City of Milwaukee - File #: 260556

• File #: 260556
• Version: 3
• Type: Ordinance
• Status: Passed
• File created: 7/31/2026
• In control: PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE
• Final action: 9/22/2026
• Effective date: 10/10/2026
• Title: A substitute ordinance relating to the notification to be provided for the closure of public rights of way and increasing fines if constituents are not properly notified.
• Sponsors: ALD. ZAMARRIPA, ALD. MOORE, ALD. COGGS, ALD. BAUMAN, ALD. WESTMORELAND, ALD. TAYLOR, ALD. BURGELIS, ALD. BROWER
• Indexes: STREET CLOSINGS, STREETS

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result	Tally
10/9/2026	3	CITY CLERK	PUBLISHED
9/23/2026	3	MAYOR	SIGNED
9/22/2026	2	COMMON COUNCIL	AMENDED; Minutes note: Ald. Zamarripa moved to amend this file, Part 1, by inserting "Each day the work continues or the public right-of-way is closed to public use shall be regarded as a separate offense" immediately following "not more than 60 days." Further moved to create a-3 immediately after a-2 in Part 2 to read: "a-3. The work is expected to fully obstruct traffic in at least one direction on the roadway." There were no objections.	Pass	15:0
9/22/2026	3	COMMON COUNCIL	PASSED	Pass	15:0
9/10/2026	1	PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE	SUBSTITUTED; Minutes note: Appeared Ald. Zamarripa Appeared Ald. Perez Appeared Kevin Muhs (City Engineer, DPW) Appeared Jerrel Kruschke (Commissioner, DPW) Appeared James Washington (Coordinator Manager, DPW) Appeared Gunner Raasch (LRB)	Pass	5:0
9/10/2026	2	PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE	RECOMMENDED FOR PASSAGE; Minutes note: Item 8 and Item 16 where discussed together. Alderwoman Zamaripa and Alderman Burgelis introduced ordinances to significantly increase fines for utilities that fail to notify the city or residents of road closures. Mr. Raasch from the Legislative Reference Bureau (LRB) provided a detailed explanation of two separate legislative files concerning utility work in public spaces. Ald. Zamaripa's file 260556 addresses the failure of companies to provide notification when conducting such work. Ald. Burgelis file 260554 proposes increasing penalties for companies or utilities that perform work in the public right of way without obtaining a permit, specifically for non-emergency situations. Mr. Raasch noted that a company working without a permit would likely be subject to penalties under both ordinances, as they would presumably also fail to notify the city. It was clarified that if a company possesses a permit but fails to provide the required notification, they would only be subject to the penalty under Ald. Zamaripa's ordinance. Specific complaints were leveled against We Energies for shutting down arterial streets like National and Lincoln Avenues without proper permits or communication. Commissioner Kruschke emphasized that the goal is to give citizens the opportunity to pivot their daily commutes and avoid the panic of unexpected road blocks. There were no objections to the motion.	Pass	5:0
7/31/2026	0	COMMON COUNCIL	ASSIGNED TO

Number
260556
Version
SUBSTITUTE 3
Reference

Sponsor
ALD. ZAMARRIPA
Title
A substitute ordinance relating to the notification to be provided for the closure of public rights of way and increasing fines if constituents are not properly notified.
Section
115-4-6 am
115-4-6.5 cr
115-47.5 cr
Analysis
This ordinance increases the penalty for failure to notify residents of work closing a public right-of-way from the general penalty of between $25 and $250 to a fine between $1,000 and $5,000. It also requires permit holders to erect digital signage for certain road closures, and requires public utilities to submit annual plans to the department.
Body
The Mayor and Common Council of the City of Milwaukee do ordain as follows:

Part 1. Section 115-4-6 of the code is amended to read:

115-4. Granting of Permits.

6. FAILURE TO NOTIFY. If work is started or the public way occupied without first providing notification as required in sub. 5, >>or if the permit holder fails to provide photographs or video recordings of written notice being served to the commissioner or the commissioner’s designee upon request,<< any person, firm or corporation violating this section shall be subject to [[penalties as provided in s. 115-48.]] >>a fine of not less than $1,000 nor more than $5,000, and upon default of payment thereof, be punished by imprisonment in the house of correction for a period of not more than 60 days. Each day the work continues or the public right-of-way is closed to public use shall be regarded as a separate offense.<<

Part 2. Section 115-4-6.5 of the code is created to read:

6.5 DIGITAL SIGNS FOR MAJOR ROAD CLOSURES. a. A permit holder shall be required to erect digital signage whenever a permit is granted under this section for work on any roadway where both of the following conditions are met:

a-1. The roadway is determined to have average daily traffic greater than 3,000.

a-2. The work, occupation, or closure of the roadway is exp...