Chapter 346

346.503(2m)(a) (a) In addition to the requirements of sub. (1m), the owner or lessee of a parking facility not open to the public and the owner or lessee of a parking facility which offers parking for 25 or fewer motor vehicles to the public may reserve one or more spaces as provided under sub. (1m) (b) and (c) for use by a motor vehicle used by a physically disabled person. An owner or lessee reserving spaces under this paragraph shall post official traffic signs indicating that the spaces are reserved.

346.503(2m)(b) (b) If the number of parking spaces reserved under par. (a) is at least 4 but less than 20, at least one of these reserved parking spaces shall have an access aisle immediately adjacent to the parking space to provide entry to and exit from vehicles by persons with physical disabilities. If the number of the parking spaces reserved under par. (a) is 20 or more, at least 10 percent of these reserved parking spaces shall have an access aisle immediately adjacent to the parking space to provide entry to and exit from vehicles by persons with physical disabilities. The access aisle shall be at least 96 inches wide and clearly marked. This paragraph applies only to parking areas that are initially constructed, or reconstructed, resurfaced, or seal coated, after August 1, 2014, and that have adequate clearance for lift van access.

346.503(3) (3) The official traffic sign shall include the international symbol for barrier-free environments and a statement to inform the public that the parking space is reserved for vehicles designated under sub. (1m) or (2m). If the reserved parking space has an adjacent access aisle required under sub. (1m) (am) or (2m) (b), the official traffic sign shall also identify the reserved parking space as “lift van accessible only” and shall comply with the manual of uniform traffic control devices adopted by the department under s. 84.02 (4) (e).

346.503(4) (4) The department, after consulting with the department of safety and professional services, shall promulgate rules governing the design, size, and installation of the official traffic signs required under sub. (2) or (2m) (a).

346.503(5) (5) 

346.503(5)(b) (b) A member of a disabled parking enforcement assistance council under s. 349.145 who observes a violation of this section may prepare a written report indicating that a violation has occurred. The report shall contain the time and location at which the violation occurred and any other relevant information relating to the violation.

346.503(5)(c) (c) Within 24 hours after observing the violation, the member may deliver the report to a traffic officer of the political subdivision in which the violation occurred. A report which does not contain all of the information in par. (b) shall nevertheless be delivered and shall be maintained by the political subdivision for statistical purposes.

346.503(5)(d) (d)

346.503(5)(d)1. 1. Within 48 hours after receiving a report containing all of the information in par. (b) and after conducting an investigation, the traffic officer may prepare a uniform traffic citation under s. 345.11 for the violation and may personally serve it upon the owner or lessee.

346.503(5)(d)2. 2. If with reasonable diligence the owner or lessee cannot be served under subd. 1. or if the owner or lessee lives outside of the jurisdiction of the issuing authority, service may be made by certified mail addressed to the owner’s or lessee’s last-known address.

346.503 History History: 1981 c. 255 ss. 7, 13; 1983 a. 77, 227, 246; 1985 a. 87 s. 5; 1985 a. 135 s. 85; 1987 a. 260; 1989 a. 304; 1993 a. 256; 1995 a. 27 ss. 6415, 6416, 9116 (5); 2009 a. 246; 2011 a. 32; 2013 a. 327, 359.

346.503 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also s. Trans 200.07, Wis. adm. code.

346.505 346.505 Stopping, standing or parking prohibited in parking spaces reserved for vehicles displaying special registration plates or special identification cards.

346.505(1) (1) The legislature finds that parking facilities which are open to use by the public without a permit, whether publicly or privately owned, are public places. By enacting this section the legislature intends to ensure that people who are physically disabled have clear and reasonable access to public places. The legislature, therefore, urges the police, sheriff’s and traffic departments of every unit of government and each authorized department of the state to enforce this section vigorously and see that all violations of this section are promptly prosecuted.

346.505(2) (2) 

346.505(2)(a) (a) Except for a motor vehicle used by a physically disabled person as defined under s. 346.503 (1) and except as provided in sub. (4) (a), no person may park, stop or leave standing any vehicle, whether attended or unattended and whether temporarily or otherwise, upon any portion of a street, highway or parking facility reserved, by official traffic signs indicating the restriction, for vehicles displaying special registration plates issued under s. 341.14 (1), (1a), (1e), (1m), or (1q) or a special identification card issued under s. 343.51 or vehicles registered in another jurisdiction and displaying a registration plate, card or emblem issued by the other jurisdiction which designates the vehicle as a vehicle used by a physically disabled person.

