This page serves as the primary resource for editors of Minnesota. Review all the sections to better understand how the guidelines for this state might deviate from the overall USA or worldwide guidelines. If you have any comments or questions about this page or state refer to the community links below.
Updates September 2022: County Routes Standard Change and Naming Conventions for Urban/Rural Roads
Introduction
Minnesota is a part of the Plains region, which includes the states and/or territories of:
Before editing the maps in Minnesota, be sure to fully review and understand the editing manual.
The Waze user community follows the Waze etiquette guidelines discussed in the Wiki. Be sure to familiarize yourself with these guiding principals while editing the maps and this Wiki, as well as when communicating with other Waze users.
Tip:Editors are strongly encouraged to download & install the WME Toolbox & Waze Validator Plugins. These are VERY helpful tools for identifying problems and even offers advice how to fix them.
The Waze forum is a great place to find answers to previously asked questions and also a place to ask new ones. Below are links to the forums specific to Minnesota.
New editors should consider checking into the formal mentoring program available at no charge.
Discord Server
If you are looking for unlocks, quick advice from area leads or simply want to connect with the local Minnesota editing community, consider joining us on our Discord Server. This chat app is available on desktop or phone and is the best way to keep up-to-date with your MN community.
Hangout Group
While it is no longer used as frequently, Minnesota also has a Google Hangout (GHO) for the state. This feed is connected to the Discord chat, so if you are unable to join above, you may choose to keep in touch through these means.
If you are editing in Minnesota and have not done so already, please Join Minnesota GHO
A list of the users in the hangout can be found here.
Hangouts is a free app available on Android and iOS devices. You also can use an extension in the Chrome Web Browser to access this chat. Go to: google.com/+/learnmore/hangouts for more information.
Once you join, Type !wb help in the GHO. This will get you started with Wazebot (wb); Wazebot will send you some help. In a DM (Direct Message or conversation) with the wazebot, type the following to set up your notifications by name and/or nickname. Wazebot will send you the instructions.
!mentions
!nickname
If some of the abbreviations and terms used are not clear, you can also use the wazebot to lookup terms for you. In a DM with wazebot, type !wb glossary [word] and the bot will send you some definitions.
If the notifications on your phone or computer get to be too much, in the WV GHO you can select the “3 dots” (circled in Blue), Select “Options” and turn off notifications if you do not want to be disturbed; Just uncheck the box.
Please do not modify/change any of the other options; they affect everyone.
Editor Lookup
We can lookup the activity of any editor by going to the following page for that editor:
http://www.waze.com/user/editor/* , where * is the editor's username in Waze.
One of the most common errors when editing the maps is when an editor creates a road and does not confirm the road by setting the city and road name (or stating it has none).
As of April 2018, Minnesota will begin to adopt new standards for primary segment city names that better aligns with regional & national standards. This is to maintain consistency on the map and provide the best experience for users searching rural addresses.
In Minnesota, when one incorporated city ends, another city or township will begin. Those living outside city limits in township areas may describe where they live by its actual township ("The Smiths live in Dahlgren Township over by the golf course") but in reality, this part of the vernacular doesn't have much bearing on how we drivers search for, navigate to, or provide directions for an actual address. ("It's at the Smith's house on 12034 Dahlgren Rd in Carver).
Previous statewide guidance included some version of using the township name in the "City" field on the primary segment where corporate city limits ended, either as "[Township Name] Twp" or, simply, "[Township Name]" (""Dahlgren Twp"" or ""Dahlgren,"" as an example). Postal cities may have been added as additional alternates to applicable segments, but may not have been consistently addressed.
Adding City Names to Segments in MN
In an effort to provide a consistent experience, clean labeling in the editor, and better ease of navigation for drivers, Minnesota will be adopting a standard similar to the rest of the Plains Region and much of the rest of the US:
Inside city limits: use the actual city name on the primary segment name.
Outside city limits: check [no city] on the primary segment name. Add the postal city with the primary road name and any additional alternates as alternates. For example:
Primary: Main St W, [no city]
Alt 1: Main St W, Carver
Delete/ Do Not Use: Main St W, Dahlgren Twp
Delete/ Do Not Use: Main St W, Dahlgren Township
Delete/ Do Not Use: Main St W, Greater Dahlgren Area
Correcting Errors / Removing Old Cities
If you an issue with a city name, particularly a duplicate city or improperly named township, please request its removal using this form
Please also bring the issue to the attention of your SM or RC, who can provide a second look at the issue as well as potentially help expedite response to your form submission. Please DO NOT simply try to correct the issue on the map, which may cause additional errors or smudges in the city layer.
