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Revision as of 03:25, 13 November 2013

Map Editing Guide for the Philippines

1. Create road (whether tracing aerial images/gps points, or from recorded drives)

2. Set road type, some suggestions;

  • Freeways – Expressways and Toll Roads
  • Major Highway – Roads that crosses multiple provinces
  • Minor Highway – Roads that crosses multiple cities or municipalities
  • Ramps – On and off ramps from Freeways
  • Primary Street – Main thoroughfares of a city or municipality
  • Street – ordinary street, mainly residential
  • Service Roads – usually access roads leading to or from an establishment, an intersection, that is in parallel with a major or minor highways or freeways (expressways)
  • Dirt-roads / 4x4 Trails – driveable roads but not used for routing, except when 'allow dirt roads' option is enabled or if destination is on the dirt road. You can also select this if the road is too narrow like an alleyway, an unpaved road, or only motorbikes and tricycles use it.
  • Parking Lot Road – driveable roads within a commercial or private parking lots, used for routing but with a high time penalty. If the parking lot is covered, do not create any parking lot roads or if it is a parking building or structure and it does not have a roofdeck, do not create any parking lot roads.
  • Private Road – driveable roads within gated communities, subdivisions, villages, or compounds. Not used for routing except when destination is on the private road. All roads within the area must be the same private road type.
  • Walking Trails, Pedestrian Boardwalk, Stairway, Railroad, Runway/Taxiway – other non drivable and non-routable roads

3. Set directionality (two way or one way)

4. Set the elevation level (ground, Underpass = -1, Flyover = 1, 2, 3, etc.)

5. Connect or create junctions (attach to existing roads)

6. Set turn restrictions and if u-turns are allowed on junctions

7. Name the road, if you don't know the name leave it alone. Somebody else could edit it. It will be highlighted in red so that other editors can easily see it as an un-named street.

8. When naming streets, omit "City" and "Street". Eg. "Pasig City" to "Pasig" only and "Dela Rosa Street" to "Dela Rosa" only. Except when they are not "Streets" like "Kamias Road", "Aurora Boulevard", "Ayala Avenue", etc. If you are going to abbreviate, make sure you follow Waze Abbreviations and TTS standards so that our street names are ready for TTS (Text To Speech).

The City field should contain the City or the Municipal name NOT THE AREA OR BARANGAY NAME.

Please give extra care on labeling the City of your edits. Unlike Street names which reflects edits (or corrections) quicker and appears on the next update, City names unfortunately embeds much longer on the City tiles in the servers. So misspelled City names reflected during an update will appear for a long time in the client (waze) despite any corrections made.

Kindly stick to the official (but shortest possible) name of the jurisdiction being edited. Also, if you are unsure of the political boundaries of the "city" you are editing, leave it at that for the moment. let's leave it to the more experienced and knowledgeable editors to sort this mater out.

Another matter of city labels, we omit the "city" to derive the shortest possible official political name of the area. The only exceptions are Quezon, Cebu, Davao, Cavite, etc as these cities have provincial counterpart.

This will distinguish Quezon City with the province of Quezon, Cebu City with the province of Cebu, and so on.

All other cities or municipalities will stand on its own without the label "City" or "Municipality", provided it does not have a same Province name.

Currently there is a Waze issues with cities with duplicate names. To address that issue, the city or municipality's provice's initial is added to the name. e.g. Alaminos (L) for Laguna, Alaminos (P) for Pangasinan. For a complete list, refer to this list of repeating city names for a complete listing of all the cities and municipalities within the Philippines.

9. Do not split roads unless they are Expressways, Major, and Minor Highways. Even if they are Major or Minor highways, do not split them if they do not have wide median barriers. Split roads complicate routes and are harder to maintain.

Some formal guidelines for splitting roads in the Philippines - A road should' be split if:

  • There is at least 5 meters of non-drivable surface between directions of travel. (This means a median of some type like cement, planter boxes, trees, or just grass.
  • GPS tracks show a clearly definable gap/blank area between the color-by-azimuth arrows at the 100m zoom level.
  • U-Turns are required to properly make turns that are blocked by a median.

