Bothell, WA Public Conduct: Jaywalking (2026)

Bothell Municipal Code § 10.20.070 is headed "Jaywalking prohibited" and sits in Chapter 10.20, Miscellaneous Traffic Regulations. It names three places where a pedestrian cannot cross the roadway between intersections: in the central business district, on any arterial, and between adjacent intersections of streets governed by stop signs. The exception is crossing "at marked crosswalks or other places specifically provided." The section does not define "central business district" or "arterial" in its own text, so the posted and mapped street classification decides where the rule bites.

The rule is narrower than a blanket ban on crossing mid-block. A residential block between two intersections that are not both stop-sign controlled, and that is not an arterial or part of the central business district, falls outside the quoted language.

The penalty comes from Chapter 10.60. Section 10.60.025 provides that, unless state law or another provision of Title 10 says otherwise, anyone violating a provision of the title "shall have committed a traffic infraction and shall be assessed a monetary penalty not to exceed $250.00." Section 10.60.040 sends fines and forfeitures collected for Title 10 violations to the general fund of the city. Because Title 10 adopts the Washington Model Traffic Ordinance, Chapter 308-330 WAC, under § 10.10.010 except for the deleted sections listed in § 10.10.020, the state model rules on pedestrians operate alongside this local section.

Two neighboring sections cover other users of the roadway. Section 10.20.010 requires a person on roller skates or a coaster, toy vehicle or similar device to stay off the roadway except when crossing on a crosswalk, and gives that person pedestrian rights and duties while crossing. Section 10.20.060 bars riding, leading or driving a horse on a street or sidewalk within the right-of-way of a traffic arterial unless signs give notice of horse crossing or the public works director permits it. The Bothell Police Department enforces Title 10.