Chapter 83 — COUNTY HIGHWAYS

83.001 Definition. In this chapter, “department” means the department of transportation. History: 1985 a. 223.

83.01 County highway commissioner. (1) ELECTION OR APPOINTMENT. (a) Except as provided under pars. (b) and (c), the county board shall elect a county highway commissioner. If the county board fails to elect a county highway commissioner, the county shall not participate in state …

83.013 County traffic safety commissions. (1) (a) For each county, the county highway commissioner or a designated representative, the chief county traffic law enforcement officer or a designated representative, the county highway safety coordinator, and a representative designat…

83.015 County highway committee. (1) ELECTION; COMPENSATION; TERM. (a) Except as otherwise provided in par. (c) each county board at the annual meeting shall by ballot elect a committee of not less than 3 nor more than 5 persons, to serve for one year, beginning either as soon as…

83.016 Traffic patrol officers, appointment, duties, bond. (1) The county board, or one of its committees to which it may delegate such authority, may appoint traffic officers for the enforcement of laws relating to the highways or their use, or the maintenance of order upon or n…

83.018 Road supplies; committee may sell to municipalities. The county highway committee is authorized to sell road building and maintenance supplies on open account to any city, village, town or school district within the county; and any such city, village, town or school distri…

83.02 County aid highways. (1) The system of prospective state highways heretofore selected by the county boards and approved by the highway commission are hereby validated but without prejudice to the exercise of the power to change such systems. Such systems are hereby designat…

83.025 (1). History: 1977 c. 29 s. 1654 (8) (c); 1977 c. 418 s. 924 (48); 1985 a. 223 ss. 3, 5. 83.025 County trunk highways. (1) (a) The systems of county trunk highways heretofore selected by county boards and approved by the department are hereby validated. Changes may be made…

83.026 Federal aid secondary highways. The county highway committee shall cooperate with the department in the selection of a system of federal aid secondary and feeder roads within the meaning of the Federal Aid Road Act approved July 11, 1916 (39 Stats. at L. 355), and all acts…

83.03 County aid; local levy; donations. (1) The county board may construct or improve or repair or aid in constructing or improving or repairing any highway or bridge in the county. (2) If any county board determines to improve any portion of a county trunk highway with county f…

83.035 Streets and highways, construction. Any county board may provide by ordinance that the county may, through its highway committee or other designated county official or officials, enter into contracts with cities, villages and towns within the county borders to enable the c…

83.04 Highway construction by county; noncontract work; payments. (1) All highway improvements made by the county highway committee shall be by contract, unless the committee determines that some other method would better serve the public interest. The manner of advertising for b…

83.05 (1), 83.07 to 83.09, 83.12, 83.14 (6), 83.17, 83.18, 83.42 (3) and (4), 84.01 (5), 84.06 (3), 84.07 (1) and (2), 84.09 (1), (3) (a) to (c) and (4), 84.10 (1), 86.04 (1) and (2), 86.07 (2) (a), 86.19 (3), 86.34 (1m), 114.33 (5), 349.07 (2), 349.11 (4) and (10) and 349.15 (2)…

83.06 Maintenance of county aid highways. All streets and highways improved with county aid under this chapter shall be maintained by the towns, cities and villages in which they lie but this provision shall not diminish or otherwise affect the duty of the county with respect to …

83.065 County road and bridge fund; tax levy. The county board shall annually levy a tax of not more than 2 mills on the dollar, in addition to all other taxes, and the proceeds shall be 6 known as the “County Road and Bridge Fund”. Expenditures from said fund shall be made only …

83.07 Acquisition of lands, quarries, gravel pits; relocation; eminent domain. (1) The county highway committee or town board may acquire any lands or interest therein needed to carry out the provisions of this chapter. Whenever the county highway committee or town board is unabl…

83.08 Acquisition of lands and interest therein. (1) (a) The county highway committee may acquire by gift, devise, purchase or condemnation any lands or interests in lands for the improvement, maintenance, relocation or change of any county aid or other highway or street or any b…

83.09 Emergency repairs of county trunk highways. Whenever a flood or other casualty renders any county trunk highway dangerous for travel, the town chairperson may immediately close it and notify the county highway commissioner thereof, and the commissioner shall promptly make r…

83.11 Marking section and quarter section corners in highways. Any county board may provide that section and quarter section corners in any highway constructed in whole or in part with county funds may be marked with suitable permanent monuments or markers; and the expense of put…

83.12 Cattle passes. As a part of any highway improvement or as a separate project under this chapter, cattle passes across highways may be constructed at places determined by the county highway committee to be necessary and practical.

83.13 Guideboards. The county board may erect and maintain guideboards on county aid and county trunk highways which COUNTY HIGHWAYS 83.14 are not part of the state trunk highway system, the cost to be paid out of such fund as the board shall direct.

83.14 County aid on town and village initiative. (1) Any town meeting or village board may vote a tax of not less than $500 to improve a designated portion of a county aid highway and may accept cash donations for such purposes, and when accepted subsequent proceedings shall be t…

83.15 Aid by county for state line bridge or highway. The county board of any county bounded in part by a river, or by a highway, either of which is also a state boundary line may aid any municipality of such county in the construction of a bridge across such river or any part th…

83.16 County may contract with foreign county. The board of supervisors of any county in this state bordering on any stream or highway which is the boundary line between such county and a county in another state is authorized in conjunction with the board of supervisors of such a…

83.17 County may assume compensation liability; agreements with localities. Whenever a county contributes funds to a highway project undertaken by a town, village or city in the county or a city, town or village has its highways maintained by the county with local funds, the coun…

83.18 Entry on lands. For constructing or maintaining any highway by the county, the county highway committee or commissioner shall possess all of the powers to acquire and enter lands conferred upon town boards by s. 82.03 (2) and (5). History: 1985 a. 29 s. 3202 (56); 2003 a. 2…

83.19 Temporary highways and detours. When any highway which is maintained or to be maintained by the county shall be practically impassable or be dangerous to travel or when it shall be deemed necessary on account of construction or repair work thereon or for other reasons to su…

83.20 Highways, lighting. Any county may provide for lighting of improved highways maintained by the county or the construction of which has been aided by the county or state, and of bridges located thereon.

83.42 Rustic roads system. (1) PURPOSE. In order to create and preserve rustic and scenic roads for vehicular, bicycle, electric scooter, electric personal assistive mobility device, and pedestrian travel in unhurried, quiet and leisurely enjoyment; to protect and preserve recrea…