2003 - 2004 LEGISLATURE
October 15, 2003 - Introduced by Senators Leibham, Harsdorf, Roessler and
Schultz, cosponsored by Representatives Ainsworth, Bies, Friske, Gard,
Gronemus, Gunderson, Hahn, Hines, Huber, Kerkman, Lothian, McCormick,
Musser, Nass, Olsen, Owens, Petrowski, Stone, Suder, Van Roy
and
Rhoades. Referred to Committee on Transportation and Information
Infrastructure.
SB281,1,3 1An Act to create 84.02 (15) and 349.067 of the statutes; relating to: the
2installation of traffic control signals on highways and granting rule-making
3authority.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill requires the Department of Transportation (DOT), before installing a
new traffic control signal on a state trunk highway within the corporate limits of any
city, town, village, or county (political subdivision), to provide the political
subdivision with an opportunity to request that the traffic control signal be equipped
with an emergency preemption device and confirmation signal. An emergency
preemption device is a device on a traffic control signal that permits an approaching
police or fire department vehicle or ambulance (emergency vehicle) to alter the
normal sequence of the signal to provide or maintain a green light for the emergency
vehicle. A confirmation signal is a signal on the traffic control signal that notifies
the approaching emergency vehicle that the traffic control signal sequence has in fact
been preempted. If a political subdivision requests that DOT equip the traffic control
signal with an emergency preemption device and confirmation signal and
contributes 50% of the additional cost for the emergency preemption device and
confirmation signal, DOT must equip the traffic control signal with an emergency
preemption device and confirmation signal at the time of installation. DOT may, at
its own expense, install a new traffic control signal equipped with an emergency
preemption device and confirmation signal on a state trunk highway without
providing notice to any political subdivision.

The bill also requires that every new traffic control signal installed on a
highway that is equipped with an emergency preemption device also be equipped
with a confirmation signal. The bill further requires every new traffic control signal
installed on a highway that is not equipped with an emergency preemption device
to include all electrical wiring that would be necessary to equip the traffic control
signal with an emergency preemption device and confirmation signal.
Under the bill, DOT must promulgate rules to implement and administer the
law.
For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be
printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
SB281, s. 1 1Section 1. 84.02 (15) of the statutes is created to read:
SB281,2,32 84.02 (15) Traffic control signal emergency preemption devices. (a) In this
3subsection:
SB281,2,74 1. "Additional cost" means the difference in cost between installation of a traffic
5control signal that is equipped with an emergency preemption device and
6confirmation signal and installation of a traffic control signal that is not so equipped,
7and includes the difference in incidental costs such as electrical wiring.
SB281,2,98 2. "Authorized emergency vehicle" has the meaning given in s. 340.01 (3) (a),
9(c), (g), or (i).
SB281,2,1410 3. "Confirmation signal" means a white signal, located on or near a traffic
11control signal equipped with an emergency preemption device, that is designed to be
12visible to the operator of an approaching authorized emergency vehicle and that
13confirms to the operator that the emergency preemption device has received a
14transmission from the operator.
SB281,3,215 4. "Emergency preemption device" means an electrical device, located on or
16within a traffic control signal, that is designed to receive an electronic, radio, or sonic
17transmission from an approaching authorized emergency vehicle that alters the

1normal sequence of the traffic control signal to provide or maintain a green signal for
2the authorized emergency vehicle to proceed through the intersection.
SB281,3,33 5. "Political subdivision" means a county, city, village, or town.
SB281,3,64 6. "Traffic control signal" means any electrical device by which traffic is
5alternately directed to stop and permitted to proceed by means of exhibiting different
6colored lights successively.
SB281,3,97 (b) Before the department installs a new traffic control signal on a state trunk
8highway within the corporate limits of any political subdivision, the department
9shall do all of the following:
SB281,3,1110 1. Notify the political subdivision of the planned traffic control signal
11installation.
SB281,3,1312 2. Notify the political subdivision of the additional cost of equipping the traffic
13control signal with an emergency preemption device and confirmation signal.
SB281,3,1614 3. Provide the political subdivision with the opportunity to request that the
15traffic control signal be equipped with an emergency preemption device and
16confirmation signal.
SB281,3,2217 (c) If any political subdivision requests under par. (b) 3. that the department
18equip the traffic control signal with an emergency preemption device and
19confirmation signal, and one or more political subdivisions contribute a total of 50%
20of the additional cost specified under par. (b) 2., the department shall equip the traffic
21control signal with an emergency preemption device and confirmation signal when
22the department installs the traffic control signal.
SB281,4,623 (d) Notwithstanding pars. (b) and (c), this subsection does not prohibit the
24department from installing on any state trunk highway, at the department's
25expense, any traffic control signal equipped with an emergency preemption device

1and confirmation signal. The department may install a new traffic control signal
2equipped with an emergency preemption device and confirmation signal under this
3paragraph without providing notice and an opportunity to respond under par. (b) to
4any political subdivision. The department shall install a confirmation signal with
5every new emergency preemption device installed by the department under this
6paragraph.
SB281,4,117 (e) Any new traffic control signal installed by the department after the effective
8date of this paragraph .... [revisor inserts date], that is not equipped with an
9emergency preemption device shall include all electrical wiring necessary to equip
10the traffic control signal with an emergency preemption device and confirmation
11signal.
SB281,4,1512 (f) The department shall promulgate rules to implement and administer this
13subsection. The rules shall include procedures and deadlines for the department's
14notification of political subdivisions, and for political subdivisions' requests and
15contributions to the department, under this subsection.
SB281, s. 2 16Section 2. 349.067 of the statutes is created to read:
SB281,4,21 17349.067 Traffic control signal emergency preemption devices. (1)
18Notwithstanding s. 349.065, any traffic control signal installed by a local authority
19after the effective date of this subsection .... [revisor inserts date], that is equipped
20with an emergency preemption device, as defined in s. 84.02 (15) (a) 4., shall be
21installed with a confirmation signal, as defined in s. 84.02 (15) (a) 3.
SB281,5,2 22(2) Notwithstanding s. 349.065, any new traffic control signal installed by a
23local authority after the effective date of this subsection .... [revisor inserts date], that
24is not equipped with an emergency preemption device shall include all electrical

1wiring necessary to equip the traffic control signal with an emergency preemption
2device and confirmation signal.
SB281, s. 3 3Section 3. Initial applicability.
SB281,5,54 (1) This act first applies to traffic control signals that are installed on the
5effective date of this subsection.
SB281, s. 4 6Section 4. Effective date.
SB281,5,87 (1) This act takes effect on the first day of the 7th month beginning after
8publication.
SB281,5,99 (End)
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