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'''Road types''' are divided into three categories: public roads, other drivable roads, and non-drivable roads. This article is a reference for each type of road. To determine which road type to use in any situation, please refer to the guidelines for your country.
'''Road types''' are divided into three categories: public roads, other drivable roads, and non-drivable roads. This article explains some of the basics of the road hierarchy and how waze uses it in routing. Please look for country and regional guidance on what information  is available and how to use it to determine road typing.


(Link here to local guidance on assigning road types)
Please see below for more information about the hierarchy of roads, and for links to related information about determining road types at complicated junctions with [[Creating and Editing a roundabout#Road type|roundabouts]] or [[At-grade connectors#How to label the connector type|at-grade connectors]].
<br/>


{{/Local_guidelines}}<br />


==Overview ==
==Overview ==
 
In general:
Road types are important for both routing and map display:
# When planning a route, major roads will sometimes get priority over smaller roads.
# When planning a route, major roads will sometimes get priority over smaller roads.
#* For longer routes, some lower road types will often be ignored outright in favor of higher-type roads.
#* For longer routes, some lower road types will often be ignored outright in favor of higher-type roads.
#* Since freeways are given the highest priority of all, having other high-type roads is necessary to provide viable alternatives to the routing server in case freeways are clogged with traffic.
#* Since freeways are given the highest priority of all, having other high-type roads is necessary to provide viable alternatives to the routing server in case freeways are clogged with traffic.
# When viewing the map, more important roads should appear at the far zoom levels. Without proper types, the zoomed out display can be misleading.
# When zoomed out, more important roads should still appear while less-important types are not shown. Proper road typing will help drivers orient themselves when looking at long routes or travelling at high speed.


The Freeway and Ramp road types each have their own special rules. The Major Highway, Minor Highway, and Primary Street types are designated using a set of minimum criteria, as explained [[#Highways|below]].


In order to maintain appropriate routing, special rules are used to determine the road types of [[Creating and Editing a roundabout#Road type|roundabouts]] and [[At-grade connectors#How to label the connector type|at-grade connectors]].


== Public roads ==
== Public roads ==
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====Major Highway====
====Major Highway====
[[Image:Maj-hwy.jpg|thumb|right|450px|A partially-limited-access roadway, or "expressway". Note the interchange to the left and the at-grade intersection to the right.]]{{Major Highway}}<br />
[[Image:Maj-hwy.jpg|thumb|right|450px|A partially-limited-access roadway, or "expressway". Note the interchange to the left and the at-grade intersection to the right.]]{{Major Highway}}<br />
'''Major Highways''' are used to provide direct links between regions not served by freeways, and as alternatives to freeways in case of heavy traffic or incident.  These highways often have national designations, such as US-202, or are business alternate routes to the freeway system.
'''Major Highways''' are important roadways used to provide direct links between regions not served by freeways, and as alternatives to freeways in case of heavy traffic or incident.  


The following roads are to be classified, at minimum, as Major Highway:
Major Highways may be:
*Partially-limited-access roadways (or "expressways"). These are roads that have a lot of the characteristics of freeways, but also have occasional at-grade intersections with other roads.
* Spurs, loops, and business alternatives of freeways, if they are not themselves freeways.
**Note: "Expressway" is used as a shorthand term for partially-limited-access roads. This does not mean every road ''named'' "Expressway" is a Major Highway.
* Major roads that function as collectors for freeways
* Major non-freeway routes that link large cities
* Major non-freeway routes that link large cities
* Major roads that function as collectors for freeways
* Partially-limited-access roadways which have both interchanges and at-grade intersections. These are sometimes called expressways, but not every road ''named'' "Expressway" is a Major Highway.
*Non-freeway Business routes (Spurs and Loops) in the country's freeway system.


====Minor Highway====
====Minor Highway====
{{Minor Highway}}<br />
{{Minor Highway}}<br />
'''Minor highways''' are used as collectors for [[#Major Highway]]s, and as secondary routes for traveling between cities over moderately long distances. Minor collectors for [[#Major Highway]]s. In many countries, these highways are part of the provincial or state highway system, and are essential for travel within the state or province.
'''Minor highways''' are used as collectors for [[#Major Highway]]s, and as secondary routes for traveling between cities over moderately long distances.


Roads classified as Minor Highway include
Roads classified as Minor Highway include
* Business, Loop, alternate, and other spurs and connectors of [[#Major Highway]]s.
* Collectors for [[#Major Highway]]s.
* Collectors for [[#Major Highway]]s.
* Business, Loop, alternate, and other spurs and connectors of [[#Major Highway]]s.
* Secondary routes for travelling between cities, less important for longer trips than the [[#Major Highway]]s
* Secondary routes for travelling between cities, less important for longer trips than the [[#Major Highway]]s


==== Ramps ====
==== Ramp ====
{{Ramp}}
[[File:RoadPicN2.jpg|right|300px|RoadPicN2.jpg]] [[File:HBlue.png|right|300px|HBlue.png]]{{Ramp}}<br />
 
Ramps are said to be "routing neutral". They can be used with any road type without causing routing problems. Ramp names do not appear on the client application map, but do appear in the text for routing directions. The ramp type can be used where the name is long and should not show on the map.  
[[File:RoadPicN2.jpg|right|300px|RoadPicN2.jpg]] [[File:HBlue.png|right|300px|HBlue.png]]
 
The following are to be classified as ramp.


Ramps are most often used for:
*Roads which connect roadways to other roadways as part of an [[Limited Access Interchange Style Guide|interchange]]. This includes all freeway exits and entrances.
*Roads which connect roadways to other roadways as part of an [[Limited Access Interchange Style Guide|interchange]]. This includes all freeway exits and entrances.
*Roads connecting freeways and highways with [[Rest areas]], parking areas, and service plazas (e.g., "to Service Area").
*Roads connecting freeways and highways with [[Rest areas]], parking areas, and service plazas (e.g., "to Service Area").
*Jughandles.
* Special-purpose usages such as Median U-turn intersections (MUTI), jughandles, and  
*Median U-turn Intersection (MUTI) and "Michigan left" segments.
*J-turn (RCUT/"Superstreet") segments.
*Displaced Left Turn (DLT) left turn segments.


