Unless specifically made applicable, the provisions of this chapter except those contained in Article IX hereof shall not apply to persons, teams, motor vehicles and other equipment, while actually engaged in work upon the surface of a highway, or to persons, motor vehicles and other equipment while actually engaged in construction, maintenance or repair of public utilities provided that all highway and public utility operations shall be protected by adequate warning signs, signals, devices or flagmen, but the provisions of this chapter shall apply to such persons and vehicles when traveling to or from such work.