80.37 Lost records; how restored; effect.
80.38 Changing streets into highways.
80.39 County board power to lay, alter and discontinue town highways.
80.40 Control of highways laid by county.
80.41 Discontinuing ways to waters.
80.47 Rights of abutting owners.
80.48 Highways and streets to cemeteries and fairgrounds.
80.64 Widening of highways; establishment of excess widths.
80.01
80.01
Creation, alteration and validation of highways. 80.01(1)(1)
Definition. In this section, "recorded highway" means a highway for which the order laying out the highway, or a certified copy of the order, has been filed in the office of the clerk of the town or the county in which the highway is situated.
80.01(1m)
(1m) Validation of highways. Any recorded highway that has been laid out by the town supervisors, the county board or by a committee of the board, or by commissioners appointed by the legislature, or by any other authority, any portion of which has been opened and worked for 3 years is a legal highway to the extent that it has been opened and worked. Any laid out highway that has not been fully and sufficiently described or recorded or for which the records have been lost or destroyed is presumed to be 66 feet wide.
80.01(2)
(2) Unrecorded highways validated, exception; grants for highway purposes, presumptive width. 80.01(2)(a)(a) Except as provided in
pars. (b) and
(c), any unrecorded highway that has been worked as a public highway for 10 years or more is a public highway and is presumed to be 66 feet wide.
80.01(2)(b)
(b) No road or bridge built upon the bottoms and sloughs of the Mississippi River by citizens or a municipality of any other state shall become a legal highway or a charge upon the town in which the road is located unless upon petition the highway is legally laid out by the town supervisors.
80.01(2)(c)
(c) No lands granted for highway purposes that did not become a legal highway prior to July 1, 1913, shall become a legal highway unless the grant is accepted by the town board or by the town meeting of the town wherein the lands and proposed highway are located, and until a resolution of acceptance of the grant is recorded in the office of the town clerk.
80.01(3)
(3) Beautification and protection. No lands abutting on any highway, and acquired or held for highway purposes, shall be deemed discontinued for such purpose so long as they abut on any highway. All lands acquired for highway purposes after June 23, 1931 may be used for any purpose that the public authorities in control of such highway shall deem to conduce to the public use and enjoyment thereof. Such authorities may improve such lands by suitable planting, to prevent the erosion of the soil or to beautify the highway. The right to protect and to plant vegetation in any highway laid out prior to said date may be acquired in any manner that lands may be acquired for highway purposes. It shall be unlawful for any person to injure any tree or shrub, or cut or trim any vegetation, or make any excavation in any highway laid out after said date or where the right to protect vegetation has been acquired, without the consent of the highway authorities and under their direction but such authorities shall remove, cut or trim or consent to the removing, cutting or removal of any tree, shrub or vegetation in order to provide safety to users of the highway.
80.01(4)
(4) Highways, streets and alleys, piers, plats, curative provisions. Every street, highway and alley, pier and slip, dedicated or attempted and intended to be dedicated in any plat or laid out, altered, vacated or discontinued, or attempted or intended to be laid out, altered, vacated or discontinued by the authorities of any county, town, city or village shall be held to have been lawfully so dedicated, laid out, altered, vacated or discontinued from and after the expiration of 5 years from the date of the deed, instrument, plat, order, resolution or other final proceeding had or taken to effectuate such purpose. No defect, omission or informality in the execution of any plat or deed of dedication or in any proceedings, order or resolution on the part of such authorities for the purposes aforesaid shall affect or invalidate such plat, deed, order or resolution or proceeding, after the expiration of 5 years from the date of the plat, deed, proceeding, order or resolution; provided, the street or alley laid out, or altered by such defective, or informal plat, deed, proceeding, order or resolution, shall be limited in length to the portion actually worked and used thereunder.
80.01(5)
(5) Effect of reservation or exception in conveyance. Whenever a deed, land contract or mortgage of lands abutting on an existing public street, highway or alley or a projected extension thereof hereafter executed and recorded contains language reserving or excepting certain lands for street, highway or alley purposes, such reservation or exception shall constitute a dedication for such purpose to the public body having jurisdiction over such highway, street, alley or projected extension thereof, unless the language of such reservation or exception plainly indicates an intent to create a private way. Such dedication may be accepted by resolution of the governing body having jurisdiction over such street, highway, alley or projected extension thereof.
80.01 History
History: 1999 a. 97.
