SB 765

This bill authorizes a municipality to erect and maintain within the

right-of-way of any highway within the boundaries of the municipality a municipal

welcome sign. Under the bill, “municipal welcome sign” means an official sign

erected and maintained by a municipality that the municipality determines is

necessary to inform motorists of the territorial boundaries of the municipality. The

bill provides that municipal welcome signs may not be erected within the

right-of-way of an interstate highway and are not subject to the Wisconsin manual

on traffic control devices adopted by the Department of Transportation.

Under current law, no sign may be placed within the limits of any street or

highway except as necessary for the guidance or warning of traffic, the safeguard of

children at play, or to indicate the presence of a neighborhood watch program.

Under current law, subject to exceptions, no sign visible from any interstate or

federal-aid highway may be erected or maintained. This prohibition does not apply

to directional and other official signs. The bill provides that this prohibition does not

apply to municipal welcome signs.