You will hear the phrase Functional Class or FC a lot when it comes to the standard for road types. According to the US Federal Highway Administration, The concept of functional classification defines the role that a particular roadway segment plays in serving the flow of traffic through the network. Waze has its own interpretation of this system, but it utilizes the state's functional class map to help determine the road type to use.
Check out our Mapping Resources for knowledge on how to use the state's map system to find Functional Classifications Standards in Minnesota. From that knowledge, use this chart to determine how the road should be classified using the Waze Standard. Minnesota follows this chart completely aside from dirt or gravel roads in rural areas. This exception will be changed as soon as an unpaved road option exists in Waze.
If you have any questions about Functional Class, please use our Community Resourses to reach out to gain further information.
Below is a list of the six major road types. If you click on the button of the road type, for instance Freeway , you will be directed to a Wiki section that discusses the road type further.
Freeway
A Freeway is the highest functional class of road. It is designed for higher speeds and limited to entrance and exits ramps being the only way to enter or exit this type of road.
Any road with the Functional Class (FC) as Principal Arterial Interstate, colored blue on the FC map, will be considered a Freeway. All Interstate Roads Will be freeways aside from Business Loops and Spurs (Which instead will be a Major Highway). Also, watch for some roads that are Principal Arterial - Other or Other Freeways (colored red or orange) as they could fit the profile of a Freeway. All roads that have to be entered or exited using a ramp, where 3 or more consecutive exits occur, needs to be set as a freeway.
A Freeway will end at first direct connection of a road to the highway.
Naming
Freeways will usually only be named the Highway number of the most prominent highway of the section. For instance, If a highway is a State Highway connected with a US highway, then it will be named the US highway.
If two of the same type connect such as a US highway and another US highway, then the road that stayed on course will be the named highway.
All highway numbering will be as follows: Interstate: I-XXX, US Highway: US-XXX, Minnesota State Highway: MN-XXX, County Highway: CH-XXX. Notice that there are no spaces between the dashes. The only exception to using the Highway Number would be if there is clear signage that the freeway is known by another name.
Ramps
A Ramp will connect two roads together; however, it will not be used for a simple At-grade connector or in other words a road that doesn't have a different elevation level. There are some exceptions to this rule to understand.
Naming
Even veteran editors need to pay attention here! Naming of an entrance and exit ramp correctly is crucial to the users of this app when being navigated around. If the name of the entrance ramp is incorrect it will confuse the experience and may confuse the driver to take the exit absurdly or miss it all together. Please follow these rules:
Only time to ever type in the word "Exit" in the ramp is when the exit is a numbered exit. The only roads that have numbered exits are exits off an Interstate with the exception of US-52.
For all Numbered exits, it will start with "Exit XX:" For example, if the Exit is number 114A then you will start the exit name as "Exit 114A:" and there will always be a colon after the exit number
For non-numbered exits, just start the exit as such, "to" For example, if the exit was to US Highway 169 Northbound, then the exit would be "to US-169 N"
All numbered highways need to be typed as such: Interstate: I-XXX, US Highway: US-XXX, Minnesota State Highway: MN-XXX, County Highway: CH-XXX, County Road: CR-XX all with no spaces between the Highway type and the number.
Include as much information in the sign as possible. For example, If the actual sign shows it will take you to County Highway 1 Eastbound and it also takes you to Riverview Rd and Old Shakopee Rd, then the ramp needs to be labeled: "to CH-1 E / Riverview Rd / Old Shakopee Rd" using the slash "/" to separate the different roads to take. Try to match the sign as close as possible.
If a road splits showing arrow marking under lanes to of which to stay on to continue your course, use ramps for each side. For example: in Burnsville, a person taking I-35 N will have the decision to take I-35W N or I-35E N. The I-35W side is a numbered exit, the other side is just a guided direction to head towards I-35E N. The one side is labeled: "Exit 88A: I-35W / Minneapolis" and the other side is just labeled: "to I-35E / St. Paul". Using ramps here will guide the driver to the right side of the highway.
