Madison, WI Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Obstruction Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- General obstruction fine
- $50–$200 per violation
- Covers
- streets, alleys, crosswalks, terraces and sidewalks
- Snow/ice dumping fine
- $50–$200, same as obstruction
- 'Private property' includes
- abutting terrace, sidewalk and driveway apron
- City cleanup remedy
- special charge if owner fails to remove snow/ice
- Long-term encroachments
- need a separate § 10.31 privilege-in-streets license
Summary
Madison General Ordinances § 10.23 makes it unlawful to unnecessarily obstruct any street, alley, crosswalk, terrace or sidewalk so as to interfere with public traffic or access, punishable by a $50–$200 fine. A companion clause in the same section separately fines anyone who pushes snow or ice from private property onto a sidewalk, roadway, street or bike path.
(1)Any person unnecessarily obstructing or causing to be obstructed any street, alley, crosswalk, terrace or sidewalk so as to interfere with public traffic or access shall be subject to a fine of not less than fifty dollars ($50) nor more than two hundred dollars ($200).(2)Any person depositing snow or ice from private property upon any sidewalk, roadway or street, bike path or upon the non-adjacent private property of another without consent, or causing or ordering the same to be done shall be subject to a fine of not less than fifty dollars ($50) nor more than two hundred dollars ($200).
Full Breakdown
23 bars unnecessarily obstructing or causing the obstruction of any street, alley, crosswalk, terrace or sidewalk in a way that interferes with public traffic or access, backed by a fine of not less than $50 nor more than $200. Subsection (2) separately fines anyone who deposits snow or ice from private property onto a sidewalk, roadway, street or bike path, or onto a neighbor's non-adjacent property without consent, at the same $50–$200 range; for this subsection only, 'private property' is defined to reach the abutting right-of-way itself, meaning the sidewalk, terrace or driveway apron in front of a lot, so a resident can't dodge the rule by blowing snow onto the terrace instead of a neighbor's yard.
Subsection (3) lets the City Engineer, Street Superintendent or Building Inspection Division Director have the City remove snow and ice an owner failed to clear, track the cost, and assess it against the property as a special charge, a remedy that the ordinance says does not bar, or get barred by, a separate prosecution under Subsection (2). 23.
Violations & Fines
A first obstruction or snow/ice-dumping violation under § 10.23(1) or (2) draws a fine of $50 to $200; the text does not set escalating tiers for repeat offenses the way the trash and recycling sections do. Where an owner fails to clear improperly deposited snow or ice, the City can remove it directly and bill the cost to the property as a special charge under Subsection (3), independent of any separate court fine.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the fine for blocking a sidewalk in Madison?
Can I get fined for shoveling snow onto the sidewalk?
Who enforces sidewalk obstruction rules and can the City clear it itself?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Madison
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Obstruction Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Dane County handle obstruction rules.