A Real Time Closure (RTC) may be used when a segment is completely closed temporarily in one or both directions to all wazers. When the RTC is active, the affected segment will be marked with red-and-white candy stripes and Waze will not route any traffic through or onto the segment. Only use an RTC when a road is completely closed in one or both directions. Do not use an RTC for lane closures, width restrictions or other cases where traffic is still allowed to move.
The real time closure is the preferred method for temporarily closing roads because it is visible to Wazers and because it helps protect the map.
Deciding when to use an RTC
There are several possible ways to prevent Waze from routing traffic over a segment. The best choice depends on the situation.
Method
Vehicles Affected
Takes Effect
Ends
Traffic Data
Guidance
Real time closure
All
Immediate
Expires
Kept
Preferred option for temporary (even long term) one-way or two-way closure. Visible to drivers. Immediate effect. Automatically removed when it expires.
Road direction change
All
Tile update
Permanent
Kept
Use only for permanent change in direction from two-way to one-way.
Use only where the restrictions (time of day/ day of week) are permanent, or where certain vehicle types are allowed or prohibited. Example: No passenger cars on weekdays.
Use where travel on the segment is allowed, but turns onto the segment are temporarily forbidden or else permanently forbidden at certain times of day, days of week or for certain vehicle types. Example: No left turn 4:00pm-6:00pm
Permanent turn restriction
All
Tile update
Permanent
Kept
Use where a turn onto the segment should be permanently forbidden for all vehicles.
Penalties make routing less likely, but are not absolute. Vehicles with a destination on the segment will be routed onto the segment. Normally Private Road is used.
Disconnection
All
Tile update
Permanent
Lost
Use only if the disconnection is permanent. All turn data is lost.
Deletion
All
Tile update
Permanent
Lost
Use only if the road is permanently closed. All data is lost.
Real time closures are the preferred way of temporarily controlling traffic for a number of reasons
They begin to affect routing within a few minutes of being saved, without waiting for a tile update.
When the RTC is removed, proper routing can be restored immediately, without waiting for a tile update.
They allow editors to temporarily prevent routing over specific segments, without having to make any changes to, or damage those segments, and their road types, junctions, or turn restrictions.
They preserve traffic data.
By default (see below), a road closed with an RTC will be continually evaluated for through traffic. If enough traffic is detected driving through a closure, the closure is temporarily deactivated until the traffic is no longer detected. Therefore if an RTC is mistakenly placed on an open segment it will only affect drivers for a few minutes until the through traffic is detected, and the closure deactivated automatically.
Real time closures are visible in Live Map and the Waze app with special alert icons and segment highlighting. They are also visible in WME with special icons.
They can be created and commented on within the Waze app, with app creations and comments generating notifications for editors.
They can be associated with Major Traffic Events to get notifications sent to nearby Wazers.
They eliminate the need for addition and removal of partial restrictions. In fact, partial restrictions should not be used redundantly with real time closures
Effect on routing
Waze will not choose a closed segment as the closest segment to the destination.
When a real time closure is active, Waze will not route through or even partway through the closed segment in the direction(s) it is closed. It will not route to a destination on the closed segment(s), even if that is the closest segment to the destination. Instead, it will pick a stop point on the next closest segment. If the closed segment is much longer than the part of the road that is actually closed to all traffic, this can result in wazers being sent to a nearby street even though they should be able to drive to the destination. For this reason, if a closure is very localized and going to go on for over a week (as for a bridge replacement) it might be worth the effort to edit the closed segment.
If the Wazer is currently located on a closed segment, waze will find a route that begins in the closed segment and find the shortest distance to a segment with no closure.
How real time closures are added to the map
Real Time Closures can be added to Waze in three ways:
Save all pending edits. You will not be able to add or edit closures if there are pending edits. Note that saving an edit which changes the segment number will prevent adding the RTC.
Select the segments you want to close.
Click the Closure tab in the left panel.
Click to + Add Closure and fill out the fields shown:
Description - This section will be viewable in both the client app and the Live Map. Write a description of closure / event here.
Direction - If a single one-way segment is selected, then the correct direction will be auto-selected. If the segment is two way and the closure is in only one of the directions, choose that direction here. If multiple directions are selected, then the editor should choose two way for the closure then all two way segments will be closed two ways and the one ways will be closed in the appropriate direction.
Event - If this closure is part of a Major Traffic Event, choose it from the drop-down list. If not present then add the Event.
Start/End Date & Time - Enter date/time the closure will remain active (the start date can be a date in the past). Enter the correct time for the closure for the local time zone of the segment being closed, regardless of where you are located while entering the closures. Time is entered in 24-hour format and date uses the YYYY-MM-DD. The first minute of the day begins at 00:00 and the last minute of the day begins at 23:59.
The start date cannot be great than 365 days from the current date.
The end date (i.e. duration) for a Real-time closure is no longer limited.
Real-time closures are active for the full minute they are set for (up to 00 seconds of the next minute)
Do not use 24:00 as a start or end time.
00:00 is the first minute of the day. Avoid using it as end time.