346.505(2)(b) (b) No person may park, stop or leave standing any vehicle, whether attended or unattended and whether temporarily or otherwise, upon any portion of a street, highway or parking facility so as to obstruct, block or otherwise limit the use of any portion of a street, highway or parking facility reserved, by official traffic signs indicating the restriction, for vehicles displaying special registration plates issued under s. 341.14 (1), (1a), (1e), (1m), or (1q) or a special identification card issued under s. 343.51 or vehicles registered in another jurisdiction and displaying a registration plate, card or emblem issued by the other jurisdiction which designates the vehicle as a vehicle used by a physically disabled person.

346.505(2)(c) (c) Notwithstanding par. (b), no person may park, stop or leave standing any vehicle, whether attended or unattended and whether temporarily or otherwise, upon any portion of a street, highway or parking facility that is clearly marked as and intended to be an access aisle to provide entry to and exit from vehicles by persons with physical disabilities and which is immediately adjacent to any portion of a street, highway or parking facility reserved, by official traffic signs indicating the restriction, for vehicles displaying special registration plates issued under s. 341.14 (1), (1a), (1e), (1m), or (1q) or a special identification card issued under s. 343.51 or vehicles registered in another jurisdiction and displaying a registration plate, card or emblem issued by the other jurisdiction which designates the vehicle as a vehicle used by a person with a physical disability.

346.505(3) (3) 

346.505(3)(a) (a) Subject to s. 346.01 (2), the owner of a vehicle involved in a violation of sub. (2) shall be liable for the violation as provided in this subsection.

346.505(3)(b) (b) A member of a disabled parking enforcement assistance council under s. 349.145 who observes a violation of sub. (2), or any person who observes a violation of sub. (2) (c), may prepare a written report indicating that a violation has occurred. The report shall contain the following information:

346.505(3)(b)1. 1. The time and location at which the violation occurred.

346.505(3)(b)2. 2. The license number and color of the vehicle involved in the violation.

346.505(3)(b)3. 3. Identification of the vehicle as an automobile, motor truck, motor bus, motorcycle or other type of vehicle.

346.505(3)(c) (c) Within 24 hours after observing the violation, the member or other person may deliver the report to a traffic officer of the political subdivision in which the violation occurred. A report which does not contain all of the information in par. (b) shall nevertheless be delivered and shall be maintained by the political subdivision for statistical purposes.

346.505(3)(d) (d)

346.505(3)(d)1. 1. Within 48 hours after receiving a report containing all of the information in par. (b) and after conducting an investigation, the traffic officer may prepare a uniform traffic citation under s. 345.11 for the violation and may personally serve it upon the owner of the vehicle.

346.505(3)(d)2. 2. If with reasonable diligence the owner cannot be served under subd. 1. or if the owner lives outside of the jurisdiction of the issuing authority, service may be made by certified mail addressed to the owner’s last-known address.

346.505(3)(e) (e)

346.505(3)(e)1. 1. Except as provided in subd. 2., it shall be no defense to a violation of sub. (2) that the owner was not in control of the vehicle at the time of the violation.

346.505(3)(e)2. 2. The following are defenses to a violation of sub. (2):

346.505(3)(e)2.a. a. That a report that the vehicle was stolen was given to a traffic officer before the violation occurred or within a reasonable time after the violation occurred.

346.505(3)(e)2.b. b. If the owner of the vehicle provides a traffic officer with the name and address of the person who was in control of the vehicle at the time of the violation and the person so named admits having the vehicle under his or her control at the time of the violation, then that person and not the owner shall be charged with the violation.

346.505(3)(e)2.c. c. If the vehicle is owned by a lessor of vehicles and at the time of the violation the vehicle was in the possession of a lessee, and the lessor provides a traffic officer with the information required under s. 343.46 (3), then the lessee and not the lessor shall be charged with the violation.

346.505(3)(e)2.d. d. If the vehicle is owned by a dealer as defined in s. 340.01 (11) (intro.) but including the persons specified in s. 340.01 (11) (a) to (d), and at the time of the violation the vehicle was under the control of any person on a trial run, and if the dealer provides a traffic officer with the name, address and operator’s license number of that person, then that person and not the dealer shall be charged with the violation.

346.505(4) (4) 

346.505(4)(a) (a) A taxicab operator may stop the taxicab on that portion of a street, highway, or parking facility reserved, as described in sub. (2) (a), for vehicles used by persons with physical disabilities if all of the following apply:

346.505(4)(a)1. 1. The taxicab is stopped to load a passenger who has been issued a special identification card under s. 343.51.

346.505(4)(a)2. 2. At the time the passenger under subd. 1. arranged for transportation by taxicab, the passenger notified the taxicab service of the identification number appearing on the passenger’s special identification card.

346.505(4)(a)3. 3. At the time the passenger under subd. 1. is loaded into the taxicab, the passenger presents to the taxicab operator the passenger’s special identification card.

