USA/Southeast

This page contains information related to editing Waze maps in the USA Southeast Region which includes Alabama, Florida, and Georgia. It takes precedence over any more geographically localized state-level sub-pages to ensure regional unity and consistency. Your regional coordinators are itzwolf (RC) and driving79 (ARC). Questions regarding this information should be addressed to the Southeast Regional Coordinators or the State Managers.

To get in contact with the Southeast editors please use >> this link << to join the Southeast Region Editors on Discord!

US Southeast is our Waze forum.

This page is maintained by the Key Southeast Region Editors and moderated by itzwolf (RC) and driving79 (ARC). Please see the section on Proposed Wazeopedia Changes for submission protocol. Southeast map editors are encouraged to add/modify their own information in the Key Southeast Region Editors table below. All editors should be intimately familiar with Best Editing Practices.

SER Meetup 2019 ……………….. SER Meetup 2018 ……………….. SER Meetup 2017 ……………….. SER Meetup 2016

Additionally, important links and materials for all Southeast editors are available at:

Southeast's Important Links Page.

SER Public Repository

States, Counties and Localities

Alabama Overview:

• Alabama is home to over 450 incorporated municipalities and 67 counties in the state.
• The primary urban centers are Birmingham, Mobile, Montgomery (state capital), and Huntsville, all pierced by or near the I-65 corridor. The toll system is Freedom Pass.
• WME Counties Alabama Census 2014 - Waze Map Raid 2014 Script
• Alabama is in the Central time zone.

Florida Overview

• Florida has over 400 incorporated municipalities and 67 counties.
• The major urban centers are: Jacksonville, Miami, Tampa, Orlando, St. Petersburg. The state capital is Tallahassee.
• Due to their popularity as global tourist destinations, Orlando and neighboring Lake Buena Vista endure the most editing and map reports in the entire state.
• The toll system is Sunpass (toll rates) and it is almost impossible to travel anywhere in Florida from Orlando southward without encountering it. Outside of Florida, it is compatible with the NC QuickPass, and the GA PeachPass (see below).

• Disney World & Major Theme Parks: Disney World, Universal, & Sea World have been edited and locked to rank 5 for segments and rank 6 for areas/points. If you see an issue anywhere in these theme parks & their resorts, please post it to the unlock request forum, or alert a rank 5 or 6 editor with the problem and it will be fixed.
• Florida spans the Eastern and Central time zones, with the dividing line at the Apalachicola River west of Tallahassee.

Georgia Overview

• There are over 525 municipalities and an impressive 159 counties in the state of Georgia.
• The major population centers are: The Atlanta–Sandy Springs–Alpharetta, GA Metropolitan Area (an area spanning 12 counties and over 50 cities), Columbus, Augusta-Richmond, Macon-Bibb, & Savannah.
• Due to its size and population, the Atlanta Metro area sees the most reports and place updates than any other area in the state
• The toll system is PeachPass and is primarily found on HOT lanes in metro Atlanta. All HOT lanes require PeachPass (and have it enabled in the app), even when a vehicle can travel for free, such as with three or more occupants. Outside of Georgia, it is compatible with the FL Sunpass, and the NC QuickPass. Toll prices vary based on traffic flow and the distance you are traveling. There are access areas marked by striped lines as opposed to solid lines. The lanes are monitored by numerous cameras and by police. The busier the traffic, the more you pay. Prices are listed on overhead electronic signs. HOV lanes do not require a pass.
• Georgia is in the Eastern time zone.

Roads (Segments)

Determining road types in the Southeast aligns with the Waze USA Standard for freeway, major highway, minor highways, and primary streets. The Waze USA standard is a hybrid system based on a national standard called "functional classification" with a few modifications.

Functional classification maps are available for most states. Compliance across state borders is important to ensure better route selections between states; however, editors in some states have deferred adoption of the USA Standard due to in-state concerns. If you edit in any region other than the Southeast, you must comply with that state's recommendations.

Although the Waze USA Standard permits some road-type selection deviations, at present no Southeast deviations are permitted, but may be in the future.

