Road signs in Israel

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Trilingual road sign in Israel

Road signs in Israel are decided by the Ministry of Transportation in the Division of Transportation Planning, most recently set forth in June 2011.[1]

They generally use the same pattern of colors, shapes, and symbols as used in most countries of Europe and the Middle East and set out in the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals.

Language[]

Signs employ three scripts – Hebrew, Arabic, and Latin – and are written in Hebrew and Arabic, the two official languages of the country, and in English.

The stop sign, however, instead of displaying words in three languages, conveys its meaning through the depiction of a raised hand.

Signs giving warnings[]

Signs warning of hazardous conditions or dangerous situations (e.g. "Intersection" or "Steep incline ahead" bear a black-on-white symbol inside a red-bordered triangle (point uppermost).

  • Signs giving warnings

  • Stop sign ahead

  • Bumpy road

  • Sharp left curve

  • Sharp right curve

  • Winding left curve

  • Winding right curve

  • Curve left and then right

  • Curve right and then left

  • Winding road ahead

  • Road narrows ahead

  • Road narrows from right ahead

  • Narrow bridge warning

  • Roadworks

  • Intersection ahead

  • Side road on the left ahead

  • Side road on the right ahead

  • T-intersection

  • Staggered crossroads

  • Roundabout ahead

  • Minor road merging from the right

  • Merge with major road from the left

  • Minor road merging from the left

  • Merge with major road from the right

  • Possible Traffic congestion

  • Traffic congestion ahead

  • Rock slide zone

  • Dangerous descent

  • Danger of skidding

  • Pedestrian crossing

  • Pedestrians nearby

  • Two-way traffic

  • Speed bump

  • Farm vehicles crossing

  • Bicycle traffic crossing

  • Traffic signals ahead

  • Railroad crossing ahead

  • Tram crossing ahead

Signs giving orders[]

With the exception of the special shapes used for "Stop" and "Yield" signs (respectively, an octagon and a downward-pointing triangle), signs giving orders are circular and are of two kinds:

  • Prohibitory signs (e.g. "No left turn") take the form of a black-on-white symbol inside a red-bordered circle, sometimes with the addition of a red slash through the symbol.
  • Mandatory signs (e.g. "Turn right only") bear a white symbol on a blue disk.
  • Signs giving orders

  • Stop

  • Go

  • Give Way

  • Closed to all vehicles

  • No entry

  • No left turn ahead

  • No right turn ahead

  • No U-turns

  • Yield to oncoming traffic

  • Cars prohibited

  • Cars and Motorbikes prohibited

  • Motorbikes prohibited

  • Tractors and work vehicles prohibited

  • Bicycles prohibited

  • Pedestrians prohibited

  • Pedestrians, Bicycles, Work transport, and Animals prohibited

  • No trucks weighing over 10 tonnes

  • No vehicles weighing over 6 tonnes

  • No vehicles higher than 4.6 meters

  • No vehicles wider than 2.1 meters

  • Parking prohibited

  • End of Parking prohibition

  • Parking and stopping prohibited

  • Parking of trucks weighing over 10,000 kg prohibited

  • End of Parking prohibition of trucks weighing over 10,000 kg

  • Customs

  • Region not allowed Driving lessons

  • End of region not allowed Driving lessons

  • Urban area

  • End of urban area

  • Speed limit (50 km/h)

  • Speed limit (50 km/h)

  • End of Speed limit (50 km/h)

  • Go right before sign

  • Go left before sign

  • Turn right after sign

  • Turn left after sign

  • Go straight

  • Go straight or right

  • Go straight or left

  • Go right or left

  • Pass designated place on right or left

  • Pass designated place on right

  • Pass designated place on left

  • Road for mechanical transport only

  • Road only for mechanical transport vehicles that can achieve speeds of more than 55 km/h

  • Pedestrian path only

  • Bicycle path only

  • Pedestrian and bicycle path only

  • Compulsory left U-Turn

  • Compulsory right U-Turn

  • Go straight or make left U-Turn

  • Go straight or make right U-Turn

Signs giving information[]

Signs giving information are generally rectangular (sometimes pointed at one end in the case of direction signage).

Highways in Israel are classified as:

  • National (single-digit number)
  • Inter-city (two digits)
  • Regional (three digits)
  • Local (four digits)

Route-marker signs are also color-coded:

  • Freeways (Blue)
  • Expressways (Red)
  • Regional routes (Green)
  • Local roads (Black, formerly Brown)

Most directional signs to towns and cities are:

  • white-on-blue (freeways)
  • white-on-green (other main roads)
  • black-on-white (local destinations)
  • white-on-brown (tourist destinations: landmarks, historical sites, nature reserves, etc.).

The sign for permitted parking features a white-on-blue "P" for "parking" enclosed by the Hebrew letter Het ("ח") for "hanaya" (Hebrew: חניה), which also means "parking").

The sign informing users that they are on a priority road is a white-edged yellow "diamond" (i.e. a square turned through 45°).

  • Information signs

  • National Freeway (1 digit)

  • National Freeway which is also an Inter-City Expressway (1 digit)

  • National Inter-City Expressway (1 digit)

  • Inter-City Expressway (2 digits)

  • National Expressway (2 digit)

  • Regional roads (3 digits)

  • Local roads (4 digits)

  • Freeway sign

  • Major road sign

  • Local destination sign

  • Tourist destination sign

  • Street sign

  • Entry to freeway

  • End to freeway

  • Entry to toll

  • Parking (sign can be two-sided)

  • Handicap parking

  • Exit sign

  • Border sign

References[]

  1. ^ Traffic Sign Sheet, Ministry of Transportation, July 2012
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