For road splits that have 3 or more splits, usually paying attention to the one that splits first will guide you to how to set it up correctly, but it is often best to reach out for support to find the best solution based on the more complexity of an issue.
Major Highway
A Major Highway is a primary route for traveling throughout the country, from one city to another, over long distances.
Any road with the Functional Class (FC) as Principal Arterial - Other (Freeways), colored red or orange on the FC map, will be a Major Highway (MH) if these roads do not fit the standard definition of a Freeway. All US Highways (Such as US-169) will be labeled as a Major Highway regardless of what the FC map shows unless it can be labeled as a freeway.
Naming
Naming of a major highway typically will be in the road number standard: US Highway: US-XXX, Minnesota State Highway: MN-XXX, County Highway: CH-XXX, County Road: CR-XXX; however, pay close attention to the way the signage really is in these areas.
In town, these highways need to be named as the street names used for house numbering.
Out of town, should be labeled the same as the street name for house numbering if looking at a 2 lane highway
and the Highway number for split direction Major highways unless signage clearly indicates it is known by another name
Minor Highway
A Minor Highway is a secondary route for traveling between cities over moderately long distances.
Any road with the Functional Class (FC) as Minor Arterial, colored as green on the FC map. will be a Minor Highway (mH). Also, all State Highways (such as MN-13) will be set at a minimum of a minor highway regardless of the current FC classification from the State of Minnesota unless it is a higher classification or could be considered a freeway.
Naming
Naming of a minor highway typically will be in the road number standard: Minnesota State Highway: MN-XXX, County Highway: CH-XXX, County Road: CR-XXX; however, pay close attention to the way the signage really is in these areas.
In a town or city, the naming will typically be the street name unless the name of the street is Co Hwy XX where we would change it to CH-XX
Pay close attention to the name assigned for house numbering. If house numbering suggests using the wording, "State Highway XXX", we need to set an alt name as such.
When to Use CR- or CH-
County roads in Minnesota typically hold one of two designations: County Road (CR) or County Highway (CH). Officially, each of these designations carries its own shield design, as shown below:
County Road (CR) - square white sign with black lettering including the words "County" or "[County Name] County." Labeled as "County Road" in FC maps and expressed as a number inside a diamond shape.
County Highway (CH) - pentagonal blue sign with white or yellow lettering. Labeled as "County State Aid Highway" on FC maps and expressed as a number inside a circle.
While counties typically contain roads with both designations, many will only use one road sign design in reality. For example, Carver County roads are primarily designated as CSAH, but all county roads use the same black & white design above. For consistency of driver experience, we defer to street view or other visual confirmation (BOTG) to determine how to name these segments on the map. So, in the Carver County example, we'd label all roads as CR-xx regardless of underlying technical designation.
County Road Shield Reference
Use the map to the left as a reference when determining which county utilizes which sign design. Grey counties may be written as "CR-XX" on the map regardless of designation, while blue may all be named as "CH-xx."
In cases where a county uses both, refer to SV or the MNDOT FC Maps to differentiate CR- from CH- using the description above as a guideline.
As always, ask your SM for guidance should you have questions or suggested updates.
Primary Street
A Primary Street is a road used with medium-low traffic densities which are used to bring traffic from local streets to arterials and vice versa
Any road with the Functional Class (FC) a Major or Minor Collector will be a Primary Street (PS) or higher.
As of 2022, County Roads, Highways, Reservation Roads, or Frontage Roads so no longer automatically be classified as Primary Streets. All Functional Classifications should follow those set by MnDOT. MnDOT Functional Classifications Map
Street
A Street will be for any road in a town or city that doesn't fit in the categories above. In rural areas, this will be lightly used for paved roads that cannot be considered a County Road (a rarity in the rural areas). This will be named the same name used for house numbering.
Proper Naming for Rural Routes
A number of rural counties in the state have adopted new or additional names for emergency response / 911 (sometimes called "e911") purposes. This may include the introduction of cardinal directions to County Road names - "CR-42 NE" vs "CR-42" for example. It may also include the addition of numbered (Ordinal) street names or other alternates for signed CR/CH.
