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Wauwatosa, WI Public Conduct: Jaywalking (2026)

Light Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Rule type
Right-of-way allocation, not outright ban
Applies when
Crossing outside marked/unmarked crosswalk
Prior code origin
§ 11.04(4)
Default penalty
$1-$5,000 forfeiture (§ 1.12.010)
Nearby stricter rule
§ 11.20.100: $25-$500, listed streets

Summary

Wauwatosa doesn't outlaw crossing mid-block outright; instead § 11.20.040 says a pedestrian who crosses anywhere other than a marked or unmarked crosswalk forfeits the right-of-way to vehicles. That single sentence, carried over from the prior code's § 11.04(4), shifts legal priority, and effectively fault in a collision, to the pedestrian rather than imposing a stand-alone jaywalking fine.

Every pedestrian crossing street at any point other than a marked or unmarked crosswalk shall yield the right-of-way to vehicles upon the street.

View official code

Full Breakdown

20 'Pedestrians' sets out a sequence of right-of-way rules rather than a blanket crossing ban. 030 addresses divided streets, giving pedestrians the right-of-way only on the half of the street between the limits and the center. 040 is written as a civil right-of-way allocation, not a standalone prohibition. Its practical effect surfaces mainly after a collision: a pedestrian struck outside a crosswalk has, by the code's own terms, already yielded the right-of-way to the vehicle, which weighs against the pedestrian in any resulting liability or citation determination. 010: a forfeiture of $1 to $5,000 for a first offense.

Violations & Fines

Section 11.20.040 carries no penalty of its own; violations default to the citywide general penalty, § 1.12.010, a forfeiture of not less than $1 nor more than $5,000 for a first offense (minimum $25 for a repeat conviction). The section's real teeth are practical rather than punitive: it establishes that a pedestrian crossing outside a crosswalk has forfeited right-of-way, which counts against the pedestrian if a collision results.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is jaywalking against the law in Wauwatosa?
Not as an outright ban. Section 11.20.040 instead provides that a pedestrian crossing anywhere other than a marked or unmarked crosswalk forfeits the right-of-way to vehicles on the street. It's a right-of-way rule, not a standalone prohibition with its own fine.
Can police ticket me for jaywalking in Wauwatosa?
A citation for violating § 11.20.040 falls back to the city's general penalty provision, § 1.12.010, which allows a forfeiture of $1 to $5,000 for a first offense. In practice, enforcement more often targets the more specific roadway-safety sections nearby, such as § 11.20.090 or § 11.20.100.
What happens if I'm hit by a car while crossing mid-block?
Because § 11.20.040 says you've already forfeited the right-of-way by crossing outside a crosswalk, that allocation works against you in any liability determination or citation following the collision, even though the section itself doesn't set a separate fine for the crossing.
Are there streets where pedestrians face stricter rules?
Yes. Section 11.20.100 separately restricts pedestrians from entering or staying on a list of the city's busiest streets, including Blue Mound Road, North Avenue and Watertown Plank Road, with its own forfeiture of $25 to $500, adopted by Ord. O-21-16 in 2021.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Wauwatosa

Noise Ordinances: Construction HoursSome RestrictionsFence Regulations: Height LimitsSome RestrictionsParking Rules: RV & Boat ParkingSome RestrictionsPublic Marijuana UseSignificant RestrictionsLoud Party OrdinanceSignificant RestrictionsPublic Alcohol UseSome RestrictionsLoitering RulesSome RestrictionsParking Rules: EV ChargingLight RestrictionsParking Rules: Driveway RulesSome RestrictionsFence Regulations: Fence Permit RequirementsSome Restrictions

All Wauwatosa rules

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