Wauwatosa, WI Mobility & Curb Rules: Bike Lane Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Riding standard
- Careful, prudent manner, firm grip required
- Two abreast
- Allowed only if not impeding traffic
- Sidewalk ban
- Wheels 24 inches or larger in diameter
- Night lighting
- Front white light visible 500 feet
- Registration
- Required with Wauwatosa police department
- Bicycle lane defined by
- Wis. Stat. § 349.23(2)(a)
Summary
Wauwatosa defines a bicycle lane as roadway set aside for bicycles under Wis. Stat. § 349.23(2)(a), and Wauwatosa Municipal Code § 11.48.020 requires every street rider to keep a firm grip and ride in a careful, prudent manner, while § 11.48.040 allows riding two abreast only if it does not impede traffic.
"Bicycle lane" means that portion of a roadway set aside by the governing body of the city or county for the exclusive use of bicycles or other modes of travel where permitted under Wisconsin Statutes Section 349.23(2) (a) and so designated by appropriate signs and markings. ... It is unlawful for any person to ride or propel a bicycle upon any street or alley in the city of Wauwatosa, except in a careful and prudent manner and with a firm grip on the handle bars at all times to insure perfect control, nor is it lawful for any person who propels or operates a bicycle upon any street or alley in the city of Wauwatosa to carry or permit to be carried any other person upon such bicycle except a bicycle built for the operation of two or more passengers and having two or more sets of pedals. ... Persons riding bicycles upon a roadway may ride two abreast if such operation does not impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic.
Full Breakdown
010 defines a bicycle lane as the portion of a roadway the city or county sets aside for the exclusive use of bicycles under Wis. 23(2)(a), marked with official signs and pavement markings, and distinguishes it from a bike route (any designated lane, way or highway identified by signage) and a bicycle way (a path or sidewalk portion set aside for bicycle use). 020: anyone riding a bicycle on a Wauwatosa street or alley must do so in a careful and prudent manner and with a firm grip on the handle bars at all times, and may not carry a second rider unless the bicycle is built for two or more riders with two or more sets of pedals.
040, but only if doing so does not impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic; riding that blocks traffic loses the protection. 090 requires every bicycle used in the city to be registered with the police department. 080 folds in ordinary traffic law, requiring cyclists to obey the same rules of the road as motor vehicles.
Violations & Fines
Adult violations of Chapter 11.48 fall under the code's general penalty provisions per § 11.48.170. Juvenile riders are instead routed to a mandatory bicycle safety clinic run by the police department under § 11.48.180, and a parent or custodian who fails to get the juvenile to the ordered clinic is separately subject to the general penalty provisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it illegal to ride a bike two abreast in Wauwatosa?
Can I ride my bike on the sidewalk in Wauwatosa?
Do I have to register my bicycle in Wauwatosa?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Wauwatosa
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Bike Lane Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Milwaukee County handle bike lane rules.