New Berlin, WI Mobility & Curb Rules: Bike Lane Rules (2026)

Under Section 184-18 of the New Berlin Code of Ordinances, bicycle riders inside city limits are folded into the same traffic-regulation framework that governs vehicles under Section 184-17, then layered with bicycle-specific rules. " Once a marked on-street lane exists alongside a route, the ordinance shifts the expectation to that lane rather than the adjoining sidewalk. Children on bicycles with wheels under 20 inches in diameter are directed to stay on sidewalks and sidepaths at all times, regardless of an adjacent bike lane. Riders must proceed in the extreme right-hand lane or along the right side of a sidewalk or sidepath in single file, moving out of that position only to avoid hazards such as parked vehicles, pedestrians, animals, surface defects, or a substandard-width lane.

Weaving crosswise or riding erratically is expressly prohibited, riders must yield to pedestrians at all times, and a stopped rider must pull off the lane or sidepath so as not to block traffic flow. The ordinance bars towing a bicycle by rope and bars a rider from grabbing onto a moving vehicle for a tow. A separate subsection sets lighting requirements for after-dark riding: a bicycle must carry a white headlight visible 500 feet ahead and a red light or reflector visible 500 feet behind, both in use no later than thirty minutes after sunset.