Madera, CA Public Conduct: Jaywalking (2026)
Key Facts
- Where it applies
- Central Traffic District and any business district
- Exception
- Yosemite Ave. mid-block alleys, B to E Streets
- Signalized intersections
- Crosswalk required even between adjacent intersections
- Adopted
- Ordinance 166 C.S., passed 7-21-71
- Default penalty
- Infraction/misdemeanor under § 1-2.01
Summary
Madera bars pedestrians from crossing a roadway anywhere but a marked crosswalk inside the Central Traffic District or any business district. Municipal Code Section 3-5.13 carves out a narrow exception for mid-block alley crossings on Yosemite Avenue between B and E Streets.
No pedestrian shall cross a roadway other than by a crosswalk in the central traffic district or in any business district; provided, however, this prohibition shall not apply to pedestrians crossing Yosemite Avenue between B and C Streets, C and D Streets, and D and E Streets at alleys in the middle of such blocks. Nothing in this section shall be construed to allow the crossing of any street between adjacent intersections other than in a crosswalk where such intersections are controlled by traffic control devices or police officers.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2024 S-50: Current through Ordinance 1010 C.S., passed 6-5-24).
Full Breakdown
02 by a downtown boundary running along East Fifth Street, North B Street, Yosemite Avenue, North Lake Street, South B Street, East Sixth Street, South C Street, and East Seventh Street, plus any other business district in the city; it does not restrict mid-block crossing citywide. The section carves out one specific exception: pedestrians crossing Yosemite Avenue at the alleys between B and C Streets, C and D Streets, and D and E Streets may cross mid-block there even though it is not a marked crosswalk.
Outside that carve-out, the section also blocks crossing 'between adjacent intersections other than in a crosswalk where such intersections are controlled by traffic control devices or police officers,' meaning any signalized or officer-controlled intersection pair still requires use of the crosswalk. in 1971 and has not been amended since.
Violations & Fines
Section 3-5.13 sets no penalty of its own, so jaywalking within the Central Traffic District or a business district falls under the citywide general penalty at Section 1-2.01: a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $1,000 fine, up to six months in jail, or both, though Cal. Gov't Code § 36900 has reclassified most code violations as infractions since June 1, 1981 absent a later ordinance saying otherwise.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is jaywalking illegal in downtown Madera?
Is there anywhere in Madera I can legally cross mid-block?
Does Madera's crosswalk rule apply outside downtown?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Madera
California rules heatmap·Compare Madera to another location·View the California public conduct overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.