80.01 Annotation
When a governmental unit shows public use of a road for 20 years or public maintenance for 10 years, a landowner claiming that the road is private has the burden of proving permissive use. Ruchti v. Monroe,
83 Wis. 2d 551,
266 N.W.2d 309 (1978).
80.01 Annotation
Municipalities may incur liability under sub. (3) for failure to trim vegetation obstructing the view at an intersection. Walker v. Bignell,
100 Wis. 2d 256,
301 N.W.2d 447 (1981).
80.01 Annotation
When a highway was established by user, the existence of ancient fences within 2 rods of either side of the center of the highway was sufficient to rebut the sub. (2) presumption that the highway was 4 rods in width. Threlfall v. Town of Muscoda,
190 Wis. 2d 121,
527 N.W.2d 367 (Ct. App. 1994).
80.01 Annotation
The test under sub. (2) for whether a highway has been "worked" is whether the work demonstrates the public's ownership of the road so that the public use of the road is not merely permissive. Continuous work on a road by a public entity is more likely to demonstrate ownership than sporadic work. County of Langlade v. Kaster,
202 Wis. 2d 449,
550 N.W.2d 722 (Ct. App. 1996).
80.01 Annotation
When documents indicate an intent to dedicate roadways to the public, in the absence of official acceptance by the municipality, prior acceptance by the general public users prevents revocation of the offer to dedicate. Nothing prevents the acceptance of the ongoing offer by a municipality. Upon formal acceptance the municipality becomes liable for maintenance and for damages that might result from defects. Cohn v. Town of Randall, 2001 WI App 176,
247 Wis. 2d 118,
633 N.W.2d 674.
80.01 Annotation
Although sub. (3) mandates that governmental authorities "remove, cut or trim or consent to the removing, cutting or removal of any tree, shrub or vegetation in order to provide safety to users of the highway," it has not also created a private cause of action for damages caused by a failure to comply with that mandate. Estate of Wagoner v. City of Milwaukee, 2001 WI App 292,
249 N.W.2d 306,
638 N.W.2d 382.
80.01 Annotation
Rights-of-way boundaries of nondedicated roads are discussed. 69 Atty. Gen. 87.
80.02
80.02
Town highways; petition to lay, alter or discontinue. When 6 or more resident freeholders wish to have a highway laid out, widened, altered or discontinued in their town, they may make application in writing to the supervisors of said town for that purpose. The application may be delivered to any supervisor or to the town clerk. In case the application is for the discontinuance of all or of a part of any highway, and it is desired, as permitted by
s. 80.05, to omit from the notice the description of the lands abutting upon such highway which will be benefited, injured or damaged by the discontinuance of such highway or any part thereof, the application shall contain the description of the lands abutting upon such highway which will be benefited, injured or damaged by the discontinuance of such highway or any part thereof and shall be delivered to the town clerk with a request in writing that such application remain on file with the clerk until the time set for hearing for reference and inspection by any parties concerned. When all the owners of lands abutting on the part of a highway sought to be altered, desire such alteration, and the supervisors are of the opinion that the public will not be materially affected by such alteration, the board may make the same, and may take into consideration donations of money, land or services for the making of such alterations. When the laying out of a highway would require the construction of a bridge costing more than $1,000, exclusive of donations, the order of the supervisors laying out such highway shall not be effective unless approved by the electors of the town, and an estimate by the department of transportation shall be conclusive of the cost of such bridge for the purposes of this section. No town board shall discontinue any part of a state trunk or county trunk highway, nor discontinue any highway when such discontinuance would deprive the owner of lands of access therefrom to a highway.
80.025
80.025
Highways abutted by state park lands; discontinuance or relocation. Any part of a highway lying wholly within state park lands may be discontinued or relocated by the state agency having jurisdiction over such abutting lands by filing written notice of such discontinuance or relocation with the town clerk or county clerk and upon approval by the supervisors after holding a hearing as provided in
s. 80.05 unless such discontinuance or relocation would deprive any other owner of lands access thereto from a highway. This section does not apply to state trunk highways or connecting highways.
80.025 History
History: 1977 c. 29 s.
1654 (3).
80.03
80.03
Restrictions on condemning for town highways. 80.03(1)(1) No town highway shall be laid out through or upon any cemetery without the consent of those having the control of the cemetery; or through or upon any structure, yard or enclosure used for educational or charitable purposes.
80.03(2)
(2) Without the consent of the owner no town highway shall be laid out through or upon any garden or orchard or any building or fixture used for trade or manufacture or any other building or fixture or the yard or enclosure necessary to the use thereof, when the damage thereby caused thereto, exclusive of the damage to the land, exceeds $300.
80.03(4)
(4) The limitations in this section upon the power to condemn for highway purposes applies solely to highways laid out by town authority pursuant to this chapter.
