painted lines;

3.    Across parking stalls indicated by painted lines. This section shall not prohibit entering and occupying a parking stall, nor exiting the same, if the operator properly remains within the painted lines;

4.    In a manner commonly known as “spinning doughnuts,” wherein the vehicle is driven rapidly in a tight radius;

5.    At a rapid or sudden acceleration. The squealing of tires or leaving of tire marks shall be evidence of rapid or sudden acceleration;

6.    The wrong way in a driving lane where such wrong way is indicated by painted arrow or by the entry angle of adjoining parking stalls;

7.    Without stopping for a stop sign posted on such premises. The stop required hereunder shall be complete and of sufficient duration to allow adequate observation of the possible approach of other vehicles or pedestrians before proceeding with safety. A rolling stop or a momentary stop shall not comply with the provisions hereof. (Prior code § 7.14)

10.08.140 Stopping of school buses on highways.

Flashing red warning lights shall be used by school bus operators in residence or business district when pupils or other authorized passengers are to be loaded or unloaded at a location at which a curb and sidewalk are laid on both sides of the road, or there are no traffic signals and such persons must cross the street or highway before being loaded or after being unloaded. (Ord. 1773 § 1, 2001)