A road should not be split because:

  • There is a curb or non-drivable media less than 5m wide between lanes of travel. This means a turn lane, even a wide one, between directions of travel, does not count because it is drivable.
  • There are a lot of roads intersecting which can only turn onto the nearest direction of travel.
  • Google Maps or other mapping source show it as a split road
  • The non-drivable median is interrupted by a cross segment at most intersections.

Turn Lanes or at-grade connectors - First and foremost, the need to have the turn lanes mapped needs to be established. As the driver approaches an intersection, Waze has usually given at least one warning that a turn is imminent, and we can assume that the driver is already looking for turn lanes. For most intersections, that is enough to guide the driver into the proper lane and to turn at the proper time; in other words, it is enough that the two roads intersect without separately mapped turning lanes. There are only a few situations in which connectors are called for in an intersection:

  • When the turn lane physically separates from the main road well in advance of the intersection
  • When the turn lane is far enough from the point of intersection on the map (due to the size of the intersection or the angle at which the roads meet) that the driver might overshoot while waiting for a delayed "turn" audible, or that the Waze client might become confused and disrupt navigation
  • When the area is "busy" enough that the driver may not get any advance warning that a turn is coming up--in which case a connector lets you notify the driver a little earlier
  • When there are user complaints (update requests) that the audible was too late, or that the map should have shown a connector
  • When you get an automated report (map problem) that the roads are too far apart due to the intersection being too far from the turn lane
  • When in doubt, leave it out. Each connector complicates the map and adds to your workload when the time comes to check connectivity, direction, name, etc

10. When you are confident on an area you have mapped,lock the roads to prevent any changes or edits on the roads. While we appreciate the help of newbie waze editors in editing our maps, they are prone to creating errors if not informed and educated properly on our map editing guidelines. It would be great if we can direct them to read this guide first before they start doing any edits. Metro Manila, Rizal, Bulacan, Cavite and other areas which are more than 90% complete and accurate can be locked to the highest level. This is to minimize vandalism or accidental edits. Unnamed roads should not be locked so that they can be edited and named by anyone.

Tollways and Major highways are to be locked to level 4 because these will rarely change and will require little to no editing. Minor and Primary streets are to be locked to level 3 so they can be managed by their respective Area Managers. Other streets are to be locked to level 2 or 3, except for private roads inside subdivisions. Locking these are left to the discretion of the Area Managers responsible for them.

11. Adding Landmarks and Gas Stations; Waze currently doesn't have POIs (Places Of Interests) yet and instead use Landmarks and FourSquare as POI locators. When adding a Landmark or a Gas Station, make sure their location is properly identified through the add landmark draw function and add the address in the details as well. If a landmark will cover beyond a city's/minicipality's boundary or will cover more than one city/municipality, mark the city address as none. For bodies of water like creeks, rivers, lakes, sea, etc. mark the city address as none, this is so that their area will not be added to the city tile.

12. KISS! - Keep It Simple, Stupid! Our maps should work best if they are kept simple rather than complex, therefore simplicity should be the main objective in our maps and unnecessary complexity should be avoided.

Other Questions and Tips for the Pinoy Waze Editor

Here are the most asked questions from Pinoy Waze Editors

  • Is there a manual for Waze map editing?

There is a Waze Map Editor that applies to both the US and World map servers. The topics on the wiki may or may not apply to our Philippine Roads.

A Map Editing Guide for the Philippines is available in the Editing Resources for the Philippines and is a compilation of suggestions and made into a guide on how we should edit our Waze maps for the Philippines. A lot of map issues and update requests are due to incomplete or incorrect information on our map. A lot of these issues could be avoided if we follow the Best map editing practice guide in the wiki. However, some items listed are specifically for our pinoy roads and driving habits.

  • How do I apply to be an Area Manager?