Minimum Road Type Standards

• Interstate =  Freeway 
• US Hwy =  Major Highway  (MH)
• State Roads =  Minor Highway  (mH)

Road Segment Naming

•  Interstates: I-xx 
•  US Hwy: US-xx 
•  State Road/Rte/Hwy: SR-xx 
•  County Rte/Hwy: CR-xx 
• Parking Lot Roads -- We do not name parking lot roads in the SER. Consult with someone from the SER Leadership team if you think a parking lot road segment should be named.

Often when US Hwys, State Roads, and County Roads pass through municipalities, they have a local name (e.g, "Main St"). Please see Road Names for instructions on how to name these segments. Check here for other states. Note that Freeway and Ramp segments do not have an included city name. Select the 'none' checkbox beside the city field for these types of road segments.

Road Segment Locking

There are some cases that do not adhere to this standard, such as any theme park type areas in Orlando (5/6). Further, all gates at gated communities / private installation should be locked to at least 5.

Standard for locking roads in the southeast region:

Segment Type	Default locks
Freeway	5
Ramp	5
Major Highway	5
Minor Highway	4
Primary Street	3
Street	1
• • • • Ferry • • • •	5
|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-| Railroad |-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|	2

Dividing a Two-Way Road

SER follows national guidance when it comes to determining if a roadway should be divided or un-divided [see: Best map editing practice - Wazeopedia]. To learn on when & how to divide a road, watch the video embedded in the linked Wazeopedia article.

When dividing be sure to check:

• Street name cardinality (if applicable)
• Lane guidance
• House numbers
• Intersection turns (including U-turns)
• Speed Limits

Remember that dividing/un-dividing roads comes with its own set of problems. Consider every aspect of routing and carefully examine each junction before continuing. Regardless of whether you're dividing or un-dividing, remember that you might cause more problems than you solve and you might have to put it back the way it was before. Also remember that dividing and un-dividing causes the loss of some traffic data, which can result in poor Waze routing in the short-term.

Falcon

Falcon Snapper was the code-name for the improved location algorithm that increased the level of sensitivity and location accuracy in the Waze app. In late-2020, a map raid was held to update the roads throughout the world to match this level of accuracy that the app would bring.This introduced a new set of angle and mapping standards that editors should follow to best leverage the Falcon sensors. This document was created as guidance for the raid, and the standards therein are considered the standard for mapping to Falcon specification [see: Waze USA Falcon Map Raid Guidance (google.com)].

Median Segments

A median segment is a road segment within the median space that is between two essentially parallel roadways. It is typically short and more-or-less perpendicular to the roadways.  In the Southeast Region, median segments are by default “Local Streets” unless otherwise indicated below.  Do not use “parking lot road” or “private road” street types on any median segments.

1)  Median Segment with no associated roads on either side of the divided roadway:

A Median Segment with no associated roads on either side of the divided roadway.

1. Set primary street name to “None”
2. Set City following “Use of City Field” section.
3. Set Speed Limit to the speed of the divided road.

2) Median Segment with one road associated on either side of the divided roadway:

Median Segment with one road associated on either side of the divided roadway.

1. Set primary street name to “None”
2. Set primary city following “Use of City Field” section.
3. Set alternate street name to inbound perpendicular segment and set City following “Use of City Field” section.
4. Set road type to match the functional class of the inbound perpendicular road segment (if higher than “local street”).
5. Set Speed Limit to the speed of inbound perpendicular road.

3)  Median Segment with roads on each side of the divided roadway where the road name does NOT change at the intersection:

1. Set primary street name to “None”
2. Set City following “Use of City Field section.
3. Set alternate street name to inbound perpendicular road and set city following “Use of City Field” section.
4. Set road type to match the functional class of the inbound perpendicular road segment (if higher than “local street”).  If functional class changes at the intersection, set to the higher type.
5. Set Speed Limit to the speed of through road.

4)  Median Segment with roads on each side of the divided roadway where the road name DOES change at the intersection:

Median Segment with roads on each side of the divided roadway where the road name DOES change at the intersection.

1. Set primary street name to “None”
2. Set City following “Use of City Field” section.
3. Set BOTH inbound road names as alternate street names and set City following “Use of City Field” section
4. Set road type to match the functional class of the inbound perpendicular road segment (if higher than “local street”).  If functional class changes at the intersection, set to the higher road type.
5. Set Speed Limit to the speed of through roads.  If the speeds are different (i.e. speed limit changes at the intersection) set speed limit on the median segment to correspond with the inbound road segment.

