Mayor’s Column May 30, 2026
Rohn Bishop, Mayor of Waupun
Hello Waupun!
School’s out for Summer, and the pool opens Saturday June 6. With summer vacation beginning I’m getting lots of questions about scooters. It appears that every kid got a scooter for Christmas and with the arrival of nice weather they are zooming all around. As these scooters are so new, Waupun, like many municipalities are dealing with concerns about safety and rules regarding them.
Wisconsin state law (Wisconsin Statutes § 340.01(15ps)) defines an electric scooter as a device weighing under 100 pounds, equipped with handlebars and a floorboard, and capable of a maximum speed of up to 20 mph. These scooters are treated similarly to bicycles and are largely exempt from traditional motor vehicle licensing, registration, and insurance.
Operational Rules & Guidelines
Under Wisconsin Statutes Chapter 346, electric scooters are subject to the following rules:
* Where to ride: Scooters are generally permitted on roadways, bicycle lanes, bicycle ways, and the shoulder of highways. State law also permits them on sidewalks, but municipalities can override this and enact outright bans.
* Traffic Laws: Because e-scooters are legally defined as vehicles, riders must follow the same rules of the road as bicyclists (e.g., yielding to pedestrians and obeying traffic signals).
Sidewalk Rules: When operating on a permitted sidewalk, riders must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians and give an audible signal before passing.
The scooters look fun, but they do go quite fast. As a parent, I would recommend kids wear helmets and be careful of cars and pedestrians. I would also recommend that people remind their kids that if riding on a sidewalk, a walking pedestrian has the right of way, and if riding on the street, to please obey traffic laws.
Also, at my monthly listening session, I took a complaint about overweight semi-trucks on Beaver Dam Street. I did notify Waupun PD and reached out to the Dodge County Sheriff’s office to help with enforcement of the trucks. Hopefully we can convince heavy trucks to stick to the truck route around Waupun.
Thank you,
Mayor Rohn
