Alleyways
Alleys are drivable roads passing between or behind buildings and are not intended for thru-traffic. They can be an important component in routing when primary access is not on a local street or drivers start or end a route on an alley. However, their existence also presents many routing problems. Please avoid mapping alleys unless they meet the criteria set below:
Alleys should only be considered for mapping when one of the following criteria is met:
- a) the main access to a business entrance is on an alley,
- b) a parking lot entrance is in an alley,
- c) current GPS tracks support a residential alley that is frequently used and would benefit from being added to the map, or
- d) a UR indicates an alley should be added.
Please do not add every alley in a residential neighborhood.
All alleys should have their road type set to Parking Lot Road and should be named "Alley".
Please consult with an AM or SM before adding or removing alleys to verify whether a certain alley would meet the criteria to be mapped.
Driveways in Rural Areas
In rural areas, it may be helpful to a driver to see driveways mapped in the client app or even necessary for Waze to determine how to reach the destination. In those cases it may be prudent to map a segment, even if shorter than the general Driveways recommendation of 200 feet. See the article on Driveways for more information. This offers a number of benefits:
- When traveling at high speeds on rural/county highways, the turn guidance onto the driveway provides advance warning of their upcoming destination.
- Where roads may stretch for miles with no landmarks or other features in the landscape, driveways provide a sense of location and orientation, especially at night.
- When not mapped, a user on the driveway may instead be mistakenly snapped to the main road, causing bad speed data and unwanted or confusing directions.
When mapping Driveways, use the Parking Lot Road type.
Mapping House Numbers on Driveways
If the addresses for properties on the driveway are known, delete the relevant House Numbers and add Residential Place Points (RPPs). Make sure the RPP is complete with address number, street name, city name, and entry/exit point as noted in the House Numbers page.
Urban Driveways
Urban driveways do not qualify for mapping in most circumstances unless they meet certain route-aiding criteria as defined in the national standards for Driveways.