5)  Median Segments associated with a # intersections follow the same rules contained above.

Median Segments associated with a # intersection.

1. Set primary street name to “None”
2. Set City following “Use of City Field” section.
3. If the road name changes, set BOTH inbound road names as alternate street names and set City following “Use of City Field” section.
4. Set road type to match the functional class of the inbound perpendicular road segment (if higher than “local street”).  If functional class changes at the intersection, set to the higher road type.
5. Set Speed Limit to the speed of through roads.  If the speeds are different (i.e. speed limit changes at the intersection) set speed limit on the median segment to correspond with the inbound road segment.

Segments between a divided road that serve as a left turn lane are considered at-grade connectors (not median segments) and follow the guidance posted here.

Segments between a divided road that serve as a left turn lane are considered at-grade connectors (not median segments).

Lanes & Lane Width

Lane Guidance

NOTE: If you have any questions, please seek guidance from one of the SER Leadership team.

The Southeast Region follows the national guidance for lane guidance [see: Lanes - Wazeopedia]. Please do not do "lane flybys" (i.e. do not only add lane guidance and leave other items that need updating/fixing as incorrect, such as Falcon standards, PLRs, etc.). If adding lane guidance, please work through the entire junction/intersection and immediate surrounding connections to that junction/intersection.

Lane width is a new (late-2021) addition to WME. Please ask SER leadership for any case where you want to adjust lane width.

Private Road Segments

Due to the detailed nature of the SER private road guidance, a separate article has been made. [See: Southeast/PrivateRoads - Wazeopedia]

Driveways

SER follows national guidance for Driveways [see: Driveways - Wazeopedia]. The following is regional guidance:

• Driveways are to be mapped with PLR segments. Existing driveways mapped as PR may be converted to PLR but should be done so only as needed and are low priority.
• The RPP should be placed at the front door of the address location in question whenever possible.
• As a reminder, PLRs are not named in the SER [see: USA/Southeast Road Segment Naming - Wazeopedia]
• Of note, for exceptionally long driveways, WME may prevent saving when an RPP is too far from the roadway. In such cases, an editor should place the RPP at the furthest possible point and use an Entry Point to reach the final stop.

True Elevation

NOTE: If you have any questions, please seek guidance from one of the SER Leadership team.

The Southeast Region uses the concept of True Elevation (TE) to better represent segments in relationship with its surroundings/ground level. Most segments should have an elevation of Ground unless they pass over another segment, waterway, or natural feature. Drivable and non-drivable segments are handled the same way with elevation.

Definitions

Bridge

• Segment travels over another segment (also known as Overpass).
• Segment travels over a large river or large body of water.
• Segment artificially elevated to pass over large ground level objects and large natural features.

Tunnel

A tunnel is any road segment that is underground and thus the GPS reception is inconsistent.

Examples

• Simple Interchange
• More Complex Interchange (requiring junctioning of ramp segments to maintain ground elevation)
• Major Circular Interchange
• Complex Interchange
• Raised Freeway (over preserve area)

Visuals

Below are two images showing the difference in Live Map rendering when True Elevation is not applied and then when True Elevation is applied. Take note on the shading along the edge of the segment when True Elevation is used and how it is missing when it is not.

Segment over water without True Elevation	Segment over water with True Elevation

Implementation

• Elevations of overlapping segments should be set relative to each other, with the lowest segment as Ground (unless that segment is a tunnel).
• Only elevate/lower the actual bridge/tunnel section of the road.
• Bridges should be cut at the start/end of the bridge where the land falls away. You can usually see guardrails at the start/end of the bridge section. Also the pavement type may change (Asphalt to Concrete for example).
  • Do not cut segments for elevation purposes if the bridge starts/stops within 60m/200ft of an existing junction.
  • Maintain some uniformity for display purposes when determining where to make the splits.
  • Elevated bridge segments should be 15 meters (50 feet) or greater. Bridges smaller than 15 meters, such as over a creek or box culvert, most likely should not be elevated. Check with SER Leadership before elevating sub-15-meter bridge segments.
• Only set elevation as low/high as necessary. For example, no segment should be Elevation +2 unless it passes over another segment with Elevation +1.