The following are '''not''' to be classified as ramp:
Ramps are, in general, not used for turn lanes or [[At-grade connectors]], unless they fit into one of the exceptions
*[[At-grade connectors]], unless they fit into one of the exceptions (see article).
*Turn lanes.
 
Ramp names do not appear on the client application map, but do appear in the text for routing directions. This is because they are often long and include other nearby road names. The ramp type can be used where the name is long and should not show on the map. This is why the ramp type is used for named MUTI and jughandle segments.


Information on how to lay out ramps and set the proper angles from the main road can be found in the [[Junction Style Guide]]. {{clear}}
Information on how to lay out ramps and set the proper angles from the main road can be found in the [[Junction Style Guide]]. {{clear}}


===Streets===
===Streets===
{{Primary Street}}{{Street}}
{{Primary Street}}{{Street}}<br />
 
The Street types are for local and short-distance travel. Street types are also used at the beginning and end of long routes.
The Street types are for local and short-distance travel. Street types are used at the beginning and end of long routes as well.
 


====Primary Street====
====Primary Street====
{{Primary Street}}<br />
{{Primary Street}}<br />
'''Primary Streets''' are roads used with medium-low traffic densities which are used as '''collectors''' to bring traffic from local streets to highways and vice versa.  They are also used to connect minor highways.
'''Primary Streets''' are roads used with medium-low traffic densities which are used as '''collectors''' to bring traffic from local streets to highways and vice versa.  They are also used to connect minor highways to each other.


The following roads are to be classified, at minimum, as Primary Street:
The following roads are to be classified, at minimum, as Primary Street:
* Loops, Spurs, business routes, and other connectors of Minor Highways
* Loops, Spurs, business routes, and other connectors of Minor Highways
*'''[[wikipedia:Frontage road|Frontage road]]s''' which serve as the means of access between freeways/expressways and surface streets, if not explicitly marked as a higher type on road type reference maps for your region.
*'''[[wikipedia:Frontage road|Frontage road]]s''' which serve as the means of access between freeways/expressways and surface streets.
** Where Frontage roads connect freeways to Major or Minor Highways, it is especially important to set then to primary street or higher.
* Where Frontage roads connect freeways to Major or Minor Highways, it might be necessary to set them higher than Primary Street
 
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====Street ====
====Street ====
[[Image:RoadPicN4.jpg|right|200px]]{{Street}}
[[Image:RoadPicN4.jpg|right|200px]]{{Street}}<br />
*Any road for public travel which does not meet the criteria for any other type shall be classified as a Street. Shown as "local roads" in some government reference maps; not shown at all in others.
Any road for public travel which does not meet the criteria for any other type shall be classified as a Street. Often shown as "local roads" in reference maps.
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=== {{anchor|Dirt}}Dirt Road / 4X4 Trail ===
=== {{anchor|Dirt}}Dirt Road / 4X4 Trail ===
[[File:RoadPicN6.jpg|right|300px|RoadPicN6.jpg]]{{Dirt Road / 4X4 Trail}<br />
[[File:RoadPicN6.jpg|right|300px|RoadPicN6.jpg]]{{Dirt Road / 4X4 Trail}}<br />
Generally, a road that is not paved.
Generally, a road that is not paved well enough for every passenger vehicle.


Roads of the Dirt Road / 4X4 Trail type will not be used if the user has selected the "Don't allow" option in the client, and segments longer than 300m will be avoided if the user has selected "Avoid long ones".
Roads of the Dirt Road / 4X4 Trail type will not be used if the user has selected the "Don't allow" option in the client, and segments longer than 300m will be avoided if the user has selected "Avoid long ones".


In some areas of the country, improved unpaved roads (gravel, macadam, etc.) are set to this type. In other areas, improved unpaved roads, and possibly certain dirt roads, will be set to other types, as if they were paved. Check your regional wiki pages or contact your regional coordinator for further guidance. {{clear}}
In some places improved unpaved roads (gravel, macadam, etc.) are set to this type. In other areas, improved unpaved roads, and possibly certain dirt roads, will be set to other types, as if they were paved. Check your regional wiki pages or contact your regional coordinator for further guidance. {{clear}}


=== Parking Lot Road===
=== Parking Lot Road===
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[[File:RoadPicN7.jpg|right|300px|RoadPicN7.jpg]]{{Parking Lot Road}}<br /> These are used to map driving lanes within parking lots as well as publicly accessible roads such as '''alleys''' that should not be used for traffic routing unless directly at the start or end point of a route.
[[File:RoadPicN7.jpg|right|300px|RoadPicN7.jpg]]{{Parking Lot Road}}<br /> These are used to map driving lanes within parking lots as well as publicly accessible roads such as '''alleys''' that should not be used for traffic routing unless directly at the start or end point of a route.


*Do not map the rows within parking lots. That clutters the map and can cause confusing driving directions. See this additional page for [[Best map editing practice#Parking Lots|more details on how to map parking lots]].
The waze routing server assesses a penalty for any transition FROM a parking lot road TO any other type of road. This penalty is typically high enough to prevent waze from choosing parking lots as short cuts. No penalty is assessed for routes that cross other road types without travelling on them. Waze will not highlight slow speeds (automatically detected traffic jams) on Parking Lot Roads.
*Use Parking Lot Road type for all [[Best map editing practice#Parking Lots|necessary segments]] in the Parking Lot.
*Parking Lot Road type should be used inside Apartment Complexes, Trailer Parks, Schools, and Universities unless it meets the criteria for Private Road found in the next section below.
*Parking Lot Roads have a [[Routing penalties|transition penalty]] when exiting the Parking Lot road segment. This should prevent Waze from routing you through a Parking Lot or an alley as a shortcut.
* Parking Lot Roads can be used to avoid "missing road" automated Map Problem reports.
* Parking Lot Roads can be used to prevent Waze from assuming drivers driving slowly or parked in the parking lot are in a traffic jam on the main road. This is done by drawing in the drivable portions of the parking lot that are near main roadways.
* Waze will not highlight slow speeds (automatically detected traffic jams) on Parking Lot Roads


Information on mapping a parking lot landmark "place" is covered [[Places#Parking Lot|here]].
Typical applications of Parking Lot Road are:
*All [[Best map editing practice#Parking Lots|'''necessary''' segments]] in the Parking Lot -- not all rows.  For more, see [[Best map editing practice#Parking Lots|Best map editing practices - Parking Lots]].
* Roads inside many Apartment Complexes, Trailer Parks, Schools, and Universities unless they meet the criteria for [[#Private Road|Private Road]]
* To prevent Waze from assuming drivers driving slowly or parked in the parking lot are in a traffic jam on the main road. This is done by drawing in the drivable portions of the parking lot that are near main roadways.
* To prevent Waze from creating "missing road" automated Map Problem reports inside parking lots.
 
