Wis. Stat. § 346.37 — WI Code / Chapter 346 / Section 346.37
Traffic-control signal legend.
Status: in_force

(1) Whenever traffic is controlled by traffic control signals exhibiting different colored lights successively, or with arrows, the following colors shall be used and shall indicate and apply to operators of vehicles, personal delivery device operators, and pedestrians as follows:

(a) Green.

1. Vehicular traffic facing a green signal may proceed straight through, make a U-turn, or turn right or left unless a sign at such place prohibits the turning maneuver, but vehicular traffic shall yield the right-of-way to other vehicles and to pedestrians lawfully within the intersection or an adjacent crosswalk at the time the signal is exhibited.

2. Pedestrians, and persons who are riding bicycles, electric scooters, or electric personal assistive mobility devices in a manner which is consistent with the safe use of the crosswalk by pedestrians, facing the signal may proceed, and personal delivery device operators may allow personal delivery devices to proceed, across the roadway within any marked or unmarked crosswalk.

(b) Yellow. Except as provided in par. (e) and s. 346.39 (2) , when shown with or following the green, traffic facing a yellow signal shall stop before entering the intersection unless so close to it that a stop may not be made in safety.

(c) Red.

1. Vehicular traffic facing a red signal shall stop before entering the crosswalk on the near side of an intersection, or if none, then before entering the intersection or at such other point as may be indicated by a clearly visible sign or pavement marking and shall remain standing until green or other signal permitting movement is shown.

2. No pedestrian, personal delivery device, bicyclist, or rider of an electric scooter or an electric personal assistive mobility device facing such signal shall enter, and no personal delivery device operator may allow a personal delivery device facing such signal to enter, the roadway unless he or she can do so safely and without interfering with any vehicular traffic.

3. Vehicular traffic facing a red signal at an intersection may, after stopping as required under subd. 1. , cautiously enter the intersection to make a right turn into the nearest lawfully available lane for traffic moving to the right or to turn left from a one-way highway into the nearest lawfully available lane of a one-way highway on which vehicular traffic travels to the left. Vehicular traffic in the leftmost right-turn lane of a roadway that provides 2 right-turn lanes may make a right turn on a red signal into a lawfully available lane that is 2nd to the rightmost lane for traffic moving to the right. Except for a vehicle turning right from the leftmost right-turn lane of a roadway that provides 2 right-turn lanes, no turn may be made on a red signal if lanes of moving traffic are crossed. No turn may be made on a red signal if a sign at the intersection prohibits the turn on a red signal. In making a turn on a red signal vehicular traffic shall yield the right-of-way to pedestrians, personal delivery devices, bicyclists, and riders of electric scooters and electric personal assistive mobility devices lawfully within a crosswalk, to operators of vehicles making a lawful U-turn, and to other traffic lawfully using the intersection.

4. Notwithstanding subd. 1. , a motorcycle, moped, motor bicycle, or bicycle facing a red signal at an intersection may, after stopping as required under subd. 1. for not less than 45 seconds, proceed cautiously through the intersection before the signal turns green if no other vehicles are present at the intersection to actuate the signal and the operator of the motorcycle, moped, motor bicycle, or bicycle reasonably believes the signal is vehicle actuated. The operator of a motorcycle, moped, motor bicycle, or bicycle proceeding through a red signal under this subdivision shall yield the right-of-way to any vehicular traffic, pedestrian, personal delivery device, bicyclist, or rider of an electric scooter or an electric personal assistive mobility device proceeding through a green signal at the intersection or lawfully within a crosswalk or using the intersection. This subdivision does not affect any authorization for a bicyclist under subd. 2.

(d) Green arrow.

1. Vehicular traffic facing a green arrow signal may enter the intersection to make the movement indicated by the arrow but shall yield the right-of-way to pedestrians, personal delivery devices, bicyclists, and riders of electric scooters and electric personal assistive mobility devices lawfully within a crosswalk and to other traffic lawfully using the intersection. Vehicular traffic facing a left turn arrow may make a U-turn unless a sign prohibits U-turns. When the green arrow signal indicates a right or left turn traffic shall cautiously enter the intersection.

2. No pedestrian, bicyclist, or rider of an electric scooter or an electric personal assistive mobility device facing such signal may enter, and no personal delivery device operator may allow a personal delivery device facing such signal to enter, the roadway unless he or she can do so safely and without interfering with any vehicular traffic.

(e) Flashing yellow arrow.

1. Vehicular traffic facing a flashing yellow arrow signal may cautiously enter the intersection to make the movement indicated by the arrow but shall yield the right-of-way to pedestrians, personal delivery devices, bicyclists, and riders of electric scooters and electric personal assistive mobility devices lawfully within a crosswalk and to other traffic lawfully using the intersection. Vehicular traffic facing a left turn arrow may make a U-turn unless a sign prohibits U-turns.

2. No pedestrian, bicyclist, or rider of an electric scooter or an electric personal assistive mobility device facing such signal may enter, and no personal delivery device operator may allow a personal delivery device facing such signal to enter, the roadway unless he or she can do so safely and without interfering with any vehicular traffic.

(2) In the event an official traffic signal is erected and maintained at a place other than an intersection, the provisions of this section are applicable except as to those provisions which by their nature can have no application. Any stop required shall be made at a sign or pavement marking indicating where the stop shall be made, but in the absence of any such sign or pavement marking the stop shall be made at the signal.

(3) If a traffic control signal suffers a loss of power or otherwise malfunctions so that the traffic control signal does not exhibit any color of light, vehicular traffic, pedestrians, and persons riding bicycles, electric scooters, or electric personal assistive mobility devices shall proceed, and personal delivery device operators shall ensure that personal delivery devices proceed, at the traffic control signal as if the traffic control signal were an official stop sign and shall comply with the requirements applicable under ss. 346.18 (1) and (3) and 346.46 (1) , (2) , and (4) , unless otherwise directed by a traffic officer.

History: 1975 c. 23 ; 1979 c. 152 ; 1985 a. 69 ; 1993 a. 490 ; 2001 a. 90 ; 2005 a. 466 ; 2009 a. 97 ; 2015 a. 42 , 74 , 124 , 136 ; 2017 a. 13 ; 2019 a. 11 .