When should I use warning signs for bikes, pedestrians, buggies, or other non-typical highway use?

There are many warning signs that can be used to alert drivers of bicycles, buggies, pedestrians, ATVs and other non-vehicular traffic crossing or using a highway. Overuse of such signs leads to them being ignored and losing their effectiveness. As such, their use should be limited to locations where interactions are unexpected. Here is a list of the common places where such signs can be useful.

• Crossings of a bike, ATV, snowmobile or other trails, click here to see examples of different warning signs 
• On highways entering an area where such use is common (such as the horse-drawn buggy (W11-14) sign when entering an area where Amish or Mennonite communities have developed)
• Short stretches where a trail shares the road for a limited distance and the sharing with cars and trucks would not be anticipated

Note that these signs are most useful for those not familiar with an area as local drivers get used to sharing the road fairly quickly.

Resources

MUTCD Section 2C.49 Vehicular Traffic Warning Signs

Chapter 7 - Traffic Sign Handbook for Local Roads, 2017 New York State Edition, March 2017 (pdf)

April 2015