346.505(4)(a)4. 4. At the time the taxicab operator stops to load the passenger under subd. 1., there is no suitable, available loading zone for loading the passenger.

346.505(4)(b) (b) Along with the special identification card presented under par. (a) 3., at the time the passenger under par. (a) 1. is loaded into the taxicab, the passenger shall present to the taxicab operator a letter from the department issued with the passenger’s special identification card.

346.505 History History: 1977 c. 418; 1979 c. 276; 1981 c. 255 ss. 8, 9, 13; 1983 a. 77, 192; 1985 a. 87 s. 5; 1987 a. 260; 1989 a. 304; 1993 a. 256, 490; 1997 a. 27, 92; 1999 a. 80; 2009 a. 246; 2015 a. 362.

346.51 346.51 Stopping, standing or parking outside of business or residence districts.

346.51(1) (1) No person shall park, stop or leave standing any vehicle, whether attended or unattended, upon the roadway of any highway outside a business or residence district when it is practical to park, stop or leave such vehicle standing off the roadway, but even the parking, stopping or standing of a vehicle off the roadway of such highway is unlawful unless the following requirements are met:

346.51(1)(a) (a) An unobstructed width of at least 15 feet upon the roadway of such highway must be left opposite such standing vehicle for the free passage of other vehicles. This section shall not apply to a school bus when the school bus is loading or unloading pupils or other authorized passengers where flashing red warning lights are used as required by s. 346.48 (2).

346.51(1)(b) (b) Such standing vehicle must be capable of being seen by operators of other vehicles from a distance of 500 feet in each direction along such highway.

346.51(2) (2) This section also applies to vehicles or equipment used in highway maintenance or construction work unless the nature of the work is such as to require the stopping or standing of the vehicle or equipment on the roadway.

346.51 History History: 1987 a. 125; 2013 a. 96.

346.51 Annotation The graded, but unfinished, bed of a highway lane under construction is not a “roadway” under s. 340.01 (54). Burg v. Cincinnati Casualty Insurance Co., 2002 WI 76, 254 Wis. 2d 36, 645 N.W.2d 880, 00-3258.

346.52 346.52 Stopping prohibited in certain specified places.

346.52(1) (1) No person may stop or leave standing any vehicle, whether attended or unattended and whether temporarily or otherwise, in any of the following places:

346.52(1)(a) (a) Within an intersection.

346.52(1)(b) (b) On a crosswalk.

346.52(1)(c) (c) Between a safety zone and the adjacent curb, or within 15 feet of a point on the curb immediately opposite the end of a safety zone unless a different distance is clearly indicated by an official traffic sign, pavement marking, or parking meter.

346.52(1)(d) (d) On a sidewalk or sidewalk area, except when parking on the sidewalk or sidewalk area is clearly indicated by official traffic signs, pavement markings, or parking meters.

346.52(1)(e) (e) Alongside or opposite any highway excavation or obstruction when stopping or standing at that place would obstruct traffic or when pedestrian traffic would be required to travel in the roadway.

346.52(1)(f) (f) On the roadway side of any parked vehicle unless double parking is clearly indicated by official traffic signs or pavement markings.

346.52(1)(g) (g) Within 15 feet of the driveway entrance to a fire station or directly across the highway from a fire station entrance.

346.52(1)(h) (h) Upon any portion of a highway where, and at the time when, stopping or standing is prohibited by official traffic signs indicating the prohibition of any stopping or standing.

346.52(1)(i) (i) Within 25 feet of the nearest rail at a railroad crossing.

346.52(1m) (1m) Notwithstanding sub. (1) (a) and (b), if snow accumulation at the usual bus passenger loading area makes it difficult to load or discharge bus passengers, the driver may stop a motor bus to load or discharge passengers on a crosswalk at an intersection where traffic is not controlled by a traffic control signal or a traffic officer.

346.52(2) (2) During the hours of 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. during school days, no person may stop or leave any vehicle standing, whether temporarily or otherwise, upon the near side of a through highway adjacent to a schoolhouse used for any children below the 9th grade. If the highway adjacent to the schoolhouse is not a through highway, the operator of a vehicle may stop upon the near side thereof during such hours, provided such stopping is temporary and only for the purpose of receiving or discharging passengers. This subsection shall not apply to villages, towns or cities when the village or town board or common council thereof by ordinance permits parking of any vehicle or of school buses only on the near side of specified highways adjacent to schoolhouses during specified hours, or to the parking of vehicles on the near side of highways adjacent to schoolhouses authorized by s. 349.13 (1j).