23:59 is the last minute of the day. Avoid using it as a start time.
A closure set for Start: 03:00, End: 04:00, will actually be closed for 60 minutes and 59 seconds, from 03:00:00 - 04:00:59.
Save & Check
In Live Map, active closures will appear with red closure icons in WME, and with closure alerts bubbles and red and white (candy stripe) road segment highlighting in Live Map immediately.
May have to zoom in to see all closures in Live Map.
In Event Mode, if the closures are associated with an event, to see candy stripe road segment highlighting in WME
Inactive closures do not appear at all in Live Map or the Waze app, and will appear with gray closure icons in WME only
Slideshow - how to create Real Time Closures
Click expand on the right side here to see a slideshow developed by waze staff
This slideshow was prepared by Waze staff to show how to add a closure in WME. It contains information on which segments to select as part of a closure as well. The information in this slide show is also presented throughout this page in text.
HOV/Service Road adjacent checkbox
When checked, the HOV/Service Road adjacent checkbox will prevent the segment from being temporarily reopened by traffic detection. This includes situations where Waze might mistakenly believe that drivers on adjacent segments are driving on the closed segment, causing Waze to temporarily "reopen" the road and include it in calculated routes. The HOV/Service Road adjacent checkbox is intended to mitigate nearby HOV/Express lane and service road traffic from a closed main road segment (or vice versa), but may also apply to adjacent parallel roads or other elevations of multi-level stacked roads that could trigger traffic detection. The checkbox may also be used in other circumstances where traffic detection is undesired before the set closure end time, such as closures where local traffic is still allowed.
Node Closure
Node closure - cross traffic
Closing segments of a road using real-time closures will prevent Waze from routing wazers down that road. Node closures prevent Waze from routing wazers across intersections along a closed road. When a junction node is closed, no traffic can pass through that node in any direction. All turns through a closed node are prohibited. There is no partial node closure function to restrict individual turns without closing the entire node. In order to close a node to traffic, at least one segment attached to the node must be closed as well.
When entering a real-time closure, junction nodes between selected contiguous segments will automatically be pre-selected for closure, while nodes at the ends of a single segment or multiple contiguous segments are not automatically marked for closure. Prior to applying the closure, junction node closure status can be reviewed and toggled.
If all the real-time closures on segments attached to a closed node are removed, the node closure will be automatically removed as well. However, if any segment attached to a closed junction node remains closed, the node closure will also remain.
To work with node closures:
Select the segments to be closed and add segment closure information.
Review the list of nodes selected for closure. WME will have enabled junction nodes closures between contiguous selected segments. Mouse-over a node's cross-street name in the list of junction nodes in order to highlight that node on the map.
Enable and disable node closures as necessary.
Save segment and associated junction node real-time closures.
Prior to the introduction of node closures, the only way to prevent Waze from routing traffic "across" a closed street was to apply closures on the cross-streets. That practice is no longer recommended.
Only the node on the "input" end of a one-way closure can be closed.
Node closures - what to watch out for
If a Node closure is enabled as part of an active closure, then it will remain enabled as long as the active closures on any connected segments remain active. If it needs to be disabled, use the node closure toggle switch on any of the connected segment closures
When a closure turns a corner, check the state of the closure at the nodeExample: If a Freeway is closed due to weather from Mile 0 to Exit 100, and then the eastern part of the road is opened (Exit 60-Exit 100), be sure to remove the node closure at the remaining eastern closure. Otherwise, the closed node at the end of the entrance ramp at the Exit 60 interchange will prevent routing.
On one-way segments closures, only the node at the inbound end can be closed. To close the other node, choose a segment closure that has this node at its inbound end and set the closure toggle switch accordingly.
When a closure turns corner, watch out. WME will automatically close the node between the two segments. But traffic may be allowed between the other segments at the intersection. Check the state of the toggle switch for the node at the intersection.
When all of the closures at a closed node have expired or been removed, the node closure will also expire. Node closure cannot be used to close an intersection unless at least one segment at the intersection is also closed.
How we learn about closures
The editing community can be informed about these closures by:
URs/MPs submitted through the app
Knowledge of local happenings
Notification from the local community / Waze Major Traffic Event Team
Long-term closures
All Real-Time Closures follow the same general principles below, regardless of which method is used to submit them. Depending on which method is used there are additional guidance and instructions in the corresponding unique subsections below.
Adding/deleting/modifying a closure creates an entry in the segment's history, but does not cause a change in the Modified: username showing the last editor of the segment. You can also see who added an active closure by clicking on the alert in Live Map or the client. Closure expiration does not appear in the segment's history.
Closure feature permissions
Usual situation
Rank: Your rank must be 3 or above.
Edit permission The segment must be in your editing area, and be locked at or below your rank
RTC area - a special-purpose area granted by your RC for the purpose of making closures. Generally granted to CCP partners
You can apply a closure to any segment within the RTC area, no matter the lock level.
If you are unable to close a segment, then contact an editor who can via PM, in WME Chat, or in Discord. Some regions of the US use a closure form to submit closure requests. Please check with your local community.