• Tunneled segments shall have lower elevation relative to ground and Tunnel should be checked.
• Only segments that are actually underground should have negative elevation.
• Tunnels should be cut at least 15m/50ft before and after the tunnel, to allow time for the GPS to regain signal.
• The use of common sense is paramount in using True Elevation.

Mapping Resources & Functional Classification

Use only state DOT level Functional Classification (FC) maps when determining how to type (classify) a segment (Major Hwy, Minor Hwy, etc.). Some counties and cities have their own FC system, but only the state level system is to be used as a reference as these have been through a federal and state level approval process.

• Map Editor
• Functional Classification for other states.

Use of City Field

SEGMENTS:

For Freeways and Ramps, the "Primary City" name should always be marked "None". (There is no "Alternate City".)

For All Other Segments,

• The "Primary City" name should be an incorporated municipality or a CDP (Census Designated Place) if that segment is confirmed to be within the established geographic limits. If a segment does not lie within one of these, the "Primary City" should be marked "None". Instructions on how to select the appropriate city name are set forth in Determining Primary City Name.
• The "Alternate City" name is always the city named in the USPS mailing address. If the "Primary City" name is the same as the USPS city, an "Alternate City" name is not needed. Segments may have multiple "Alternate City" names which are valid and approved for use by the USPS.
• Duplicate City Names: You may find cities and/or CDPs with exactly the same name. If you believe you have encountered a city or CDP that is a duplicate of another in the same state, first confirm the findings with your State Manager(s) (SMs). Your SM will facilitate the necessary naming changes. The convention for dealing with duplicate city/CDP names is as follows:
  • Two cities of the same name (append county to the city with the smallest population) (See two cities example in the table below)
  • City and (at least one) CDP of the same name (append county to CDP(s) name) (See city with one or more CDP example) If there are multiple CDPs sharing a name with a city, all CDPs will have county name appended.
  • CDP and (at least one) CDP of the same name (append county to the CDP with the smallest population) (See two or more CDPs example in the table below). The largest CDP is the only CDP that will not have the county appended to the name.
  • When the county name is appended, use this format (County Co). As an example, Orange County would be appended exactly as "(Orange Co)"

Type	Name	Population	County	In WME
(two cities)
City	Happy	25,000	This	Happy (This Co)
City	Happy	50,000	That	Happy
(city with one (or more) CDP(s))
City	North Happy	50,000	That
CDP	North Happy	100,000	Another	North Happy (Another Co)
(two (or more) CDPs)
CDP	Glad	15,000	This	Happy (This Co)
CDP	Glad	70,000	That	Happy

A "City" name is required.

• For PPs, APs, and PLAs, the "City" name, as well as the rest of the address, is determined by the business or entity. Whatever it identifies as the address should be used.
• For RPPs, use the USPS mailing address city for the "City" name.

Alabama

• Alabama Functional Classification

Alabama Mapping Resources

An important note about the Alabama Code of laws is included on the page above. Click the header for relevant information for mapping in Alabama. Editors should always reference these local official sources for road naming. Those should be posted in the page above. If it is not, please contact your State Manager for guidance.

Alabama Functional Classification

Click the link above for resources on functional classification.

Florida

Florida Mapping Resources

An important note about Florida traffic laws is included at the page linked above.

Click the link above for relevant information for mapping in Florida. Every county in Florida has online geographic resources from either the Property Appraiser's office and/or Geographical Information Systems (GIS) department. Editors should always reference these local official sources for road naming. Those should be posted in the page above. If it is not please contact your State Manager for guidance.

Florida Functional Classification

Click the link above for resources on functional classification.

Unsigned Florida SR#'s along US and Interstate Highways

Click the link above for more information about Unsigned FL SR#'s along US and Interstate Highways

Georgia

Georgia Mapping Resources

Click the link above for relevant information for mapping in Georgia. Editors should always reference these official local sources for road naming when possible. Those should be posted in the page above. If it is not please contact one of your State Managers for guidance.