346.52 History History: 1979 c. 325; 1983 a. 59; 1989 a. 71; 1993 a. 246; 1997 a. 159; 1999 a. 85; 2015 a. 124.

346.53 346.53 Parking prohibited in certain specified places. No person shall stop or leave any vehicle standing in any of the following places except temporarily for the purpose of and while actually engaged in loading or unloading or in receiving or discharging passengers and while the vehicle is attended by a licensed operator so that it may promptly be moved in case of an emergency or to avoid obstruction of traffic:

346.53(1) (1) In a loading zone.

346.53(2) (2) In an alley in a business district.

346.53(3) (3) Within 10 feet of a fire hydrant, unless a greater distance is indicated by an official traffic sign.

346.53(4) (4) Within 4 feet of the entrance to an alley or a private road or driveway.

346.53(5) (5) Closer than 15 feet to the near limits of a crosswalk.

346.53(6) (6) Upon any portion of a highway where and at the time when parking is prohibited, limited or restricted by official traffic signs.

346.53 History History: 1999 a. 85.

346.53 Annotation The trial court erred in finding a truck driver, who parked on a highway for the purpose of unloading sewage into a manhole, negligent as a matter of law and refusing to submit the question of practicality to the jury. Nelson v. Travelers Insurance Co., 80 Wis. 2d 272, 259 N.W.2d 48 (1977).

346.54 346.54 How to park and stop on streets.

346.54(1) (1) Upon streets where stopping or parking is authorized or permitted, a vehicle is not lawfully stopped or parked unless it complies with the following requirements:

346.54(1)(a) (a) Upon a street where traffic is permitted to move in both directions simultaneously and where angle parking is not clearly designated by official traffic signs or pavement markings, a vehicle must be parked parallel to the edge of the street, headed in the direction of traffic on the right side of the street.

346.54(1)(b) (b) Upon a one-way street or divided street where parking on the left side of the roadway is clearly authorized by official traffic signs or pavement markings, vehicles may be parked only as indicated by the signs or pavement markings.

346.54(1)(c) (c) Upon streets where angle parking is clearly authorized by official traffic signs or pavement markings, vehicles shall be parked at the angle and within the spaces indicated.

346.54(1)(cm) (cm)

346.54(1)(cm)1. 1. In a parallel parking area, a motorcycle or moped may park at an angle. If parallel parking spaces are not indicated by pavement markings, no motorcycle or moped may be parked within 2 feet of another vehicle. Where a parallel parking space is indicated by pavement markings or where angle parking is authorized, up to 3 motorcycles or mopeds may park in the space.

346.54(1)(cm)2. 2. Up to 3 motorcycles or mopeds may be parked in a parking space where a parking meter has been installed unless the space is restricted by official traffic sign or pavement markings to a single motorcycle or moped. The operator of each motorcycle or moped parked in a single space regulated by a parking meter shall receive a citation for any violation of a time restriction.

346.54(1)(d) (d) In parallel parking, a vehicle shall be parked facing in the direction of traffic with the right wheels within 12 inches of the curb or edge of the street when parked on the right side and with the left wheels within 12 inches of the curb or edge of the street when parked on the left side. In parallel parking, a vehicle shall be parked with its front end at least 2 feet from the vehicle in front and with its rear end at least 2 feet from the vehicle in the rear, unless a different system of parallel parking is clearly indicated by official traffic signs or pavement markings.

346.54(1)(e) (e) Except as provided in par. (cm) and s. 349.13 (6), for the purpose of parking, mopeds, electric scooters, and electric personal assistive mobility devices shall be considered bicycles. Except as provided in s. 349.13 (6), where possible without impeding the flow of pedestrian traffic, a bicycle, moped, electric scooter, or electric personal assistive mobility device may be parked on a sidewalk. Except as provided in s. 349.13 (6), a bicycle, moped, electric scooter, or electric personal assistive mobility device may be parked in a bike rack or other similar area designated for bicycle parking.

346.54(2) (2) No person shall stop or leave a vehicle standing in violation of this section.

346.54 History History: 1977 c. 288; 1983 a. 57, 243; 1985 a. 65; 1995 a. 138; 1999 a. 85; 2001 a. 90; 2011 a. 73; 2015 a. 124; 2019 a. 11, 50.

346.55 346.55 Other restrictions on parking and stopping.

346.55(1) (1) No person shall stop or leave standing any vehicle on the left side of a highway except as provided in ss. 167.31 (4) (co) and 346.54.

346.55(3) (3) No person may leave or park any motor vehicle on private property without the consent of the owner or lessee of the property.

346.55(4) (4) Owners or lessees of public or private property may permit parking by certain persons and limit, restrict or prohibit parking as to other persons if the owner or lessee posts a sign on the property indicating for whom parking is permitted, limited, restricted or prohibited. No person may leave or park any motor vehicle on public or private property contrary to a sign posted thereon.