Closing recently edited segments and nodes
Road closures go live almost immediately - there is no wait for tile update. However, they can only be applied to segments that have already been uploaded to the map. You will not be able to save a closure on any segment that was cut, merged or newly drawn after the last tile update, because the new segment ID has not been uploaded. WME will display the error message (!) Failed to add road closure -xxx. Wait until after the changes are included in a tile build, then enter the closure again.
If a segment is disconnected from one node, attached to a different node, or is involved in roundabout creation, even though the segment ID is preserved, it may not be possible to apply the desired closure to the segment. WME may allow application of a closure that extends no more than 48 hours into the future. When a segment has been attached to a different node (identified by its node ID), attempts to use the segment to close this "new" node may instead result in closure of the node formerly attached to the same end of the segment.
In order to prevent routing through a segment that also needs to be cut in two or removed completely, first place a time-based segment restriction (TBSR) on the segment, then (optionally) apply the closure to make it visible to drivers. After the next tile update, the TBSRs will be in place to prevent routing while you make other changes. Even if you delete a segment, the restrictions will persist until the next tile update. Then you can remove the closure, make segment edits, and apply any new TBSRs needed to control traffic appropriately in the new configuration. After one more tile update, all the edits will be uploaded to the map, the TBSRs can be removed, and closures can be applied to the correct section of road. Following this procedure will require 2 or 3 days, but will, in the end, allow you to limit a closure to just a damaged bridge, for example, instead of an entire mile-long segment of road.
To maintain closures at an intersection while drawing a new roundabout, it is possible to remove the closures, draw the roundabout, and set new closures (48 hours or less) on the incoming segments. After the next tile update, the closures can be extended.
Editing segments with closures
NOTE: If a segment has a closure on it in WME, certain attributes cannot be directly modified by any editors - regardless of rank. This includes changing the segment, node IDs, or anything that could affect routing. This is by design, to prevent corrupting the closure. Changing the direction of the segment cannot be made with a closure already on a segment.
If you need to edit the segment causing the IDs or direction to change, you will have to first remove the closure (copy the details first), then modify the segment and save. If the edit did not alter the segment or junction node IDs, you can immediately replace the closure with the details you copied to the appropriate segments. If you altered any segment or junction node IDs, you will have to wait until after the next tile update before reentering the closure.
Segments with a closure on it in WME can be edited in the following ways: change street and city name, change lock level, change road type, change speed limit, add, change, or remove a restriction, add, change, or remove elevation, add, change, or remove routing preference and add lane guidance.
Closing multiple segments
When closing multiple segments at the same time, especially when they have different directions, verify that all the closures were added properly. Sometimes adding closures to segments in different directions can result in some segments not being closed, or in some segments being closed in the wrong direction.
Segment direction for one-way closures
If only some of the segments are one-way, or some one-way segments are in opposing direction (B-A, A-B), you can set the closure as two-way for all the segments. When you save you will see an error line for each direction of a closed segment which failed to save because the segment is one-way. You can ignore the error, and all your segments should be closed in all possible directions. (Be sure to double check them all.)
The easiest way, for editors of rank 3 and higher, is to create the event and the closures in the Waze Map Editor. See the full article for more details on creating a Major Traffic Event in the WME.
Editors below rank 3 can reach out to their local community who will be glad to assist them in generating the MTE, and associated closures in the WME.
Non-editors can still submit information directly to Waze Closure staff (see below) to create an MTE, and (optionally) get a message out to wazers in the area.
Submitting directly to Waze
To submit a major traffic event, email waze-closures@google.com with the following details:
The event name in English and in the Local Language
All street names closed during the event
Intersecting street where each closure begins and ends
Start and end time for each closed road
Start and end date for each closed road
Indicate if the whole road is closed or just one direction is closed
Some pointers when submitting events directly to Waze Closure staff:
Check your email; find out who will be working with you on these closures, when they are available to upload closures. Make sure you have time to double-check closures before the event begins.
Waze staff might not publish the MTE to their [www.waze.com/events Events] page, until shortly before the event. Make sure to communicate with them so you can verify the details.
Closures will go live as soon as they are uploaded (within their specified time frames).
Closure Sheets are obsolete, and are no longer used to input Real Time Closures, or to generate an MTE.
Report closure feature in the Waze app
Users in the mobile app can mark a closed road they see while driving. Instructions on how to use this feature in the Waze app is available in the Waze Help Center.
This feature is typically used for unexpected, short-term closures of up to a few days.
This closure will immediately show up in the reporting user's app.
Generally, the closure will not show up for anyone else until several other users have reported the same closure.
Editors can become "trusted" to report closures and fewer additional reports will be required to make their in-app closures go live.
If the editor is rank 5 or higher, the in-app closure will go into effect immediately.
App reported closures in WME
In-app closures are also visible from within WME
These closures can be deleted or edited by any rank 3+ editor
If there are multiple app-reported RTCs on a segment, an error will be generated when trying to edit and save changes to one of them. Remove duplicate entries first, and then make changes to the one remaining entry.