In a majority of cases, this update has not been applied to actual signage, GIS, FC maps or any other official source. In order to maintain consistency on the map display as well as an accurate experience for drivers, please maintain the following naming standard for rural CR/CH outside city limits:
Primary segment: "CR-42 • 360th St, [no city]"
Alt: "CR-42 NE, [no city]"
Alt: "360th St NE, Mailing City"
Alt: "360th St NE, [no city]"
Inside city limits, feel free to use the primary common name as signed and visable to drivers (e.g. 360th St NE). If you have questions or feel a need to make an exception, please consult your AM/ SM before making any major updates.
As noted in Cities & Towns above, do not use 'Twp', 'Township,' or 'Greater xxx Area' in any city names or alternates. Reference United States Postal Service Address Lookup to help determine the Mailing City.
Refer to this chart to determine the road type of a given paved public road based on the functional class.
To use this chart, first determine the functional class of a road, and whether it is a signed, numbered highway in a particular highway system.
Where the column for the road's highway system and the row for the road's functional class meet, you will find the proper road type for that particular road.
A number of examples are given below the chart.
Always consult an Area or State Manager if you are unsure of what class to give a road.
^a When a state highway "SPUR" route is used to connect a state highway with another state highway, a US highway, or an Interstate (i.e., when it is used as a connector/CONN route), use the first state highway column.
An Interstate Business Loop classified as a Minor Arterial is a Major Highway .
A US Highway classified as a Minor Arterial is a Major Highway .
A US Highway Spur route classified as a Minor Arterial is a Minor Highway .
A State Highway classified as an Other Freeway is a Freeway .
A State Highway classified as a Collector is a Minor Highway .
A County Route classified as a Minor Arterial is a Minor Highway .
A County Route classified as a Collector is a Primary Street
A locally-maintained road classified as an Other Principal Arterial is a Major Highway .
A locally-maintained road classified as a Collector is a Primary Street .
Legend
Fw
Freeway
Major
Major Highway
Minor
Minor Highway
PS
Primary Street
Street
Street
Locking standard
In Minnesota, we observe a minimum standard for locking roads based on segment type. Any road of a certain segment type must be locked at least to the rank listed in the chart below. Roads may be locked higher for protection and special situations (construction, confusing design, frequent mistakes, image inaccuracies, etc.), but should not be locked lower.
Minnesota Minimum Locking Ranks
Segment Type
Rank
HOT & Express Lanes
5
Freeway
4
Ramp
Highest rank of connected segments
HOV Bypass Ramps
4
Major Highway
3
Minor Highway
3
Primary Street
2
|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-| Railroad |-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|
2
Railroad Crossings (RRC)
4
All Others
1
Although common practice is to limit editing freeways to rank 5 or higher, we have determined that the experience required to reach editing rank 4 is sufficient to gain the privilege of editing freeway segments.
Note: Before locking these roads to these standards, you must verify that the name of the road, direction of the road, and turn functionality is correct. If this information is not correct, it should not be locked unless we are having issues with editors in the area. The only exception here is Freeways due to the routing priority. Refer to Unlock Requests if you need a section of road altered or unlocked to correct an issue.
Special roads
Drivable roads
Minnesota follows the standard USA guidelines for all of the following special road types.
Review the Wiki guidelines for non-drivable roads to ensure compliance with the general guidelines.
Ramsey County Lettered Roads
The Ramsey County lettered roads are a special situation. They do not get abbreviated with the letter. For example County J should not be named CR-J or CH-J.
These roads were laid out by Ramsey County on land north of St Paul before most of the cities we know today were created. See a historical 1931 map here. As cities incorporated land, many of them kept these names even though they were no longer county owned and maintained roads. As far as Ramsey County is concerned, if it is a county owned road, it will have a #. For example County J is Ramsey County 1. All the official blue 5-sided Ramsey county sign's only have the numbered routes. The lettered roads never appear on a blue or white county road sign, so they do not get the CR- or CH- abbreviation. Some of these are not even county owned roads so they don't get upgraded to primary street by default either. For example, County D at this link is a city road maintained by the cities of Roseville and Shoreview who have decided to leave the road named as County Rd D. It is not a Ramsey County owned or maintained road and has no white or blue county road signs. So it is named "County D" to match the street signs and is classed as a street classification. It is not upgraded to a primary street because it is not a real "County Road" maintained by Ramsey County.
Where are the missing letters? County A was once where Larpenter Ave is today, and County G was where County Highway 96 is today.