To become an Area Manager, use the Waze Map Editor and position the map and set the zoom level to show the area you want to manage. Click on Permalink and then copy the address from the address bar in your browser. Fill out the Philippine Waze area-management request form and submit. There is also a wiki page on Area Managers. The Philippines is part of a group of countries that practices 'self-management' wherein the approval will come from Philippines Waze Champs identified by Waze. Please bear with us if it takes several days to have your application approved, all the Waze champs are just volunteers and we have other day jobs :)

We have certain requirements to ensure that area managers know the basics of waze map editing including the Philippine map editing guide. Minimum requirement of 1k map updates for up to citywide areas.

  • How long does it take until my edits gets displayed on my waze client?

It usually takes a couple of days for edits to get reflected on the waze client. If it takes more than that then maybe there is an issue with the map updates, check out waze status page for more details. If your edits still don't display on the client and the map update should have included your edits, you can force a map update on your client by selecting on your client settings > advanced > data transfer > refresh map of my area

  • When I encounter traffic on the road, what type do I report?

You can report a road traffic or Waze will sometimes prompt you if it detects a slowdown or you are stopped for a period of time. Here are the traffic types;

Standstill traffic - only select this option if you are in a bumper-to-bumper situation and movement is approximately one car length every 10 minutes and above, and you are not at a traffic light junction (signalized intersection)

Heavy traffic - Bumper-to-bumper situation but the speed is from 1 to 10 kph, and you are not at a traffic light junction (signalized intersection). This is the usual EDSA or C5 traffic where walking is sometimes faster than driving.

Moderate traffic - Speed is usually 10 to 25 kph

  • I see traffic cameras everywhere and report their locations, why doesn't Waze display them when I pass by them again?

The cameras that should be reported are speed trap cameras, red light cameras or fake cameras. Right now, there are only a few roads which have fixed or static speed cams, they are Commonwealth Ave, Macapagal Blvd, NLEX, and SLEX. There may also be mobile speed cameras on those roads. There are no other speed cameras elsewhere and there are no red light cameras or fake cameras anywhere in Metro Manila. Red light cameras snaps a picture of your car and license plate when you run a red light. The cameras you see on top of traffic lights or intersections are just plain CCTV cameras and they only monitor the road conditions. Stop reporting them because they will only get deleted. Speed cameras need to be approved before they show up on Waze, the only approved speed cameras so far are on NLEX and Commonwealth Avenue. If you are sure of a speed trap camera (static), identify the location on Waze and send a message to an Area Manager of the location and we will approve them.

  • What is the difference between Map Issues and Update Requests?

Map issues are Waze generated and based on analyzed wazer traffic. Update Requests or URs are waze user submitted requests to fix user identified map issues.

  • How do I fix Map Issues?

Waze generated map issues are the following, street not connected to a junction, missing street, turn restriction disabled, incorrect street direction, and route not followed by users. Almost all except the last one are fairly easy to fix. Here are some suggestions on how to resolve these issues;

1. Street not connected - drag the street to the nearest street or junction indicated by the average or latest drives, set the turn restrictions, select solved and save.

2. Missing street - draw a new street by following the aerial map, GPS points, or the average or latest drives, set direction, set the turn restrictions, select solved and save.

3. Turn restriction disabled - enable the turn restriction based on the average or latest drives, select solved and save.

4. Incorrect street direction - set the direction based on average or latest drives, select solved and save.

5. Route not followed by user - this one is a bit tricky to fix. It could be that somewhere down the route, there is a turn restriction disabled, a disconnected road, a missing road, wrong street direction, or it could just be that the road isn't the 'best' route to take. You must look for something that is making waze route to the least popular route. If you can't find anything, it's best to leave it and don't mark it as 'not identified' as this will be forwarded to IGN editors and they are not familiar with our roads.

  • How do I fix Update Requests?

User submitted Update Requests are more difficult to fix because they might not contain enough information or there might not really by a map issue. The most common update requests are 'General Error' and 'Wrong driving directions', users report these update requests because Waze is routing them to other streets but they want to continue on the route had in mind. For these kinds of update request, there is really nothing to fix. Waze will take into account how many times it has suggested a route and how many times users disregarded the suggestion and create a Waze generated map issue. The solution for this is discussed in the waze generated map issue section.