Update Requests & Comments

The southeast follows the national Update Requests (UR) & Comments guidance with the following exceptions:

Do not enter/post any reminder comments at 4 days (or at any other time).

If you are the only editor to comment on a UR and all three of the following conditions apply:

1. The UR has no information from the reporter in the “Problem” field that suggests a solution.
2. There is no response or new comment from the reporter/driver that clarifies the issue (i.e. Your comment, the editor, is the most recent comment and you are waiting on more info from the driver).
3. There is no obvious issue to be resolved after surveying the map, the Waze route and the GPS track (if that information is included).

The UR can be closed when your most recent comment (i.e. your comment as the editor trying to solve the issue) is 5 days old. Otherwise, follow national Update Requests (UR) & Comments guidance.

If another editor left a comment for a reporter, there is no response from the reporter, AND the last comment on the UR is at least 8 days old...look to see if you can solve the issue. If it can’t be solved simply put a comment about why it's being closed (i.e. "Closed due to inactivity.") and mark it Not Identified.

Do not over complicate the UR process. Please do not leave lengthy responses/questions. There are UR comment scripts that have been designed and approved by higher ranked editors available for your use. Scripts Page

(Tip: WME URComments-Enhanced is the preferred UR comment management tool. The standardized and approved SER comments are baked right into URC-E.)

Places

The southeast follows the national Places guidance. The following exceptions to the national guidance are NOT mapped:

• interchanges/junctions
• water of any kind
• islands
• beaches
• toll plazas

Any exceptions to this rule will be locked to 5 or above. There are some rivers mapped as requested by Waze staff, but this is not the standard.

Exceptions to a point or area that ARE mapped in the southeast:

• Post Office is an area
• Library is an area
• Museum is an area
• Government is an area
• City Hall is an area
• Sports court is an area
• Car Dealership is always a point
• Camp Grounds / RV Parks are always a point

IMPORTANT Please do not work Place Update Requests (PUR) zoomed all the way out. Please zoom in to the place, make sure it's in the correct spot, and run the WME Place Harmonizer script to make sure everything is correct and entered. We want to make sure waze has the best experience for the drivers, so finding a place in search and getting to their destination accurately is extremely important!

Place Requirements & Lock Standards

Places may be locked only after the following information, at a minimum, is present: 1) correct name, 2) correct, complete address, 3) correct category, and 4) External Provider (Google link aka glink), if one exists.

• RPPs must have a complete mailing address and an Entry Point must be set. (A google link is not required for an RPP.)
• For Parking Lots (PLAs), add an external provider ONLY IF it is a separate link to that PARKING LOT.   (DO NOT ADD a glink for a business served by the PLA, sometimes WME will automatically add a duplicate glink to a PLA if the name matches the location it serves. Please check that this duplicate glink is removed from the PLA after saving.)
• Parking Lots (PLAs) clarification on national guidance, if a single-entry point place the entry point at the entrance of the parking lot. If multiple entry points, place each entry point at each entrance of the parking lot. [See Places/Parking lot - Wazeopedia for examples]
• For Universities and Colleges please reference the document in the SER Repository [available on the SER Discord Server [see: https://discord.me/southeast] .
• Restaurants and Fast-Food places that have delivery services such as Doordash, Foodnow, and Ubereats should have delivery selected under services.

Lock at level 5: Airports (and their PLAs), Arenas, Hospitals, Park and Ride lots, Highway Rest Areas, Urgent Care Centers, and Universities.

Lock at level 3: All other Places including PPs, APs, PLAs, and RPPs.

If you are unable to lock a Place high enough (due to level limitations), please lock it as high as you can. Then, post an up-lock request for help in the USA Unlock Forum or the unlock channel on the SER Discord server [see: https://discord.me/southeast].

Place Mapping Guidance

Apartment/Condo/Townhouse Complexes

Map apartment complexes using the category of "Other" and set the place point (PP) at the leasing office when it is located in close proximity (you can see it from the main road in Street View or within a couple hundred yards) to the Main/Visitor usable entrance. (Most often the leasing office will be near this entrance and, if not, signage will guide the Wazer.) If there is no obvious leasing office or if it is not near the main entrance, place the PP off to the side of the main road that leads to the main entrance. Set the entry point just inside the main/visitor entrance. Our goal is to get Wazers to the complex regardless of whether a resident, potential renter, or visitor.