Driveways in Rural Areas
In rural areas, it may 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 add a segment. See the article on Driveways for more information. In rural areas outside of city limits, driveways may be mapped as Parking Lot Roads, even if shorter than the general Driveways recommendation of 50 meters. This offers a number of benefits:
When traveling at high speeds on rural/county highways, the turn guidance onto the driveway provides advanced 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 it's not mapped, a user driving on the driveway may instead be mistakenly locked to the main road, causing bad speed data and unwanted or confusing directions.
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.
Other drivable roads
Dirt Road / 4X4 Trail
Minnesota has different interpretations of Dirt Roads than many other locations. Even veteran editors need to pay attention to this section!
In the state of Minnesota, most unpaved roads are considered dirt roads. Knowing this will help you create the correct road levels. Undriveable roads should not be mapped, should be restricted, or should be listed as a trail instead and not be connected to any functional roads. Even though 4x4 is in the title, we will only use dirt roads for standard gravel or dirt roads that most vehicles can drive on. Keep in mind that because of the way Waze handles dirt roads, we will not use the dirt road class in the city limits of any town. Any in-town gravel roads will be streets.
Because most likely people in Minnesota feel a gravel road is a dirt road, we will use Dirt Road for both examples. Please be aware of any of these dirt roads that are minimum maintenance roads as these roads should have restrictions in place for winter months.
The reason the dirt roads classification is important is because a user can decide to not be sent on dirt roads or to only be sent on dirt roads for short distances in the settings of the Waze App.
Keep in mind that if the person does allow for dirt roads, Waze will treat the road as a Primary Street so do not try to make an exception to well maintained dirt roads as a street or you will cause the driver to be directed on undesirable roads. Yes, that's right, a dirt road can be seen as a higher priority than a street! This is very important in rural areas where the Street Category should only be used on very short road segments that are paved. In towns, the Dirt Road Category should be rarely used and an unpaved road should be considered a street or a private road.
Parking Lot Road
Parking lots roads are essential to navigating users to the proper destinations. It also helps to properly exit a parking lot. Follow these examples to creating parking lots correctly. Click the image to the right to see a well-designed parking lot section.
Simple is best. Do not map every lane
Map the main entrances from the roads outside the parking lot
Map lanes that run along storefronts
Map lanes that run along main roads outside the parking area
Map primary lanes that serve to get people from one area of the lot to another
For for information about mapping parking lots, follow this article
Private Road
Pi gated-community1.jpg
Private Roads should follow the Wiki Example on Private Roads. Keep in mind that on the Waze App, a private road will look like a street. Nothing looks more off than a bunch of streets connected to a dirt road.
If you are adding a private road for a private housing section, make sure house numbering is correct or there is a place point or area within a private road section. This area will still be able to be navigated to the correct destination as long as it has a proper address to navigate to. Pay attention to this article for more information.
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.
Roundabouts
Minnesota has been adding roundabouts in many locations throughout the state. It is important to note that most roundabouts should only have three to four connections or it will sound confusing to a driver. Following this Example will give proper turn information and roundabout icons on the screen. If you would use multiple-point access, it instead will say the exit number such as, "At the Roundabout, take the 3rd exit".
This is an indication of what a user of Waze should see on an upcoming Roundabout. It is clear at showing the direction of the turn. It also will verbally say what is referenced on the signage such as "At the Roundabout, Continue Straight" or "turn left". This is the Minnesota Standard for creating and editing Roundabouts.
This is how it looks when more than four exit points occur. It does not give clear guidance to the driver on what way to go aside from the highlighted road ahead. This should be avoided, Only add multiple connections per side if the signs clearly mark Exit numbers (Commonly seen on signs showing 5 or more exit points).
Roundabouts will use the same functional class of the main route traveling through the roundabout. Follow This Article for more information.
If at all possible, drive through a roundabout after it has been created or updated. Verify that it seems to give correct information.
HOT & Hov Roads/Lanes
High Occupancy Toll or High-occupancy Vehicle roads are not yet handled 100% by Waze as of yet, but we will still map these out to prepare for that time.
These roadways have the following features:
These lanes/roads allow both toll traffic and HOV traffic to traverse the same lanes.
There are no toll plazas or booths for paying by cash. All tolls are paid electronically to maintain traffic speed.
Entrances and exits to the HOT lanes are limited to help maintain high speeds.
There are no entrance/exit combinations where the toll fare rules don't apply.
