Wichita, KS Public Conduct: Jaywalking (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Wichita Municipal Code Sec. 11.44.030
- Congested-area crosswalk rule
- Mandatory in downtown congested area
- Elsewhere on the roadway
- Mid-block crossing legal but must yield
- Default fine
- Up to $500 per violation (Sec. 1.04.060)
- Diagonal crossing
- Barred unless a signal allows it
Summary
Wichita requires pedestrians to use crosswalks between signalized intersections and in the congested downtown area; crossing mid-block elsewhere is legal but the pedestrian must yield to vehicles.
(a) Every pedestrian crossing a roadway at any point other than within a marked crosswalk, or within an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection, shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the roadway. ... (c) Between adjacent intersections at which traffic-control signals are in operation or in the congested areas..., a pedestrian shall not cross a roadway at any point except in a marked crosswalk, pedestrian lane, or unmarked crosswalk at such intersections.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 35).
Full Breakdown
Wichita Municipal Code Sec. 11.44.030 bans crossing a roadway outside a marked or unmarked intersection crosswalk between adjacent signal-controlled intersections or inside the city's designated congested area, defined in Sec. 11.04.060. Outside those zones, Sec. 11.44.030(a) still lets a pedestrian cross mid-block, but only after yielding the right-of-way to all vehicles on the roadway; diagonal crossing at intersections is also barred unless a signal specifically authorizes it. The pedestrian chapter sets no dollar penalty, so the citywide default in Sec. 1.04.060 controls: a fine of up to $500, with each day a continuing violation treated as a separate offense.
Violations & Fines
Crossing mid-block inside the congested downtown core or between signal-controlled intersections; crossing diagonally at an intersection without signal authorization; crossing outside a crosswalk elsewhere without yielding to traffic.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is jaywalking illegal in Wichita?
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Wichita
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