Old Major Roads Section
Major roads
SEE: Highway naming by state, Road names/USA, Road types/USA
Freeways
Interstates, US Highways, and State Routes that meet the general standards for Interstates should have the Freeway Road Type applied to them in the editor. Some of these roads may have Rest areas.
US routes
US Highways that don't meet interstate standards should have the Major or Minor road type applied to them.
US Highway names should use the following format:
- Keep local names as primary (e.g. Wyoming Ave).
- Put the route number in the alternate name field.
- US-22 W (divided one-way segments).
- US-11 (undivided two-way segments).
State routes with 2 or 3 digit route numbers
In Pennsylvania all State Routes with 2 or 3 digit route numbers (e.g. State Rte 28 or State Rte 315) should be Minor Highways or higher. State Routes should have any common name as displayed on street signs as the primary name in WME, and the route number in the alternate name field. The city name should be the same for both the common name and route number. State Rte 111 is the current acceptable format. The use of State Hwy or PA-xxx and other variations should not be used unless it is on the road signs that drivers would see. Please note, that despite the designation of a "Minor Highway" these road types do not necessarily need high speed limits along their entire route.
State Route naming should follow the following format:
- State Rte 28 S (divided one-way segments).
- State Rte 309 (undivided two-way segments).
Note: Some state routes have mixed signage, with route numbers at major intersections and road names at minor intersections. Until Waze gets state shields working completely, the best practice is to name the segments according the the signage that the motorist will see as he approaches the state route, with priority given to the major intersections.
State routes with 4 digit route numbers
Most State Routes with 4 digits (e.g. State Rte 3001) should have the road type set as a Primary Street. Some 4-digit State Routes are numbered for legacy or maintenance reasons, but they do not serve as primary thoroughfares for the area and should be classified as Streets.
County or township roads
County (Co) and Township (T) roads need no special designation or road type. Road number info is not needed in the alternate name field.
Primary streets
With rare exceptions, the Primary Street classification should be applied to the following roads when requirements for a higher classification are not met:
- Main road that connects two State Routes, Major Highways, or Freeways.
- Most State Routes with 4 digit route numbers. (See above for exceptions.)
- Main urban thoroughfares.
- When it is obvious that a city street department wants you to follow the route.
- Primary route connecting two towns.
- Main route to a key tourist or business destination.
- Multi-lane roads not otherwise classified as highways.
Other criteria for Primary Street:
- An improved road with smooth grading and a yellow center line painted throughout.
- No dead-ends
- Each segment should connect to a Primary Street or higher classification road at each end. There are rare exceptions to this.
A primary street designation is relative to population and traffic densities. In the smallest rural town, a primary street may be a narrow two-lane. In dense urban areas primary streets may be a divided road with multiple lanes in each direction.
Note: Local knowledge should always be applied when designating Primary Streets. If you are not sure, drive it to see if it should be classified above a regular street. You may check the GPS point density in the WME Map Layers to see which streets might be Primary.
Primary Streets should have the name on the street signs as the primary name in WME.
Ramps
When naming a Ramp to a State Route, use the SR-111 format. PA-111 format should not be used unless it matches exactly what is on the big green sign directing you to the ramp. It is best to reference Google Street View in WME, where available.
Adhere to national standards for Exit ramps and Entrance ramps (on-ramps). Ramp names should use these formats:
Off-ramps:
- Numbered exit: (Exit 16: SR-15 / Scranton)
- Numbered exit with multiple Cities or Routes: (Exit 16: SR-15 N / SR-86 E / Wilkes / Scranton)
- Numbered exit with multiple exits: (Exit 16A-B: SR-15 N / SR-86 E / Scranton)
- Non-numbered exit: (to SR-15 / Scranton)