Tolls are discounted or waived for users that meet High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) requirements. These requirements may change based on time of day.
To avoid traffic from entering this section, all entrance ramps will be will be restricted as in this article. From there, nothing will be restricted so if a user decides to take this route, he or she will be directed correctly.
This will all be changing shortly as we find a better way to develop these roads.
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.
Emergency Vehicle and DOT Service Roads
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. In most cases, these should not be mapped at all. 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.
Non-drivable roads
Railroad
RoadPicN11.jpg
Please notice that railroads have changed from previous interpretations of railroad mapping. Even veteran editors need to pay attention to this section!
Please follow the national guidelines for mapping railroads. Read this section for more information.
Runway/Taxiway
We will map all airports runways such:
These roads will not connect to any drivable sections
The runways will not be connected to each other
Always select "None" for the city name. This avoids city smudging.
Using this article we will find the airport code. We will use the IATA code unless the airport does not have one, then we will revert to the ICAO code.
After finding the code, we will use this to find the runway numbers for the airport.
Most of the time, you will see the number of the runway at the beginning and end of each runway from the aerial views.
Name each runway as such: [Airport Code] Runway [x-x] ... for example, in the image to the right, you will see the runways for Albert Lea Municipal Airport. The IATA code for this airport is AEL and it has two runways including Runway 5/23 & Runway 17/35 so one will be named "AEL Runway 5-23" and the other AEL Runway 17-35".
Please follow this Wiki article on Runways for information about how to set runways correctly. These roads should be locked to the same standard as Airport Area itself.
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.
Walking Trails
RoadPicN9.jpg
Because Waze currently only supports navigation for drivers and not walkers or bikers at all, we will not be drawing any of these types of roads. Please delete any of these types of roads that you find. If you find automatically set URs claiming a road is indicated to be be present, Please fill out the form located Here and choose Second Set of Eyes so a high level editor can check out the situation.
Pedestrian Boardwalks
Because Waze currently only supports navigation for drivers and not walkers or bikers at all, we will not be drawing any of these types of roads. Please delete any of these types of roads that you find. If you find automatically set URs claiming a road is indicated to be be present, Please fill out the form located Here and choose Second Set of Eyes so a high level editor can check out the situation.
Stairway
Stairways will not be added to Waze maps in Minnesota at all. Please delete any of these sections that you find added to the map
Speed Limits
Minnesota primarily follows the USA Speed limits page with some clarifications
Ramp Speed Limits
For ramps that are for accelerating to a road with a higher speed limit, use the higher speed limit of the destination road that the ramp goes to.
For ramps that go from a higher speed limit to a lower speed limit such as a freeway off ramp, do not place any speed limit on the ramp.
For ramps where the start and end have the same speed limit, keep the same speed limit on the ramp.
Do not use advisory speed limits that are black text on yellow signs.
Other Minnesota Specific Speed Limit details
The MN state laws for default unposted speed limits statewide are;
Alleyways and mobile home parks 10 mph unless otherwise posted.
Check with your Area or State Managers for clarification if needed.
Closures
When managing a section of roadway under construction or being closed for a major event, follow the Wiki guidelines on construction zones and Real time closures.
When an event occurs that causes a road to be closed, it is important to know that we have a closure system in place to properly close the road and return the road to normal when the closure is over. There is no need to take the closure into your own hands using restrictions.
Closure or Restictions?
There will be times we will use restrictions to a road being set for closure. If the road has a Scheduled Restriction that occurs like clockwork restricting access during certain times of the day or months of the year, it would be a restriction. You can also set Turn Restrictions for turns that need to be restricted certain times of the day. These are all restrictions because they are standard road limitations that occur on a regular basis.
On the flip side, if the road is being closed due to an event such as construction, a parade, or a natural disaster, we need to create a Closure. Keep reading to see if what you have needs to have a closure in place.
When is a closure required?
This is really dependent on a few simple requirements. First of all, does it require a direction of traffic to be impacted at all? This is important because an actual lane of traffic closed does not necessarily mean a closure is needed if traffic still goes the direction(s) it would normally travel; however, this still could be important if access from the side of the road that is closed is restricted (such as exit ramps and connecting streets). One thing to consider is that a divided highway, in most cases, needs no closures if it affects one of the sides of the highway and all traffic is moved to the other lane unless there is a significant split in the road. In a lot of cases, nothing will need to be altered to make this work.