Information on mapping a parking lot landmark "place" is covered [[Places#Parking Lot|in Places - Parking Lot]].
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=== Private Road[[File:Service road.png|200px|Service road.png]] ===
=== Private Road ===
[[File:Pi gated-community1.jpg|right|300px|Pi gated-community1.jpg]]{{Private Road|Private roads}}<br />Private roads are used for roads that are private; not open to the general public.


[[File:Pi gated-community1.jpg|right|300px|Pi gated-community1.jpg]]{{Private Road|Private roads}} are useful for the following situations:
The waze routing server assesses a penalty for any transition FROM a private TO any other type of road. This penalty is typically high enough to prevent waze from choosing private roads as short cuts. In this way, private roads are like parking lot roads. Unlike with parking lot roads, Waze will highlight slow speeds (automatically detected traffic jams) on Private roads.


*Gated communities with controlled access
*Schools and Universities with gates and/or guards
*Businesses with controlled access (gates and/or guards)


In some of these situations, complex mapping is needed to provide proper routing inside the private installation. This is an advanced topic covered in [[Private Installations]].
Private roads are typically used for:
*Gated communities, schools, universities, and businesses with gates or guards.  
*Any street with a legally enforceable sign for local traffic only


As with {{Parking Lot Road|Parking Lot Roads}}, a route over a {{Private Road}} will incur a [[Routing penalties|transition penalty]] upon leaving a private road segment for another road type. This transition penalty keeps Waze from routing Wazers through a private area as a shortcut.  Unlike {{Parking Lot Road|Parking Lot Roads}}, {{Private Road|Private Roads}} do not suppress automated traffic-jam detection.
Private roads must not be used for:
 
* Unrestricted public roads.
* Never use the {{Private Road}} type for unrestricted public roads
* Marking slow, damaged, or under-construction public roads. There are more appropriate ways to handle these situations.
* Do not use the {{Private Road}} type to try to force waze to route around slow (damaged or under construction) public roads. Talk to a routing expert to find out if there are any good solutions.
* {{Private Road}} may be used for a public street that has a legally enforceable sign for local traffic only.
* Waze handles {{Private Road|Private Roads}} similarly to how it handles {{Parking Lot Road|Parking Lot Roads}}, but not exactly the same.
** Similarity: Waze routing adds a penalty to a route that goes from a {{Private Road}} segment to a segment of a different type.
** Difference: Waze will highlight traffic slowdowns on {{Private Road|Private Roads}}.
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'''Your car should not be here!'''
'''Your car should not be here!'''
The Waze app is intended only for drivers of motor vehicles. Non-motorists using Waze near drivable roads can add bad information to Waze's speed and traffic database. Do not map in a way that encourages non-driving Wazers. Do not use routable road types such as Walking Trail for roads that are not meant for waze routing -- they can cause routing problems.
Only non-routable road types such as Railroad or Pedestrian boardwalk should be used to map portions of non-drivable road that are useful for visual reference.
If the GPS Points layer clearly shows frequent improper Wazing on a non-vehicle route near drivable roads, consult an expert about using non-routable roads to keep bad data out of Waze's speed and traffic database. 


*The Waze app is intended only for drivers of motor vehicles. Non-motorists using Waze near drivable roads can add bad information to Waze's speed and traffic database. Do not map in a way that encourages non-driving Wazers.
*Some non-drivable roads may be useful as a visual reference. In this case, non-routable road types such as Railroad or Pedestrian boardwalk may be used to prevent routing oddities.
*If the GPS Points layer clearly shows frequent improper Wazing on a non-vehicle route near drivable roads, marking this route with a non-routable road type can keep bad data out of Waze's speed and traffic database.  This is an advanced topic. Consult an expert. Do not use the Walking Trail type.
*The Walking Trail road type is fully routable, even though it is listed as non-drivable, is fully routable. It should only be used by experts in very limited cases.
*{{As of|2015|6}}, the non-drivable road types of Pedestrian Boardwalk, Stairway and Runway/Taxiway should '''not have any type of junction with a drivable road'''.  When crossing drivable roads, these non-drivable road types should be bridged across without a junction and set at a different elevation.
*{{As of|2015|6}}, the non-drivable road types of Pedestrian Boardwalk, Stairway and Runway/Taxiway should '''not have any type of junction with a drivable road'''.  When crossing drivable roads, these non-drivable road types should be bridged across without a junction and set at a different elevation.
* ''It is OK to junction drivable roads with the Railroad type.'' See specific details in the Railroad section later on this page.
* ''It is OK to junction drivable roads with the Railroad type.'' See specific details in the Railroad section later on this page.
*{{Red|Walking Trails, and other routable road type which are visible in the app, can cause significant routing issues.}} If a walking trail (even when not connected to any other drivable segment) is closest to the latitude and longitude of the search result, the routing server will route you to the spot on the segment closest to that walking trail.<br/><br/>In the sketch below, if you assume the Place target is a latitude and longitude returned by a Google search result, you would think that the actual destination would be the parking lot segment because it is the closest reachable/connected segment to the target. But it won't be. The actual destination will be where the green spot is, because the closest segment to the latitude and longitude is the walking trail, and the closest Waze can route to the walking trail is to where the green spot is.


[[File:Walking trail dest.png|center|Walking trail dest.png]]
[[File:Walking trail dest.png|center|frame|The walking trail is a routable road. It is disconnected from the other drivable roads. It is the closest segment to the destination. The closest Waze can route to that segment is where the green spot is.  Therefore Waze routes to the green spot.]]