Here are the different types of update requests, they are; General error, Turn not allowed, Incorrect junction, Missing bridge or overpass, Wrong driving directions, Missing exit, and Missing road. Here are some suggestions on how to resolve these issues;

The first is the vague "General error" URs which does not have a description nor a User drive (GPS Trace) and/or Waze provided route. These I immediately mark "Not identified" because I don't know what the map issue is about. The reporter will receive a notification email and could edit the map themselves if it is indeed an issue.

Some "General error" URs have a User drive (GPS Trace) and/or Waze provided route or a description. When you check the route, nothing is wrong. This could mean that Waze suggested a different route and the user reported it as an error or the issue might have been fixed already. Depending on how complicated the waze suggested route is compared to the reporter’s recorded drive, you can mark this as “Solved” if it looks like it is fixed or “Not identified” if it needs more information.

Other valid "General error" URs that may have one or more of the following; User Drive, Waze provided route, and description. And if you check, the roads indeed need to be fixed based on the information provided. Fix the road to the best of you knowledge if you know the area. If not, other editors could resolve the map issue.

"Incorrect Junction" URs could mean that there is a road where there shouldn't be one. Another could be two roads linked but is permanently blocked.

"Missing bridge overpass" when there is one (flyovers and bridges) could mean that the reporter might have been reporting a missing pedestrian overpass, which we do not (and should not) include in the maps. Or the reporter did not know that Waze does not show any difference between flyovers, bridges, and roads unless it is a ramp. Mark these as "Solved" if waze already has them on the map.

"Wrong driving direction" URs are usually waze suggested routes that the reporter didn't want to follow and instead reports it as a wrong driving direction UR. Leave this one marked as "Solved" because it isn't really an issue. The valid URs can be determined if you analyze the waze suggested route and it doesn't look logical or simple. It is usually caused by wrong street direction, incorrectly enabled or disabled turn restrictions, missing streets, missing junctions, etc. Check for any of these to resolve the issue

"Missing exit" URs are usually on Expressways or missing roads by highway roads. Check GPS points or aerial and add the missing exit/road.

"Missing road" as described by the UR, check GPS points or aerial and add the missing road.

  • Waze keeps on routing an illegal U-Turn on an intersection, how do I stop this while keeping the road design simple?

On the Waze Map Editor (WME), select the road where Waze routes an illegal U-Turn. The properties for that segment are displayed on the left side of the editor. Drag either point A or point B so that the length of the segment is equal or less than 10 meters. Waze will no longer route the U-Turn on this segment.

  • Waze does not use the U-Turn segment I created between two roads, what could be the problem?

Check the turn restrictions, if the turn restrictions are already enabled, the distance of points A and B could be less than or equal to 10 meters. Drag either of the points to make the segment longer than 15 meters.

  • Are there any shortcut keys for the Waze Map Editor?

You can view the wiki page on Keyboard shortcuts

  • Waze keeps routing me on roads inside gated subdivisions, how do I edit the roads to prevent this?

Select all the roads within the gated subdivision and change the road type to "Private Road". This would prevent Waze from using these roads for routing unless your destination is within the subdivision.

  • I'm trying to edit a road but it is locked, how do I unlock it and why is it locked?

You can request for an unlock in the Philippines - Waze Forum

or in the Philippine Waze Users Facebook Group.

While we appreciate the help of newbie waze editors in editing our maps, they are prone to creating errors if not informed and educated properly on our map editing guidelines. If you would like to manage an area local to you or you are very familiar with, apply for area manager permissions.

  • The city names are wrong, I've edited them but the correct name still isn't displayed. What do I need to do to correct this?

The problem with the city names is that city tiles takes a while to update. So even if we fix incorrect city names, the errors are still displayed on the client as well as the editor maps through the city layer. There is really no schedule nor any notice for the city tile updates, we just have to wait until the correction appears.

  • There is a road near my area which, depending on the time allows you to drive through it, how can I set this road to do this?