80.04
80.04
When supervisor disqualified; vacancies. 80.04(1)(1) No supervisor may act in laying out, altering, widening or discontinuing any highway in which the supervisor may be personally interested. If one supervisor is interested the other 2 supervisors shall act. If 2 supervisors are interested the 3rd supervisor shall act in the matter.
80.04(2)
(2) Whenever there are fewer than 2 supervisors in a town, the application authorized by
s. 80.02 may be made to the county board, which shall promptly appoint a committee of 3 of its members. The committee shall act upon the application in the same manner and with the same powers in every respect as the supervisors of the town might do.
80.04 History
History: 1991 a. 316;
1999 a. 97.
80.05
80.05
Notice of meeting; service and publication. 80.05(1)(1) On application made to supervisors for laying out, widening, altering or discontinuing any highway the supervisors shall prepare a notice fixing therein a time and place at which they will meet and decide upon the application. The notice shall specify, as near as practicable, the highway proposed to be laid out, widened, altered or discontinued and the tracts of land through which the highway passes or, if the application is for discontinuing the whole or any portion of the highway, the tracts of land abutting on the highway which will be benefited or injured by such discontinuance. When the description in the aggregate exceeds 200 words in length, the notice may state that such descriptions are contained in the application as provided in
s. 80.02, and shall give the name and address of the town clerk to whom the application has been delivered.
80.05(2)(a)
(a) At least 10 days prior to the date of hearing give notice by registered mail to all occupants and owners of record of lands through which the highway may pass or, if the application is for discontinuance, to the occupants and to the owners of record of all lands abutting on the highway.
80.05(2)(b)
(b) Give notice by registered mail to the department of natural resources and to the county land conservation committee in each county through which the highway may pass.
80.06
80.06
Proceedings after notice. The supervisors shall meet at the time and place stated in their notice, and upon being satisfied that the notices required in
s. 80.05 have been duly given, proof of which may be shown by affidavit or otherwise as they may require, shall proceed to examine personally such highway, and shall hear any reason that may be offered for or against laying out, widening, altering or discontinuing the same, and shall decide upon the application and shall grant or refuse the same as they shall deem best for the public good; and they may adjourn from time to time, not exceeding in all 30 days from the time of the first meeting, giving public notice of the time and place of such adjournment when made, and by forthwith filing notice of such adjournment in the office of the town clerk.
80.07
80.07
Order; survey; award; recording; presumptions. 80.07(1)(1) When the supervisors lay out, alter, widen or discontinue any highway they shall make and sign an order therefor, incorporating therein a description of the highway and cause survey thereof to be made when necessary. The order shall be filed and recorded in the office of the town clerk, who shall note in the record the time of recording. The order together with the award of damages shall be so filed within 10 days after the date fixed by their notice or adjournment for deciding upon the application. In case the supervisors fail to file the order and award within the 10 days aforesaid they shall be deemed to have decided against the application. When an order has been filed for more than 30 years and no award of damages or agreement or release has been filed and when the highway, or a part thereof, has been used by the public and public money has been expended thereon, for at least 5 years, it shall be presumed that a release was given by the owners of the lands over which the highway was laid out and the public shall be entitled to use the full width of the highway, as laid out, without further compensation.
80.07(2)
(2) Whenever the supervisors lay out, alter or discontinue any highway the town clerk shall transmit a certified copy of the order therefor to the county highway commissioner.
80.08
80.08
Width of highways. Except as provided in
s. 80.13, highways shall be laid out at least 49.5 feet wide, and when no width is specified in the order the highway shall be 66 feet wide.
80.08 History
History: 1999 a. 97.
80.09
80.09
Damages; agreement, award. The damages sustained by any person upon whose land any highway shall be laid out, widened, altered or discontinued may be fixed by an agreement signed by the owner and the supervisors and be filed in the town clerk's office. Such agreement and every release of damages given shall bar any further claim for damages by the owner and all persons claiming under the owner. If any owner, other than this state or the United States, does not so agree with the supervisors as to damages or does not deliver to the supervisors a written release of all claims for damages, the supervisors shall, at the time of making the highway order, assess the damages which the owner will sustain by reason of laying out, widening, altering or discontinuing the highway and shall make a written award specifying the sum awarded by them to each owner; and if any owner of land is unknown, the supervisors shall specify the damages awarded to the owner, and describe the owner's land in their award. The award shall be signed by the supervisors and be filed in the town clerk's office with the order laying out, widening, altering or discontinuing the highway.