An RPP should also be added alongside the PP if the complex has a single street address for the entire complex. Otherwise, add the buildings/units addresses to the segments using HNs or RPPs as appropriate.

Add the apartment complex information as you would for any other PP. If necessary, the description field can be used for additional important information. For example, apartments are open 24/7 for residents/visitors and the leasing office hours are different. If appropriate, note the leasing office hours in the description (similar to how it is done for a pharmacy within a store).

DO NOT map PPs for clubhouses or the leasing offices separately for apartment/condo/townhouse complexes. The single place point for the complex is sufficient; however, add any relevant glinks to the PP for the complex.

Housing Developments/Communities

For gated neighborhoods, IF we receive multiple UR’s for bad routing which is due to multiple entrances and includes a residents-only gate, you may add a PP for the Main/Visitor gate. Make the primary name: Community Name “- Main Gate”, and the alternate: Community Name “ - Visitor Gate”. (Then, a Wazer can add the gate PP as a stop on a route to the residence OR route to the gate PP and then route to the residence. Either method will address this routing issue.) Please contact SER Leadership for assistance with adding “gates” to a private community.

We DO NOT map place points (PPs) specifically for housing developments or communities (aka subdivisions/neighborhoods). (Waze routes effectively to the street address for each building in the community.)

Homes With Access From Two Different Road Segments

Some homes can be accessed from the main road (the road carrying the name of the home's address) and from an alley or similar road type behind the home. In these cases, routing should be to the front door. (The home owner always has the option to set 'home' directly from the Waze app and that will route them home as they want to be routed.) There may be exceptions necessary from time to time with this approach. If you think you need an exception, reach out to SER leadership first before creating an exception.

Emergency Room Place Naming

In addition to the national standard for hospitals and emergency rooms, place points for Hospital ERs should be named with the use of alternative names to aid the Wazer's search for the ER. Bold name should be primary:

• ER – Hospital Name
• Emergency Room – Hospital Name
• Emergency Department – Hospital Name

Any additional alternate names should be approved by a SM.

Gas Stations

• Verify that the brand is correct (the field with a drop down near the bottom). If the brand of gas is not identified, leave the field blank. DO NOT use the brand selection 'UNBRANDED'.
• Ensure that the gas station name is correct.

SER follows the national guidance for Gas Stations with the following exceptions:

• The gas station "Entry" point is placed over the gas pumps.
• We DO NOT add a U-turn to PLRs for a gas station.

Places within other Places

Sometimes you will find a place within a place. Set the place point at the building entrance AND note that it's inside the other business in the Name field. WMEPH will ignore the information inside the parenthesis and pull the correct harmonization information. EXAMPLES:  

• Subway inside a Walmart --> " SUBWAY (inside Walmart) "

• CVS inside a Target --> " CVS (inside Target) "

Parking Lot Area (PLA)

General Guidance

• Do not map PLAs for condominium and apartment parking.
• Add an external provider ONLY IF it is a separate link to that PARKING LOT. (DO NOT ADD a glink for a business served by the PLA. Note:sometimes WME will automatically add a duplicate glink to a PLA if the name matches the location it serves. Please check that this duplicate glink is removed from the PLA after saving.)
• Clarification of national guidance: if a single entry point, locate the entry point at the entrance of the parking lot. If multiple entry points, place each entry point at each entrance of the parking lot. Please see national parking lot guidance for photo examples.

Lot Type

The SER follows USA guidance [see: Places/Parking lot - Wazeopedia] with the following exceptions below. (In contrast to the USA guidance, PLAs are not to be marked Public unless the first criterion below is satisfied.)

• Mark all parking lots with unrestricted public parking as Public. This includes free and publicly owned parking lots, as well as for-profit garages, in which a Wazer may park, regardless of intent.
• Mark parking lots where some restrictions apply (customers, patrons, visitors) as Restricted. (Most PLAs will be the Restricted type.)
• Mark parking lots where parking is restricted to a specific audience (e.g. employee garage of an office complex) as Private.
• If a parking lot is marked Public in relation to a Waze Partner, please consult with SER leadership before proceeding.