Waze currently has no provision for handling this type of restriction, although it is planned for the future. In a situation where a turn is illegal during certain times of the day (e.g. No Left Turn, 7-10 am, 3-7 pm, Weekdays), it's generally best to err on the side of caution and restrict the turn. This way, waze will never instruct a driver to make a turn when it is illegal (typically during rush-hour traffic, the worst-possible time to create driver confusion). There are some exceptions; in particular, where restricting these turns would eliminate all possible entries to a major commuter route. For example, where a commuter road is one-way during rush hours, in opposite directions, turns onto that road should not be restricted even though those turns are prohibited during certain hours of the day. One consequence of restricting such turns will be the generation of Map Problems and Update Requests, indicating that the turn is allowed at certain times. Map Problems should be marked as "Solved", because the cause is known and the map is correct. Update Requests should be resolved as "Not identified", since "Solved" would reply to the human reporter that the issue was fixed (which is not possible in the way the reporter would expect), and since there is no way at present to send an explanation. Because these unresolved problems will invite people to log onto WME and look at the situation for themselves, it is advisable to lock the segments adjacent to a time-restricted turn, to prevent inexperienced editors who do not fully understand the issue from "fixing" the turn.

  • Search function doesn't work, how do I fix it?

This is a known issue that has been working on and off. The quick fix is to uninstall and install the app on your device.

  • I'm editing a road but I keep on getting this message "While you were editing, the elements you're trying to save have been modified and/or deleted.". What do I need to do?

If refreshing the map editor does not work, go to the waze status page and check for any announcement from waze about any map tiles update (please note for that date of the update) if the problem persists after the tiles update try to edit around the ghost segment to force the update of the tiles (remember to check the status page for the tiles update a few days later).

  • How do I report flooding so that wazers will not be routed on a flooded road?

Road closure reports were added for this, to ensure that routing will not be done on the reported road. Road hazard reporting will not affect routing and will only pop up on the client as a notification. This is the main difference between a "Hazard" report and a "Closure" report.

To report flooding on a road, select Closure on the Waze app, select the road that is flooded by tapping on the arrow pointing to the road, tap Continue, select the closure type Hazard. You can add "flood", "unpassable", or whatever you wish to describe the road closure on the detail field and then tap Send.

Notes:

  • If one user reports a road closure - it will only affect that user's view of the map. In order to affect all users, a number of users need to report the same closure.
  • The number of reports needed to close the roads for all the users varies based on the road's weight, the user's rank and the country.
  • The road will be opened when a number of users drive through the road.

Philippine Waze Area Managers

This list is based on the recently approved Area Managers, those approved after the Philippines became self-managed. Those approved before self-management are not listed, send a message to kazmuth on the forums if you have been previously approved and wish to be added. You can send these wazers a message in the forums if you want to have an issue fixed in their respective areas.

Waze Username Area
rider111 (Country Manager) Philippines
RenzDeion Pampanga
gerix28 Cebu
atjcamacho NCR and Cavite
markking1991 Manila
furuboru NCR
junrex Region V
SpeedDzel (Country Manager) Philippines
iceden Philippines
monz98 Eastern NCR
monz98 CALABARZON (Region IV-A)
gerix28 Region VII
baldugaras (Country Manager) Philippines
Ungas CALABARZON (Region IV-A)
Calicantzaros Central Luzon (Region III)
Calicantzaros NCR
BRM-BLK-BMW NCR and Cavite
bdo2v NCR
ericbishop CALABARZON (Region IV-A)
SkipperBoo26 NCR
pinoyoutdoor Cebu
M-a-r-s NCR and Bislig City
nobs98 Region VII
kazmuth (Country Manager) Philippines
evs_13 Pangasinan
world_8eidg3mz Mandaue and Cebu City
world_32m24hzt Cebu City
kid_ant Cabanatuan City
abecedarian2380 Cebu
foruboru Luzon Island Group
warfab Mandaue and Cebu City
mirallwood NCR
mponteres Muntinlupa and Cabuyao
markhaggai Puerto Princesa
ongandy86 Quezon City
crgandionco Leyte, Samar
walkingmap Las Pinas / Luzon area
ivanatorprime Mandaluyong