80.09 History
History: 1991 a. 316.
80.10
80.10
Considerations affecting damages. If any part of a highway is discontinued at the time a new or altered highway is laid out, the benefits which any landowner derives from the discontinuance may be considered in fixing the damages sustained by the landowner in laying out the new or altered highway; and in fixing the damages sustained by any person in laying out, altering, widening or discontinuing any highway the benefits which the person receives thereby shall be taken into consideration.
80.10 History
History: 1991 a. 316.
80.11
80.11
Highways on and across town lines. 80.11(1)
(1) Whenever it is considered necessary to lay out, alter, widen or discontinue a highway upon the line between 2 towns, or extending from one town into an adjoining town, it shall be done by the supervisors of the 2 towns acting together. If the highway is laid out or altered it may be either upon or as near to the town line as the situation of the ground will admit. The supervisors of the 2 towns acting together may vary the location on either side of the town line as they consider to be necessary.
80.11(2)(a)(a) An application under
sub. (1) shall be all of the following:
80.11(2)(a)3.
3. Signed by at least 6 resident freeholders in each town.
80.11(2)(a)4.
4. Delivered to a supervisor or the clerk of each town.
80.11(2)(b)
(b) Upon receipt of an application under
par. (a), the supervisors shall promptly fix, and give notice of, the time when and place where the application will be decided. The notice shall be all of the following:
80.11(2)(b)1.
1. Signed by a majority of the supervisors of each town.
80.11(2)(b)2.
2. Published as a class 2 notice, under
ch. 985, in each of the towns.
80.11(2)(c)
(c) A majority of the supervisors of each town shall meet jointly at the time and place named in the notice under
par. (b) to decide upon the application and to sign the order and the award of damages. The proceedings shall be the same as in laying out, altering, widening or discontinuing highways located wholly within one town. The orders, awards, notices and all papers shall be in duplicate, and one duplicate of each shall be filed with each town clerk. The order shall be recorded in each town clerk's office.
80.11(3)(a)(a) The order under
sub. (2) (c) may designate the part of the highway that shall be made and kept in repair by each town, and the share of the damages, if any, that shall be paid by each town. Each town shall have all of the rights and be subject to the liabilities in relation to the part of the highway to be made or repaired by it as if it were wholly located in that town.
80.11(3)(b)1.1. A majority of the supervisors of each town, meeting together, may make an order in accordance with
par. (a) apportioning or reapportioning a town line highway or any part of the highway that they consider advisable, if any of the following conditions exists:
80.11(3)(b)1.a.
a. No apportionment has been made in an order laying out, altering or widening the highway or a part of the highway.
80.11(3)(b)1.b.
b. The highway or a part of the highway had its origin in user.
80.11(3)(b)1.c.
c. In the judgment of the supervisors circumstances have been so altered since the last apportionment of the highway or part of the highway that the apportionment or reapportionment has been rendered inequitable or impracticable.
80.11(3)(b)2.
2. An order made under this paragraph shall be filed as provided in
sub. (2) (c) and shall have the same effect as an order made in connection with the original laying out of the highway.
80.11(3)(c)
(c) Any written order or agreement made before August 27, 1947, by a majority of the supervisors of each town concerned, acting together, apportioning or reapportioning a town line highway has the same effect as though made on or after August 27, 1947.
80.11(4)(a)(a) The part of an order fixing the liabilities of towns in regard to a town line highway is vacated if any of the following occurs:
80.11(4)(a)1.
1. The territory of either town is increased or diminished by a change of the boundaries of either town including a change caused by flowage.
80.11(4)(a)2.
2. A portion of the town line highway is taken over by the state or county under the state or county highway system.
80.11(4)(a)3.
3. A new town or village is formed out of a part of the territory of either or both of the towns, having a portion of the town line highway within its borders.
80.11(4)(a)4.
4. A portion of a town line highway is crossed and covered by flowage.
80.11(4)(b)1.1. In the event that an order or part of an order is vacated under
par. (a) 1.,
2. or
4., a majority of the supervisors of each town that is party to the order shall, before the time for making the next tax roll, meet together and attempt to make a new order apportioning the liabilities on account of the highway, which shall be filed as provided in
sub. (2) (c).
80.11(4)(b)2.
2. In the event that an order or part of an order is vacated under
par. (a) 3., a majority of the supervisors of each town that is party to the order shall, before the time for making the next tax roll, meet together with a majority of the supervisors of the new town or with the president of the new village and attempt to make a new order apportioning the liabilities on account of the highway, which shall be filed as provided in
sub. (2) (c).