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=== Emergency Vehicle and DOT Service Roads [[File:Service road.png|200px|Service road.png]] ===
===Routable ===
 
==== Walking Trails ====
[[File:Emergency.jpg|right|300px|Emergency.jpg]] "Emergency and Authorized Vehicles Only" and DOT Service Roads are to be treated as Non-drivable roads. These are found primarily through the median of divided highways to connect opposite direction lanes. If mapped, they should not be connected to any drivable road, with properties set to road type Private Road, and lock the segment at as high a rank as possible, up to rank 5. {{clear}}
 
=== Walking Trails ===


<!-- [[File:RoadPicN9.jpg|right|300px|RoadPicN9.jpg]] THIS FIGURE OF A PLEASANT LEAFY WALKING TRACK COMMENTED OUT UNTIL A MORE APPROPRIATE IMAGE CAN BE FOUND. --DwarfLord, June 6 2015 -->
<!-- [[File:RoadPicN9.jpg|right|300px|RoadPicN9.jpg]] THIS FIGURE OF A PLEASANT LEAFY WALKING TRACK COMMENTED OUT UNTIL A MORE APPROPRIATE IMAGE CAN BE FOUND. --DwarfLord, June 6 2015 -->
{{Walking Trail}}


{{mbox|type=caution|text=This section is new {{As of |2015|05|24|df=us|lc=yes}}. For details, please
Never use the Walking Trail road type for ordinary hiking paths or bike paths. Most hiking and bicycling paths should not be on the map at all. Walking Trails may have strange side effects on nearby routing. Use Walking Trails only with assistance from an expert in Walking Trails. They should only be used in rare cases.  
see the [http://www.waze.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=276&t=98949 forum discussion].}}


Use Walking Trails only with assistance from an expert in Walking Trails. They should only be used in rare cases. Never use the Walking Trail road type for ordinary hiking paths or bike paths. Most hiking and bicycling paths should not be on the map at all. Walking Trails may have strange side effects on nearby routing.
Waze treats walking trails much like  "Dirt road / 4X4 Trail" but displays them differently.


 
===== Applications =====
{{As of|2015|5|lc=yes}}, Walking Trails are fully routable and even support Waze House Numbers.  Waze treats them in some ways like "Dirt road / 4X4 Trail" but displays them differently.  Sometimes, editors have disconnected Walking Trails to make sure Waze doesn't route drivers over them.  But a disconnected Walking Trail that is closer to a destination than any other road can cause Waze to route drivers to a location nearer to the Walking Trail than to the destination.  This problem can be severe for Walking Trails passing close to many destinations in a dense neighborhood. '''Connected or not, the Walking Trail type should never be used where effects on local routing are not desired.'''
 
The name "Walking Trail" suggests that Waze wants to support pedestrians and cyclists.  However, {{as of|2015|4|lc=yes}}, Waze focuses on drivers of motor vehicles and has no plans to encourage or support any other application.  In fact, pedestrians and cyclists using the Waze app may damage Waze.  By Wazing at speeds different from nearby traffic, they can create false traffic indications and even influence Waze's records of average road and turn speeds. For this reason, '''editors should not map Walking Trails, or any other road type, for the sole purpose of encouraging non-driving Wazers.'''  See the descriptions of other non-drivable road types for recommended applications of those types.
 
If the GPS Points layer shows clearly that pedestrians and cyclists already use Waze on a path or trail that lies parallel to a drivable road, then, {{as of|2015|5|lc=yes}}, the path may be mapped with a Pedestrian Boardwalk.  Doing so will limit the damage these Wazers would otherwise cause to the road's speed data.  Such paths should only be mapped once it is clear Wazers regularly use them, and only on the advice of experts.
 
==== Applications ====


In rare cases, connected Walking Trails can bring drivers to destinations where otherwise Waze might fail to offer the best route.  For example:
In rare cases, connected Walking Trails can bring drivers to destinations where otherwise Waze might fail to offer the best route.  For example:


*A concert pavilion in an urban park accessed by a pedestrian path from a distant parking lot.
*A concert pavilion in an urban park accessed by a pedestrian path from a distant parking lot.
*A train station reachable from either side of the tracks but with no drivable road across them, or a rest area in the median of a divided highway.
*A train station reachable from either side of the tracks but with no drivable road across them, or a rest area in the median of a divided highway.
*A destination addressed on a non-drivable footpath.
*A destination addressed on a non-drivable footpath.


A connected Walking Trail may be used to route drivers to such destinations.  If the Walking Trail goes through from one drivable road to another, ensure that outgoing turn restrictions are red to disallow through routing via the Walking Trail.  Because this is an advanced use of Walking Trail, lock it to protect it from puzzled beginning editors.
A connected Walking Trail may be used to route drivers to such destinations.  If the Walking Trail goes through from one drivable road to another, ensure that outgoing turn restrictions are red to disallow through routing via the Walking Trail.  Because this is an advanced use of Walking Trail, lock it to protect it from puzzled beginning editors. Always work with a routing expert.


If it is important to show where walking or bicycle paths cross the road, or where a trailhead is located, do not use the Walking Trail road type. Use Pedestrian Boardwalks, Stairways, or Point Places as appropriate.
===== Naming =====
 
==== Naming ====


If destinations are addressed using House Numbers on a Walking Trail, it is essential that the Walking Trail's name and city fields be set properly so that routing to the addresses will work.  For other routing situations, Walking Trails should be named to alert drivers that they must leave their car.  For example, a Walking Trail connecting the two sides of a train station may be named "Station Access Footpath".
If destinations are addressed using House Numbers on a Walking Trail, it is essential that the Walking Trail's name and city fields be set properly so that routing to the addresses will work.  For other routing situations, Walking Trails should be named to alert drivers that they must leave their car.  For example, a Walking Trail connecting the two sides of a train station may be named "Station Access Footpath".
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=== Pedestrian Boardwalks [[File:Service road.png|200px|Service road.png]] ===
===Non-routable===
 
==== Pedestrian Boardwalks ====
[[File:RoadPicN10.jpg|right|300px|RoadPicN10.jpg]] {{clear}}
[[File:RoadPicN9.jpg|thumb]][[File:RoadPicN10.jpg|thumb]]{{Pedestrian Boardwalk}}<br />
 
Pedestrian Boardwalk is used wherever a non-routable trail or boardwalk is needed.
 
