Milwaukee County, WI Public Conduct: Jaywalking (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Appendix C, § 28(3)
- Crosswalk buffer
- 300 feet
- Diagonal crossing
- Prohibited without authorization
- Forfeiture range
- $35 to $50
Summary
Milwaukee County's traffic ordinance bans jaywalking outright, defining it as crossing within 300 feet of a marked crosswalk, crossing against signals at a controlled intersection, or cutting diagonally across an intersection without permission.
(3)Jaywalking prohibited. No pedestrian shall jaywalk. The following shall constitute jaywalking and shall be deemed as a violation of this section:(a)Crossing a roadway at a point within three hundred (300) feet of a marked crosswalk.(b)Crossing at a controlled intersection contrary to the signal lights or the direction of a traffic officer.(c)Failing to walk on the extreme left side of any roadway when there are no sidewalks or pathways for pedestrian travel available adjacent to or abutting said roadway.(d)Crossing a roadway intersection diagonally, unless authorized by official traffic control devices or a traffic officer.(e)Crossing a roadway intersection in any manner prohibited by official traffic control devices pertaining to such crossing movements.
31. - Penalties.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 112).
Full Breakdown
Appendix C, Section 28(3) of Milwaukee County's traffic code makes jaywalking a violation on roadways within the county's highway system. It defines jaywalking to include crossing a roadway within three hundred feet of a marked crosswalk, and crossing at a signaled intersection against the light or an officer's direction. The section works alongside 28(1) and (2), which separately require pedestrians to obey traffic control devices and to cross at crosswalks where they're provided rather than mid-block.
Violations & Fines
Jaywalking isn't covered by the code's parking or state-incorporated moving-violation penalty tables, so it falls under the general catch-all penalty: a forfeiture of not less than $35 nor more than $50, plus costs of prosecution.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is jaywalking illegal in Milwaukee County?
What's the fine for jaywalking in Milwaukee County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Milwaukee County
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