Law-First Plan
2. Walking as a First-Class Mode
Goal: walking is never the slow, second-class choice. No detours, no long signal waits, no gaps, no begging a button.
Continuous, uniform sidewalks
What it means on the street Fill every gap on transit streets first; one standard width and surface; driveways keep the sidewalk level across them
Authority Wis. Stat. 66.0907 lets a city require, build and repair sidewalks and assess costs
Notes Gap list should come from the 2025 MPO Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan
Raised and continuous crossings
What it means on the street Crosswalks at sidewalk height at side streets and driveways, so cars slow, walkers do not
Authority City street design authority on local streets; WisDOT approval needed on state highways
Notes Must meet accessibility rules for detectable warnings
Leading pedestrian intervals
What it means on the street Walk signal comes on a few seconds before cars get green
Authority MUTCD 11th Edition (FHWA, 2023) allows LPIs as a signal timing option
Notes Low cost: a timing change at existing signals
No "beg buttons" for the walk phase
What it means on the street Walk comes up automatically every cycle on busy walking streets (pedestrian recall)
Authority Signal timing is the agency's choice under MUTCD
Notes Accessibility rules still require accessible push buttons for audible and vibrating cues. So buttons stay for access, but nobody has to press one to get a walk signal
Generous walk timing
What it means on the street Timing that does not rush older walkers
Authority PROWAG final rule (U.S. Access Board, Federal Register, August 8, 2023): walking speed of 3.5 feet per second or less, minimum 7 second walk
Notes PROWAG guidelines become enforceable when adopted by the U.S. DOT or DOJ; v2 follows them now anyway
Shorter crossings
What it means on the street Curb extensions, refuge islands, tighter corner radii
Authority Complete Streets policy the city has been developing (Sheboygan Sun, December 2023)
Notes Refuge islands need their own accessible button or passive detection under PROWAG
Winter clearing as a city duty
What it means on the street City crews clear priority walking and transit routes, bus stops and the new bridge approaches within hours of snowfall
Authority Wis. Stat. 66.0907(5): the city's board of public works must clear sidewalks owners fail to clear and may bill it as a special tax
Notes v2 turns the city from backstop into first responder on priority routes; funding mechanism is an open question
Heated or sheltered key links
What it means on the street Snowmelt on the bridge approaches and a few downtown blocks; sheltered stops
Authority Capital cost could be listed in a TIF project plan, amended through the Joint Review Board (Wis. Stat. 66.1105)
Notes Operating energy cost is not TIF-eligible and must be budgeted
What we did not verify. The City of Sheboygan's own sidewalk snow deadline. Nearby Sheboygan Falls requires owners to clear within 24 hours and bills the cost; the Town of Sheboygan uses 12 hours. The city ordinance text is an open question.