{{clear}}
 
=== Stairway [[File:Service road.png|200px|Service road.png]] ===
 
[[File:RoadPicN11.jpg|right|300px|RoadPicN11.jpg]] {{clear}}
 
 


=== Railroad [[File:Service road.png|200px|Service road.png]] ===
==== Stairway ====
[[File:RoadPicN11.jpg|right|300px|RoadPicN11.jpg]] {{Stairway}}{{clear}}


[[File:RailroadTracksVanishingPoint.jpg|right|300px|RoadPicN11.jpg]]
==== Railroad====
The {{Railroad}} road type serves three purposes in Waze.  First, it provides drivers with visual orientation relative to railroad and light-rail tracks.  More importantly, in the common case where passenger-carrying tracks lie parallel with roads, mapping the tracks allows Waze to recognize spurious speed data from people Wazing on the train and prevent it from corrupting speed data for the adjacent road. Finally, when a railroad crosses a drivable road segment at grade (same elevation) the routing server can better determine delays at that crossing.{{clear}}
[[File:RailroadTracksVanishingPoint.jpg|right|300px|RoadPicN11.jpg]]The {{Railroad}} road type serves three purposes in Waze.   
# It provides drivers with visual orientation relative to railroad and light-rail tracks.   
# In the common case where passenger-carrying tracks lie parallel with roads, mapping the tracks allows Waze to recognize spurious speed data from people Wazing on the train and prevent it from corrupting speed data for the adjacent road.  
# When a railroad crosses a drivable road segment at grade (same elevation) the routing server can better determine delays at that crossing.{{clear}}


The guidance from Waze says to represent railroads generally as they appear in real life, whether at ground level, at an elevation above ground level. Railroads that junction with drivable roads should be mapped that way, and all turns to and from the railroads should be restricted. Although railroads do not currently show in the mobile app, they are expected to in the future.
Guidance from Waze says to represent railroads generally as they appear in real life, whether at ground level or at an elevation above or below ground level. Railroads that junction with drivable roads should be mapped that way, and all turns to and from the railroads should be restricted. Although railroads do not currently show in the mobile app, they are expected to in the future.


{{As of|2015|7}} the automated [[Map Problems in Waze Map Editor|Map Problem]] search algorithm will identify suspected errors at railroad crossings. It is common to see the “restricted turn might be allowed” error where a railroad crosses a drivable segment nearby to where another drivable segment also crosses. These kinds of map error should be marked as “Not Identified” so that they are not shown again at that location. Do not enable turns at railroad crossings.
{{As of|2015|7}} the automated [[Map Problems in Waze Map Editor|Map Problem]] search algorithm will identify suspected errors at railroad crossings. It is common to see the “restricted turn might be allowed” error where a railroad crosses a drivable segment nearby to where another drivable segment also crosses. These kinds of map error should be marked as “Not Identified” so that they are not shown again at that location. Do not enable turns at railroad crossings.


Use the following guidelines when '''mapping''' railroad segments:
Use the following guidelines when '''mapping''' railroad segments:
* By default, enter "Railroad" for the street name of every railroad segment. (See more below on Naming railroad segments.)
* Long railroad segments bearing a city name can contribute to [[City smudge|city smudging]]. This can be avoided by checking "none" for city or drawing shorter segments.
* Always select "None" for the city name. This avoids [[City smudge|city smudging]].
* Long stretches of below-ground railroad do not serve any of the three purposes outlined above.
* Do not map railroads below ground, as they do not serve any of the three purposes outlined above. This is especially true in urban areas where underground rail lines are common, and their appearance on the map would be confusing to drivers.
* Railroads may be named "Railroad" unless specific rail line name information will be useful to orient drivers.
* Set the elevation just as you would a drivable segment. When tracks junction a road on the ground, the Elevation should be set to Ground.
* Waze guidelines say:
* Create junctions between drivable roads and railroads.{{ref label|rr|rr}}
** {{Red|Only use the railroad road type}}. Any routable type could cause a hazard to human life.
* Set railroad to 2-way directionality
** Set the elevation just as you would a drivable segment.
* Restrict turns ''to and from'' the railroad segments.
** Create junctions between drivable roads and railroads.{{ref label|rr|rr}}
* When mapping railroad tracks, focus on those near drivable roads.
** Set railroad to 2-way directionality. Restrict turns ''to and from'' the railroad segments.
* Map rail yards simply, with one railroad segment along either edge of the yard's tracks.
* When mapping railroad tracks, keep it simple and focus on those near drivable roads
* Map industrial spurs only if they cross drivable roads.
** spurs are only necessary if they cross drivable roads.
* Do not map '''every''' piece of parallel track, such as in sidings or yards, or industrial spurs that don't cross any roads. Your work may otherwise be seen as clutter, much like mapping every parking lot row.
** Rail yards can be represented with very few segments -- one on either edge of a multi-track area
* Multiple parallel lines at crossings:
** Where multiple lines cross a road, use one segment in most cases, and never more than two.
** At most crossings, there should be only one railroad segment mapped and no more than two parallel railroads mapped at any crossing.
** Parallel lines should be at least 5m apart
** Parallel lines are to be at least 5m apart
** In general, there is no reason to have multiple lines mapped. When not at a crossing, even four parallel lines can be easily mapped as a single railroad segment in Waze.
* Keep segment lengths under 10,000 meters – the longer the segment length, the more sluggish the editor is to respond to changes.
* Keep segment lengths under 10,000 meters – the longer the segment length, the more sluggish the editor is to respond to changes.
* {{Red|Do not map railroads using a drivable road type}} (streets, primary streets, etc.); it could be a hazard to human life if drivers were routed to them.


