Winnebago County, WI Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Encroachment Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit issuer
- Winnebago County Highway Commission
- Application fee
- $75 plus per-method charges
- Open cut fee
- $500 per crossing
- Road closure fee
- $300 per day
- Applies to
- County Trunk Highways only
Summary
Winnebago County requires a Highway Commission permit before any utility line is installed, reinstalled, or run under, over, or parallel to a County Trunk Highway, with a $75 application fee plus per-job charges.
No utility shall be installed, reinstalled or reconstructed over, under, across or parallel to a Winnebago County Trunk Highway without the person, firm or corporation seeking to install, reinstall or reconstruct the utility first obtaining a permit from the Winnebago County Highway Commission.
(b) Applications for permits to install, reinstall or reconstruct utilities shall be applied for at the Winnebago County Highway Commission, 901 West County Road Y, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, upon forms to be provided by the Winnebago County Highway Commission.
(c) Fees for utility permits shall be as follows: Application Fee $ 75.00 In addition to Application Fee:
Boring Fee $100.00 Open Cut Fee $500.00 Permit to Close Road (per day) $300.00 Trenching Parallel to Right of Way (per lineal foot) $.10 Suspension of Lines from Poles, Towers or Plowing of Lines (per lineal foot) $.05
1. Definitions:
a. Boring - Where a circular hole is drilled under the road without disturbing the road surface.
Full Breakdown
Winnebago County Code Chapter 7, § 7.10 covers any electric, gas, telephone, cable, water, or pipeline installation running over, under, across, or parallel to a County Trunk Highway. The Highway Commission issues the permit from its office at 901 West County Road Y in Oshkosh. Applicants pay a $75 application fee plus a per-method charge: $100 for boring, $500 for an open cut, $300 per day to close a road, or a per-linear-foot rate for trenching or pole-line work. The permit is issued only to the property owner, and installation must follow the Commission's written engineering standards.
Violations & Fines
Installing a utility across a County Trunk Highway without this permit is a Chapter 25 forfeiture offense under § 7.10(9)(a), with penalties set by County Code § 25.04.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to run a utility line along a Winnebago County road?
What does it cost to bore under a County Trunk Highway?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Winnebago County
Compare Winnebago County to another location·View the Wisconsin sidewalk & pedestrian rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.