Bottom line: if the closure will restrict access to a certain direction of the road, restrict access to the road completely, or has a limited connection to a closed road it will require a closure.
Tools
In Minnesota, there is not a single location to find all road closing; however, we have included a series of links to multiple city, county, and state resources. These Tools will help find any upcoming closures throughout Minnesota. Also, check our Current Closures to see if an anticipated closure is already being recognized.
Is there an upcoming closure that is not listed, is Waze is trying to drive you through roads that should be closed, or do we have a closure set for a road that is now open? Let us know so we can add it to the system -- Report Closures
Update Requests
An Update Request (UR) is a Map Issue reported by a user from the Waze client app. It is also a layer in the Map Editor. See update requests for more information.
As of February 2018, Minnesota has adopted a 1/4/7 (a.k.a. 4/3) system for response to Update Requests. This standard is consistent with the rest of the Plains Region, along with a number of other states.
Day 1
We typically want to answer a report within 24 hours, but this should be at least attempted within the first 3 days.
The first thing to do is to look at the UR and try to figure out the issue that happened. It is imperative to look at everything before ultimately deciding that you don't get it. If you click on More Information you can look at the Waze provided route and what the user took to determine this issues. Check the area roads for any restrictions, incorrect elevation, incorrect street names, bad geometry, etc.
If you can figure out the issue, Fix it or submit an unlock request!
Example:
"Volunteer editor here… thanks for your report! I made a few edits here to improve future routing. It should be available in the app within about a week. Feel free to report any other issue you find along your travels. Thanks!"
If you don't have enough information to solve the issue, ask the reporter for more information.
Example
"Volunteer editor here - unfortunately Waze did not give us much information about your issue. Could you tell us more about what went wrong? What was your final destination? Thanks!"
Day 4
If the reporter has not responded 4 days after the initial comment, post a reminder like the one below. Sometimes a reporter simply misses the initial comment, and a reminder might come at just the right time to trigger a response with more detail.
Example
Just checking in - if there's still an issue we should look into, please reply using the app (Waze can't handle email responses). Otherwise, we'll assume all is well and close this out in a few days. Thanks!
Day 7
If there is not enough information to solve the issue, and the reporter has not responded within 7 days of initial editor comment (or day 3 after a reminder message), a message should be sent telling the reported that we were unable to fix the problem. The Update Request then needs to be closed as Not Identified.
Example
"Volunteers received no response and can’t find anything wrong with the current map. Please feel free to submit a new report if you encounter any issues in the future. Thanks!
Stale URs / Rural Areas
Sometimes URs turn up in areas of Minnesota with few active editors. In these cases, the 1/4/7 rule still applies, with "Day 1" being the first day an editor requests more info from the user. Messages like the example below have often succeeded in getting information from 6+ month-old reports.
Example:
Volunteer editor here - thanks for your patience as we've been extra busy with reports lately. Waze did not send much information about your issue. Can you by any chance remember what went wrong out here near [general location]? What was your final destination? Thanks!
Unlock Requests
Sometimes, you will come to an issue with a road, but you do not have a sufficient lock level to fix the situation. Click here if you need to setup an unlock request. Please pay attention to the top of this forum where it will give clear instructions on how to create an unlock request.
If you want to check to see if there are any Unlock Requests that you can handle, Click Here to check all open reports for Minnesota. Anything showing the green check mark means it has been completed.
Places
Minnesota follows the USA standard for Places. Do not deviate from the guidelines without first obtaining consensus to do so via the state forum linked on this page.
Gas Stations
In the Plains region, stations are named as Station Name (Brand). If the station brand is unknown, then Station Name. If the station name and brand are the same, then Brand. For example:
MinitMart (Shell)
[Store Name (Brand)]
Joe's Gas & Tackle
[Store Name with no Brand]
QuikTrip
[Store Name & Brand are the same]
Public Water Access in Minnesota
The land of 10,000-or-so lakes also seems to be the land of 10,000-or-so public water access points. Those best known points are largely DNR-maintained, and, fortunately, have published information available online.
If you come across one of these points, please add it as a "Marina" type place point with the following information:
Use the naming convention: "[Ramp Name] - Public Water Access"
If the boat ramp is not named, use "[Lake Name] - Public Water Access"
If a lake has more than one unnamed access point, include a cardinal direction if no signs or other information is available, "[Lake Name] North - Public Water Access"
Most ramps are 24hr access unless otherwise posted.