<small>{{note|rr|rr}} ''Note: The routing server will properly account for delays at railroad crossings through a segment without a junction. However, with a junction, the historical data for the rail crossing will be more accurate.''</small>
<small>{{note|rr|rr}} ''Note: The routing server will properly account for delays at railroad crossings through a segment without a junction. However, with a junction, the historical data for the rail crossing will be more accurate.''</small>


 
==== Runway/Taxiway====
Use the following guidelines when '''naming''' railroad segments:
* For commercially-controlled right-of-ways, rather than apply the default "Railroad" name, you may optionally use the owner's full legal name spelled out without acronyms or abbreviations (e.g. "New Orleans Public Belt Railroad").  Some owners' names incorporate what appear to be or once were acronyms but are actually part of the legal name (e.g., "BNSF Railway", "CSX Railroad").
** In case of uncertain ownership, do not guess.  Use the default "Railroad" name.
** Do not name a railroad segment for a passenger operator that uses it, regardless of how many passengers or how little freight it may carry, unless you are absolutely certain that the passenger operator owns the track.  For example, do not name a segment  "Amtrak" unless Amtrak actually owns the track ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amtrak#Trains_and_tracks it usually does not], except in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northeast_Corridor|Northeast Corridor] and in a few other areas).
** Do not apply "fallen flags" (former owners that no longer exist due to bankruptcy or merger) in the alternate field.
** Keep in mind that should the name of the owner change, due to bankruptcy, merger, or other business decision, you or another editor will need to come back and fix all now-incorrect segments.  Railroads can change names often; for example, BNSF Railway has been known by that name only since 2005, and its previous name was in use for only eight years.
* For urban rapid transit and light rail systems, rather than apply the default "Railroad" name, you may optionally use the name of the transit authority and the name of the line, separated by a hyphen (e.g., "MBTA - Green Line", "RTA - Riverfront Streetcar").
** If a system has only one line, of course, use its name alone (e.g., "Detroit People Mover").
** If multiple lines share the same track or run on parallel tracks, include all lines (e.g., "Metro Rail - Red/Purple Lines").
** However, if a rapid transit system is so complex that including all line names would lead to an absurd result on some railroad segments, use the name of the system alone (e.g., "BART", "MTA") throughout the system.
 
=== Runway/Taxiway[[File:Service road.png|200px|Service road.png]] ===


Airport runways and private airstrips may be mapped using the Runway/Taxiway road type. The Runway/Taxiway type is for display only and must never connect to drivable road segments. If a drivable road and a runway cross, set the [[elevation]] of the road below that of the runway and ensure there is no connection. Draw each runway as a single segment and lock it to prevent lower-ranking editors from attaching a road. Do not form junctions where runways cross each other.
Airport runways and private airstrips may be mapped using the Runway/Taxiway road type. The Runway/Taxiway type is for display only and must never connect to drivable road segments. If a drivable road and a runway cross, set the [[elevation]] of the road below that of the runway and ensure there is no connection. Draw each runway as a single segment and lock it to prevent lower-ranking editors from attaching a road. Do not form junctions where runways cross each other.
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=== Ferry [[File:Service road.png|200px|Service road.png]] ===
==== Ferry ====


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== Special applications of road types ==
There are a number of other types of roadways and lane types which are not directly covered with the current options above. In some cases there are plans to add some of these special cases, but in the mean time the following guidelines are the best that can be done with the current settings.
=== Bus or cab only lanes ===
When a road or lane is designated for bus or cab use only, mark that road segment(s) as a '''Private Road''' to prevent the Waze router from using that segment(s) for general traffic, since the majority of the users will not be able to use that lane. It is also advisable to set the turn restrictions to prevent turns into that segment(s), but permit turns exiting the segment.
If a road is one-way, but allows bus or cab traffic to flow the other direction, leave the road as one-way with the normal flow of traffic. There is no need to create a second road traveling the opposite direction for the bus and cab-only traffic.
=== Driveways ===
Most urban communities have very short driveways between the named road they live on and the garage or carport on their property. In general these very short segments should not be mapped because they have no name, would clutter the map in the client app, take a lot of time to draw, and would greatly increase the overall size of the Waze mapping database with very little return.
In the case of very long driveways, it may helpful to a driver to see the driveway mapped on the client app or even necessary for Waze to determine how to reach the destination. In those cases it may be prudent to add a road. See the article on [[Driveways]] for more information.


== See Also ==
== See Also ==
{{/Local_guidelines}}
*[[Junction Style Guide]]
*[[Junction Style Guide]]
*[[Category:Style Guides]]
[[Category:Style Guides]]

Revision as of 02:27, 25 September 2015

Road types are divided into three categories: public roads, other drivable roads, and non-drivable roads. This article explains some of the basics of the road hierarchy and how waze uses it in routing. Please look for country and regional guidance on what information is available and how to use it to determine road typing.

Please see below for more information about the hierarchy of roads, and for links to related information about determining road types at complicated junctions with roundabouts or at-grade connectors.


 
Local Road Types Guidelines


Overview

In general:

  1. When planning a route, major roads will sometimes get priority over smaller roads.
    • For longer routes, some lower road types will often be ignored outright in favor of higher-type roads.
    • Since freeways are given the highest priority of all, having other high-type roads is necessary to provide viable alternatives to the routing server in case freeways are clogged with traffic.
  2. When zoomed out, more important roads should still appear while less-important types are not shown. Proper road typing will help drivers orient themselves when looking at long routes or travelling at high speed.


Public roads

Public roads are those who can be driven by anyone. Naturally, they are by far the most important roads on the Waze map.


Highways

 Freeway   Major Highway  Minor Highway .
Waze distinguishes three classes of highway: Freeway, Major Highway, and Minor Highway. Waze's definition of "highways" includes main roads, especially those connecting major towns or cities. They are the backbone of the traffic network. They are used for two purposes:

  • as arterial roads to carry traffic over long distances, from one city to another, and
  • to carry traffic from collector roads to freeways, where applicable.

Many countries have several systems of national, state or province, and local highways.

Freeway

 Freeway 
A freeway is a highway designed for high speed traffic, with fully controlled access over entrance to, and exit from, the highway.

Freeway is the highest functional class of road.

