leiðarkerfi

Leiðarkerfi, also spelled leidarkerfi, is an Icelandic system for assigning unique roads, especially rural or unpaved roads, numbers and articles in the country's national highway network. The system was introduced by the Icelandic Road Administration, today operated under the direction of the Icelandic Transport Authority.

The purpose of leiðarkerfi is to identify and categorize roads that are not part of the primary network, to improve information and road safety. Roads are categorized based on their regional division and characteristics, such as gravel, chip seal, or paved roads.

For each road, a unique number, leiðarnúmer, is assigned, as well as a leiðaráðnýting, a counterpart of the main road designation in the Icelandic highway network. Leiðaráðnýtингar is typically the main road designation's counterpart for unnumbered highways. The unique number serves to provide accurate directions between the road network's controlling organizations and road users for better understanding of Iceland's network of roads.

When using leiðarkerfi, drivers in Iceland can generally understand the road's designation and its features, essentially making navigation easier as well as making odometer readings easier to understand between points in the road network. However, it is essential to look into a recent road map since some areas may have their roads closed and thus changed during multiple time shifts as summer arrival travelers learned.

By providing this detailed information, leiðarkerfi has contributed to improving navigation, road safety, and driver understanding of Iceland's diverse and relatively isolated road network.