MnDOT Installs Motorist Warning Signals for Amish Buggies on Hwy 44 in Fillmore County

Our newsroom runs on more than coffee and craft beer — it runs on you. Support Decorah News' local reporting today. CANTON, Minn. — The Minnesota Department of Transportation has installed new flashing driver alert signs along a stretch of Highway 44 between Mabel and Canton in Fillmore County to warn motorists of Amish buggies on the roadway. The system is intended to improve safety in an area that is home to Minnesota's largest Amish community. Amish buggies typically travel on highway shoulders to avoid conflicts with vehicles, but along this section of Highway 44 the shoulder narrows and includes guardrail, forcing buggies onto the roadway. The warning system uses sensors to detect an approaching buggy and activate flashing beacons to alert motorists. The setup is similar to MnDOT's rural intersection conflict warning systems. The signs are located east of the Highway 44 junction with Highway 52. One sign in each direction features an Amish buggy symbol with a flashing beacon that activates when a buggy is about 150 feet from the start of the guardrail. A secondary sign indicates the warning is active when the beacon is flashing. The area is near the Highway 52 Amish Buggy Byway and has seen multiple crashes involving buggies, including a fatal crash in 2023 and another crash in 2025 on Fillmore County roads. Your inbox, upgraded! Subscribe for free and enjoy handpicked stories, helpful advice, and local insights delivered weekly.