The following roads shall be classified as Freeway:

  • Roads which meet the criteria of a controlled-access highway:
    • No at-grade crossings.
    • No at-grade intersections.
    • No direct property access.
    • No stop lights (except sometimes on ramps).
    • No stop signs.
    • Except at the beginning or end of the controlled-access roadway, connected to other roads exclusively by interchanges:
      • Entrance via ramps only, typically with acceleration zones.
      • Exit via ramps only, typically with deceleration zones.
      • Note: Many freeways continue as non-controlled-access roadways; the road should be set as Freeway until the point at which access becomes non-controlled.

For information on how to best layout freeways and their junctions, please review the section on freeways in the Junction Style Guide. For specific guidelines in other countries refer to this page for more information.

Major Highway

A partially-limited-access roadway, or "expressway". Note the interchange to the left and the at-grade intersection to the right.

 Major Highway 

Major Highways are important roadways used to provide direct links between regions not served by freeways, and as alternatives to freeways in case of heavy traffic or incident.

Major Highways may be:

  • Spurs, loops, and business alternatives of freeways, if they are not themselves freeways.
  • Major roads that function as collectors for freeways
  • Major non-freeway routes that link large cities
  • Partially-limited-access roadways which have both interchanges and at-grade intersections. These are sometimes called expressways, but not every road named "Expressway" is a Major Highway.

Minor Highway

 Minor Highway 
Minor highways are used as collectors for #Major Highways, and as secondary routes for traveling between cities over moderately long distances.

Roads classified as Minor Highway include

Ramp

RoadPicN2.jpg
RoadPicN2.jpg
HBlue.png
HBlue.png

 Ramp 

Ramps are said to be "routing neutral". They can be used with any road type without causing routing problems. Ramp names do not appear on the client application map, but do appear in the text for routing directions. The ramp type can be used where the name is long and should not show on the map.

Ramps are most often used for:

  • Roads which connect roadways to other roadways as part of an interchange. This includes all freeway exits and entrances.
  • Roads connecting freeways and highways with Rest areas, parking areas, and service plazas (e.g., "to Service Area").
  • Special-purpose usages such as Median U-turn intersections (MUTI), jughandles, and

Ramps are, in general, not used for turn lanes or At-grade connectors, unless they fit into one of the exceptions

Information on how to lay out ramps and set the proper angles from the main road can be found in the Junction Style Guide.

Streets

 Primary Street  Street 
The Street types are for local and short-distance travel. Street types are also used at the beginning and end of long routes.

Primary Street

 Primary Street 
Primary Streets are roads used with medium-low traffic densities which are used as collectors to bring traffic from local streets to highways and vice versa. They are also used to connect minor highways to each other.

The following roads are to be classified, at minimum, as Primary Street:

  • Loops, Spurs, business routes, and other connectors of Minor Highways
  • Frontage roads which serve as the means of access between freeways/expressways and surface streets.
  • Where Frontage roads connect freeways to Major or Minor Highways, it might be necessary to set them higher than Primary Street

Street

 Street 

Any road for public travel which does not meet the criteria for any other type shall be classified as a Street. Often shown as "local roads" in reference maps.

Other drivable roads

Dirt Road / 4X4 Trail

RoadPicN6.jpg
RoadPicN6.jpg

 Off-road / Not maintained 

Generally, a road that is not paved well enough for every passenger vehicle.

Roads of the Dirt Road / 4X4 Trail type will not be used if the user has selected the "Don't allow" option in the client, and segments longer than 300m will be avoided if the user has selected "Avoid long ones".

In some places improved unpaved roads (gravel, macadam, etc.) are set to this type. In other areas, improved unpaved roads, and possibly certain dirt roads, will be set to other types, as if they were paved. Check your regional wiki pages or contact your regional coordinator for further guidance.

Parking Lot Road

RoadPicN7.jpg
RoadPicN7.jpg

 Parking Lot Road 
These are used to map driving lanes within parking lots as well as publicly accessible roads such as alleys that should not be used for traffic routing unless directly at the start or end point of a route.

The waze routing server assesses a penalty for any transition FROM a parking lot road TO any other type of road. This penalty is typically high enough to prevent waze from choosing parking lots as short cuts. No penalty is assessed for routes that cross other road types without travelling on them. Waze will not highlight slow speeds (automatically detected traffic jams) on Parking Lot Roads.

Typical applications of Parking Lot Road are:

  • All necessary segments in the Parking Lot -- not all rows. For more, see Best map editing practices - Parking Lots.
  • Roads inside many Apartment Complexes, Trailer Parks, Schools, and Universities unless they meet the criteria for Private Road
  • To prevent Waze from assuming drivers driving slowly or parked in the parking lot are in a traffic jam on the main road. This is done by drawing in the drivable portions of the parking lot that are near main roadways.
  • To prevent Waze from creating "missing road" automated Map Problem reports inside parking lots.

Information on mapping a parking lot landmark "place" is covered in Places - Parking Lot.

Private Road

Pi gated-community1.jpg
Pi gated-community1.jpg

 Private roads 
Private roads are used for roads that are private; not open to the general public.

The waze routing server assesses a penalty for any transition FROM a private TO any other type of road. This penalty is typically high enough to prevent waze from choosing private roads as short cuts. In this way, private roads are like parking lot roads. Unlike with parking lot roads, Waze will highlight slow speeds (automatically detected traffic jams) on Private roads.


Private roads are typically used for:

  • Gated communities, schools, universities, and businesses with gates or guards.
  • Any street with a legally enforceable sign for local traffic only

Private roads must not be used for:

  • Unrestricted public roads.
  • Marking slow, damaged, or under-construction public roads. There are more appropriate ways to handle these situations.

Non-drivable roads

Your car should not be here! The Waze app is intended only for drivers of motor vehicles. Non-motorists using Waze near drivable roads can add bad information to Waze's speed and traffic database. Do not map in a way that encourages non-driving Wazers. Do not use routable road types such as Walking Trail for roads that are not meant for waze routing -- they can cause routing problems.

Only non-routable road types such as Railroad or Pedestrian boardwalk should be used to map portions of non-drivable road that are useful for visual reference.

If the GPS Points layer clearly shows frequent improper Wazing on a non-vehicle route near drivable roads, consult an expert about using non-routable roads to keep bad data out of Waze's speed and traffic database.