Harmonize & save at a level 3 minimum (or request an uplock on Discord if you are L1/L2).
Additionally, you'll want to update or add the following:
Add the corresponding PLA with the following name - "[Same Name as Above] - Public Parking"
Add a PLR connecting the main road down to the parking area with an appropriate stop point for the marina
Locking Standard
Do Not Lock a place if the following is not true:
Places should be completed as fully as possible any time they are created or updated. At a minimum, editors should:
Verify correct spelling of the name, using the guidelines below
Complete the address, to help when choosing among search results in the app, and
Ensure the correct location of the Point or Stop Point, to guide drivers to the correct location. Note that this may not always be on the street side of the location.
Phone numbers and opening hours are also particularly helpful to Wazers. Complete them whenever possible, using an online search, if necessary. Photos should help Wazers recognize the destination when they arrive.
MINNESOTA PLACE LOCK LEVEL STANDARDS
PLACE TYPE
LOCK LEVEL
Commercial Service – Primary Airports
5
Military Airports
5
Reliever Airports
4
General Aviation Airports
3
Other Public-Use Airports
3
Hospitals / Urgent Care / Police & Fire Dept
4
National & State Parks and Monuments
4
Major Shopping Centers
4
Gas Stations / Charging Stations
3
Schools / Universities / Colleges
3
Government Buildings / Consulates
3
City Parks
3
All Places that have complete information (to include, at a minimum, address/city, hours of operation, phone number) are to be locked at Level 3. This is to prevent loss of data due to automatic acceptance of Place Update submissions from Trusted Users, or Place Update Request approvals from other editors without careful examination.
If you do not have a high enough enough rank to lock the place as indicated, please lock it as high as you can, and notify a higher rank AM, SM, CM, or Champ to lock it higher.
Place Name Harmonization
These name spellings are standardized so that Wazers will receive consistent results when searching in the client. Please use them when you edit one of these chain or franchise businesses.
If you don't find the business you're looking for, please use this form to submit the missing information.
Not every camera-looking device at an intersection is a speed or red light camera. Generally speaking:
a speed camera takes a photograph of a vehicle when it passes by the camera at too high a speed.
a red light camera takes a photograph of a vehicle that enters an intersection after the light is red. In some areas, it takes the photograph when a vehicle is not clear of the intersection some period after the light turns red.
When adding a camera, be sure to review the camera placement recommendations.
Laws regarding speed and red light cameras vary between the states and territories, so be sure to understand the details of camera legality in Minnesota.
As of February 2013, Minnesota legislature has not approved the use of red-light or speed cameras anywhere in the state. These camera types should not be mapped in Waze. Please delete any of these cameras that get posted to the map!
To do list
Many states and territories keep an active list of pending or closed actions that need to be done in the state by the editors. All editors are welcome to contribute to the list of activities.
Current/upcoming editing tasks and projects for Minnesota
Priority
Task Name
Assigned To
Latest Update
1 High
Update all roads to appropriate Functional Classifications
DallasGrant and all AMs
DallasGrant has been editing around the state fixing this
1 High
Ensure all Roads are named correctly
DallasGrant and all AMs
DallasGrant has completed this in Nicollet, Blue Earth, & Le Sueur Counties
1 Medium
Ensure all House numbering is correct
DallasGrant and all AMs
DallasGrant has finished approximately 75% of Blue Earth county
1 High
Ensure all interstate highways are routing correctly and locked
DallasGrant has AMs covering all these cities, but he still needs AMs for Owatonna, Albert Lea, Saint Cloud, the Iron Range, Brainerd, and Morehead
Area Managers
The table below identifies the editors also designated as Area Managers or higher who are editing in Minnesota. If you have any questions, please consider contacting them directly as needed. If you are an Area Manager that covers Minnesota, or a USA Country Manager that does a lot of work in Minnesota, please add yourself to this list (alphabetical by username) in the correct rank section.
The editor who also serves as the Regional Coordinator for Minnesota is automatically listed at the top of the table. That editor may not be highly active in this state and therefore may not be listed separately in the table.
Minnesota — Area, State, Country Managers, and Regional Coordinators
The following editors are also editing in the state and may be working towards an Area Manager position. Feel free to contact them for assistance in their respective areas.
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