1 Special considerations to the Israeli market

–The MNE task sometimes requires a different tools-set from the traditional tryrating search tasks. Two such tools are satellite and street imagery. Most of the available map services in Israel use dated and low-resolution images. However, this problem is easier to solve by using The GovMap service (www.govmap.gov.il). The official government map service updates the satellite images every year and allows you to view the history of its satellite imagery.
–The only street photo service in Israel is Google Street View. The main problem with relying on it is that almost its content has not been updated since 2015. The light rail project and other infrastructure projects have fundamentally changed the roads, and therefore more than once, the street level seen in the service is unfaithful to reality. The lack of updated street imagery doesn’t have a real solution. Still, when checking the available street imagery, the first step is to compare them to the updated satellite image in GovMap to ensure the route has not changed.
–The light rail project is causing extensive traffic changes in Central Israel. If some factors within a task make you suspect that the proposed route passes through an area close to traffic, check it on www.nta.co.il.

2Physically impossible

A physically impossible MNE occurs when the route

asks the user to take non-existent roads or to drive

illogically (ignores barriers, height differences, etc.).

For example: In this example, the route asks the Users to reach the roundabout by directly crossing a barrier that marks the boundary of the parking lot and the road. You may notice that the barrier is insignificant; many vehicles might easily cross it if no parking cars exist. However, it isn’t logical conduct, and as such, it is regarded as a physically impossible MNE.

The tryrating vector map shows a typical road without the barrier but cross-

referencing with the GovMap vector map refutes it.

Correct Rating: MNE – Physically impossible: step 1 – Driver instructed to drive on the sidewalk and through barriers at 32.292889,34.862057 (see a 2021 satellite image of GovMap https://tinyurl.com/47rtupd5).

 

Here is another example:

 

If the decision would be based only on the tryrating satellite image (right), it is an MNE because the route asks the user to take a non-existent road. However, according to both tryrating and GovMap vector (left) maps, we notice this is a standard way. The satellite image of GovMap confirms it, and by navigating through older satellite photos, we can see that this road was paved circa 2019-2020.

3Turn Restrictions and U-turns

     Turn restriction and U-turn MNEs are similar in their nature. Turn restriction MNE occurs when the route asks the user to take a turn that isn’t allowed by law (but possible), and U-turn is a particular case of a turn restriction.
There are many subtleties in Israeli law regarding left turns and U-turns. As analysts, we should focus on road signage and other cues on the road. In this case, the route asks the user to turn left. The satellite (left) and vector maps don’t help us determine if this is a legal step. However, we might suspect this is too sharp an angle for turning left.

 

We need to look for some clues, and GovMap is our first choice.
According to the 2021 satellite image of the location (in the middle of
the page), we try to locate traffic signs painted on the road. It is difficult to tell if there is (within the red circle) a left turn arrow because it is hindered by cars and trees. However, if we look at the 2019 satellite image of the location (down the page), we notice that no left turn is allowed because only straight arrows are painted on the road. We also might try the dated street imagery available after assuring there isn’t an apparent change in this route compared to the
GovMap satellite image. This road didn’t change, and the street imagery confirms our findings.

 

 

U-turn isn’t allowed in Israel if a left turn is forbidden or if it might interfere with the traffic or put other drivers at risk.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here, the route requests the user to take a left turn and merge onto Menachem Begin Street. This is effectively a U-turn.

The tryrating image quality (the top photo) isn’t the best, but we suspect a U-turn isn’t allowed here due to the relatively sharp curve of such a turn. 

We can confirm in a 2021 satellite image of GovMap that a left turn isn’t allowed according to the painted path signs on the road, guiding the user to keep driving within the same path.

 

 

Correct Rating: MNE – Illegal U-turn. Step 2 – The route asks the user to turn left and merge onto Menachem Begin Street at 31.784984,35.199155. This is effectively a U-turn, and according to a 2021 satellite image of GovMap (https://tinyurl.com/mwbe95v7), a U-turn isn’t allowed in this junction; therefore, this is an illegal U-turn.

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4 Major road misalignments

A misalignment is any section of the blue line that does not match the current real world shape and position of the roads being used.

Major road misalignments that are not a result of a turn channel (because it is missing, misaligned, or non-existent) occur if either condition is met:

–The distance from the beginning of the painted/physical turn channel divider to the end of the painted/physical turn channel divider is over 100 meters.
–Any point along the center of the closest usable lane in the turning channel is 50 meters from the nearest point on the blue line.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
On this route (to the right), we notice a road misalignment as the blue line doesn’t match the actual road. The satellite image of TryRating (below) confirms it.

This isn’t a turn channel situation, as the highway split contains a non-lane space. We now would check which criterion is more

suitable. The second criterion seems more appropriate as this misalignment is transverse.

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The green line (to the left) is about 93m long, so this is a major misalignment MNE according to the second criterion above.

Correct Rating: MNE – Major Road misalignment: step 13 – Major road misalignment (4.1.1, second criteria): no road at 32.137727,34.811443 (see

GovMap t.ly/JMOn).

5 Tips

–Many MNEs occur at the beginning or at the end of the road, so special attention is advised when evaluating those segments.
–When rating an MNE it might fall under more than one category. You should choose the most particular option. For example, if an MNE meets both turn restriction and illegal U-turn, it should be classified as an illegal U-turn MNE because it is the more specific option.
–Some raters look for MNEs only at the end of each step, especially when the distance between two consecutive steps is significant. It isn’t a good idea as it is the sure way to lose major road misalignments that can occur anywhere along the route.
–MNEs have (usually) to meet some criteria to be qualified as such. If you run into a borderline case, it would be helpful to report it as a non-MNE issue.