  • As of June 2015, the non-drivable road types of Pedestrian Boardwalk, Stairway and Runway/Taxiway should not have any type of junction with a drivable road. When crossing drivable roads, these non-drivable road types should be bridged across without a junction and set at a different elevation.
  • It is OK to junction drivable roads with the Railroad type. See specific details in the Railroad section later on this page.
The walking trail is a routable road. It is disconnected from the other drivable roads. It is the closest segment to the destination. The closest Waze can route to that segment is where the green spot is. Therefore Waze routes to the green spot.


Routable

Walking Trails

 |   |   |   |   | Walking Trail |   |   |   |   | 

Never use the Walking Trail road type for ordinary hiking paths or bike paths. Most hiking and bicycling paths should not be on the map at all. Walking Trails may have strange side effects on nearby routing. Use Walking Trails only with assistance from an expert in Walking Trails. They should only be used in rare cases.

Waze treats walking trails much like "Dirt road / 4X4 Trail" but displays them differently.

Applications

In rare cases, connected Walking Trails can bring drivers to destinations where otherwise Waze might fail to offer the best route. For example:

  • A concert pavilion in an urban park accessed by a pedestrian path from a distant parking lot.
  • A train station reachable from either side of the tracks but with no drivable road across them, or a rest area in the median of a divided highway.
  • A destination addressed on a non-drivable footpath.

A connected Walking Trail may be used to route drivers to such destinations. If the Walking Trail goes through from one drivable road to another, ensure that outgoing turn restrictions are red to disallow through routing via the Walking Trail. Because this is an advanced use of Walking Trail, lock it to protect it from puzzled beginning editors. Always work with a routing expert.

Naming

If destinations are addressed using House Numbers on a Walking Trail, it is essential that the Walking Trail's name and city fields be set properly so that routing to the addresses will work. For other routing situations, Walking Trails should be named to alert drivers that they must leave their car. For example, a Walking Trail connecting the two sides of a train station may be named "Station Access Footpath".

Non-routable

Pedestrian Boardwalks

 |  |  |  |  | Pedestrian Boardwalk |  |  |  |  | 

Pedestrian Boardwalk is used wherever a non-routable trail or boardwalk is needed.

Stairway

RoadPicN11.jpg
RoadPicN11.jpg

 | | | | | Stairway | | | | | 

Railroad

RoadPicN11.jpg
RoadPicN11.jpg

The  |-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-| Railroad |-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|  road type serves three purposes in Waze.

  1. It provides drivers with visual orientation relative to railroad and light-rail tracks.
  2. In the common case where passenger-carrying tracks lie parallel with roads, mapping the tracks allows Waze to recognize spurious speed data from people Wazing on the train and prevent it from corrupting speed data for the adjacent road.
  3. When a railroad crosses a drivable road segment at grade (same elevation) the routing server can better determine delays at that crossing.

Guidance from Waze says to represent railroads generally as they appear in real life, whether at ground level or at an elevation above or below ground level. Railroads that junction with drivable roads should be mapped that way, and all turns to and from the railroads should be restricted. Although railroads do not currently show in the mobile app, they are expected to in the future.

As of July 2015 the automated Map Problem search algorithm will identify suspected errors at railroad crossings. It is common to see the “restricted turn might be allowed” error where a railroad crosses a drivable segment nearby to where another drivable segment also crosses. These kinds of map error should be marked as “Not Identified” so that they are not shown again at that location. Do not enable turns at railroad crossings.

Use the following guidelines when mapping railroad segments:

  • Long railroad segments bearing a city name can contribute to city smudging. This can be avoided by checking "none" for city or drawing shorter segments.
  • Long stretches of below-ground railroad do not serve any of the three purposes outlined above.
  • Railroads may be named "Railroad" unless specific rail line name information will be useful to orient drivers.
  • Waze guidelines say:
    • Only use the railroad road type. Any routable type could cause a hazard to human life.
    • Set the elevation just as you would a drivable segment.
    • Create junctions between drivable roads and railroads.[rr]
    • Set railroad to 2-way directionality. Restrict turns to and from the railroad segments.
  • When mapping railroad tracks, keep it simple and focus on those near drivable roads
    • spurs are only necessary if they cross drivable roads.
    • Rail yards can be represented with very few segments -- one on either edge of a multi-track area
    • Where multiple lines cross a road, use one segment in most cases, and never more than two.
    • Parallel lines should be at least 5m apart
  • Keep segment lengths under 10,000 meters – the longer the segment length, the more sluggish the editor is to respond to changes.

^rr Note: The routing server will properly account for delays at railroad crossings through a segment without a junction. However, with a junction, the historical data for the rail crossing will be more accurate.

Runway/Taxiway

Airport runways and private airstrips may be mapped using the Runway/Taxiway road type. The Runway/Taxiway type is for display only and must never connect to drivable road segments. If a drivable road and a runway cross, set the elevation of the road below that of the runway and ensure there is no connection. Draw each runway as a single segment and lock it to prevent lower-ranking editors from attaching a road. Do not form junctions where runways cross each other.

Name each runway using the word Runway and the runway designations with the lower number first and a hyphen between runway numbers (e.g., "Runway 16R-34L".) For the "City" field of runway segments, check "None" to avoid any chance of city smudging.

Despite its title, the Runway/Taxiway road type should never be used for an aircraft taxiway because it would render the same as a runway and confuse the display. Taxiways not intended for frequent access by street vehicles should not be mapped at all with any road type. Taxiways that do commonly serve street vehicles as well as aircraft, for example at fly-in communities, may be mapped as Streets provided they remain disconnected from any runway.

Ferry

 The Ferry Road type is not to be used at this time. Do not use the Ferry Road type for any purpose. See ferries page for more information on how to map ferries.

Roundabouts

Roundabouts have few principals:

The first one, each node on the roundabout can only be connected to no more than one segment.

Each connection has a spectrum that exists in order to notify the Client on how to define the message (Go straight, exit through the 2nd / 3rd / 4th exit).

The system will include the radius border from the center and notify the user accordingly.

For more information on when to create a Roundabout or a loop instead, please review the Junction Style Guide.
For information on what type of road to set a Roundabout to, please review Creating and Editing a Roundabout


See Also

 
Local Road Types Guidelines
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