Overview
In the Waze editor and routing system, there are three basic types of restrictions:
- Vehicle type
- Segment or traffic flow direction
- Turn restrictions
Each of these three types of restrictions can be set permanently or time-based. Here are some examples:
- Interstate truck-only ramp
- No trucks allowed between 9a-3p weekends
- No left turn 7a-9a and 4p-6p weekdays
- HOV lanes
- Freeway express lanes which are a single roadway, but run a different direction for morning and evening commutes
- Vehicle towing a trailer
Waze is very flexible in the types and combinations of restrictions allowed to be specified in the map editor. This flexibility is excellent and required of a mature navigation system. If there is a downside to this flexibility, it is complexity. Specifying, maintaining, and not accidentally destroying restrictions on segments or turns takes great care, patience, and requires checking and double-checking before making any drastic changes.
Basic turn restrictions
Turns that are restricted to all traffic, i.e., turns that it is illegal for any type of vehicle to do, are set with turn arrows—the arrows that appear at the end of a selected segment. A restricted turn is indicated by a red arrow with a "do not" sign next to it. A turn that is not restricted to all traffic is indicated by a green arrow. [image of arrows]
(probably include something on U turns too)
Time based turn restrictions
Turns that are restricted to all traffic during certain times of the day are "time based turn restrictions". [photo of "no left turn 7a-9a 4p-6p" sign or similar]
Time based turn restrictions are set through the Time based restrictions panel. To access this panel, hover over a turn arrow, and then click the clock that appears. [image of arrow with clock highlighted]
You should then see the Time based restrictions panel. [image of empty time based restrictions panel]
To add a time based turn restriction, click "Add restriction" at the bottom of the panel. This button will take you to the Time based restrictions input panel. [image of empty time based restrictions input panel]
Simple time based turn restrictions
For a turn that is restricted (not allowed) between 10 am and 2 pm daily, click the radio button next to "From", then enter "10:00" and "14:00" as the start and end times of the restriction. (Time based turn restrictions are input in 24-hour time [include a link to the wikipedia article on 24 hour time].) You may enter the times manually or by using the input panels accessed by the clock buttons next to the input fields. [image of panel with 10:00 and 14:00 entered]
Click "Add" to add the restriction. You will be returned to the Time based restrictions panel. The panel should now reflect the added restrictions. [image of panel with restriction added]
For a turn that is restricted between 7 and 9 am, and again between 4 and 6 pm, add the restrictions one-by-one as instructed above. When added, the panel should look like this. [image of panel with 7-9 and 16-18 restrictions added - n peters to bienville example]
Overnight time based turn restrictions
Time-of-day restriction periods may not cross midnight. For a turn that is restricted between 8 pm and 6 am, enter one restriction from 20:00 to 23:59 and a second from 0:00 to 6:00. [image of panel with 20-23:59 and 0-6 restrictions added - bourbon street example]
Date-based turn restrictions
Restrictions may also only be in place on certain days of the week. For a turn that is restricted "weekends", check only the boxes for "Sat" and "Sun". [image of input panel with M-F unchecked]
Time-and-date-based turn restrictions
For a turn that is restricted "2 pm to 4 pm, weekdays", when adding the restriction, uncheck the boxes next to "Sat" and "Sun", and enter "14:00" and "16:00" in the time boxes. [image of input panel with M-F checked and 14-16 entered]
Time-of-year and holiday turn restrictions
Also, some restrictions may only be in place during certain times of year. [explanation of that control with images and all]
This tool may even be used to restrict traffic on some moving holidays. For instance, for a turn that is not allowed on Labor Day (US: the first Monday in September), check only the box next to "Mon" and enter "01/09/2013" (September 1st; dates are in DD/MM/YYYY format) and "07/09/20xx". Clever, right? [image of input panel with all that stuff entered]
Time based road restrictions
Roads may also be restricted at certain times of day, on certain days, or at certain times of day on certain days. These restrictions, called Time-based road restrictions are added using the same panel as time-based turn restrictions, but accessed by a different control.
To access the Time based restrictions panel for a road segment, first select the segment, then click the "Add restrictions" button in the sidebar. [screenshot]
Simple time based road restrictions
Overnight time based road restrictions
Date based road restrictions
Time-and-date based road restrictions
[examples: royal st, pharr st]
Time-of-year and holiday road restrictions
Reversible road
[explain that a reversible road is set as two-way on the main map and then restricted in the panel. this merits its own section imo as it is a somewhat complex topic]
Vehicle type restrictions
All-day-every-day vehicle type restrictions
Some turns may only be taken, and some roads traveled, only by certain vehicles. Examples of this include HOV lanes, bus stops, and truck-only exit ramps. [some photos of real-world signs]
Also, some turns may be taken by all traffic except certain vehicles. Examples of this include no truck zones. [some more photos]
To set vehicle type restrictions, click "(Edit)" next to "Restriction for all vehicle types" on the Time based restrictions panel. (this is misleading, huh) This will extend the panel to show boxes for various vehicle types. [image of extended panel]
Note: A checked box means that the type of vehicle is restricted (disallowed) from making the selected turn or driving on the selected road. For a turn where only trucks are restricted from turning (not allowed to turn), uncheck every box except "trucks" in the panel extension.
Certain vehicles allowed
[include examples: hov lane, bus stop, truck ramp]
Certain vehicles excluded
[include examples: no truck zone, no bus, etc]
Scheduled vehicle type restrictions
Vehicle type restrictions may be combined with time-based restrictions, as well. For a turn that is not allowed from 7-9am except for buses, enter 7:00 and 9:00, then extend the panel and uncheck "buses". [image of that]
Reversible roads with vehicle type restrictions
Some reversible roads may also be restricted to certain vehicle types. A common example of this is the reversible HOV lane.
[explain that too]