House Number (HN) vs. Residential Place Point (RPP) Clarification

Q: When there is neither an HN nor an RPP, is it the editor’s discretion as to which (HN or RPP) to add?

A: No.  There are advantages and disadvantages to each; however, when HNs will route correctly, HNs should be used instead of RPPs.  [see: ​​House Numbers in WME - Wazeopedia for a discussion on the advantages of each] This does not mean that if a Wazer has personalized an RPP with a photo that you should remove the RPP and replace it with an HN.  Otherwise, if an HN will work, use it as the preferred choice over an RPP.

Q: When is the only time you should have both a HN and an RPP?

A: When it’s in a neighborhood and the HN routes correctly, but the homeowner (or visitor) added the RPP to add a pic of their home. Further, to quote the USA Wazeo: “In the case that RPPs have been added to the same segment as their corresponding house number (e.g. people just taking pictures of their houses), those HNs should remain, as they will be in the same location as the RPP and routing will not be negatively affected.”

Q: When do I remove a HN and add an RPP for a home?

A: When the HN anchor/stop point does not route the Wazer to the home correctly. This may be due to a longer (such as PLR or driveway) road to the house, or it is a part of a condo/apartment/duplex complex, or the stop point is on a different road than its address road (e.g. House is on Oak St, but the driveway is on Elm St), or for any number of reasons. In those cases, remove the HN and add an RPP so Waze will only use the RPP.

Q: When do I remove a HN and add an RPP for a business?

A: When the business is not directly on the road and the Wazer must navigate back to the business, or when the stop point is on a different road than its address road, or when its entrance is located on a cross street or back street. In those cases, remove the HN and add an RPP so Waze will only use the RPP.

Q: When should I NOT remove a HN and add an RPP for a business?

A: When the business is directly on the road and easily accessible, such as most gas stations. The PLRs for most gas stations are to assist with keeping bad traffic data off the main road and assistance with leaving once routing again. If you can easily see the business from the main road, then it probably does not need an RPP.

General point: RPPs are a useful tool but do not need to be added to every single business. Just because a PLR is added, does not mean you always must delete a HN and add an RPP. If you are not sure, please reach out to SER Leadership.

For more examples, see the “Things to Remember” here: House Numbers in WME - Wazeopedia

Place Harmonization

• Phone Numbers

Places should follow one of the following telephone number formats: (XXX) XXX-XXXX or XXX-XXX-XXXX

• Webpages

Except for public schools (who make extensive efforts to keep their naming schemes), please use the simplest URL that will get you to a chain's homepage. Do not link directly to the chain's location specific page. Simplification includes removing the protocol from the beginning of the URL (for example, "http://") and any / at the end of an address. Examples are in the sheet below. Be sure to check that the URL works before using it in WME or submitting it to the Place Name Harmonization form or using it for a place.

Chain Harmonization Sheet

The name spellings in the following sheet have been standardized for chains or franchises 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. The script WMEPH streamlines this process by automatically detecting those chains in the Name Field and inputting the information from this sheet.

• Missing Chains

If you don't find the business you're looking for, and it has 10 or more locations, please use this form to submit the missing information. If the business operates in two or more SER states, just check SER where it says state and it will work in all three states.

• Issues with this form

If you see any issues with this form please contact the moderator with a description of the problem, and the "row number" of the item with the issue.

View SER list full-screen in Google Sheets

Category Sheet

Some places do not have a clear place category, so we have provided this list for ones we get regular questions about. If you think a business type should be added to this list, please use this form to submit the missing information and to the moderator that you have requested more information.

View this list full-screen in Google Sheets

Major Construction Projects

See the states' Department of Transportation (DOT) websites for a list of long term road closures and changes to traffic flow that impact the Waze Map.

• Alabama DOT
• Florida DOT
• Georgia DOT

Special Roads

• Divided Highways
• Carpool, HOV, Transit lanes
• Roundabouts/Traffic Circles
• Cul-de-sac's

Toll Roads

Toll roads have pricing contained in price files that are separate from WME but linked through segment and node IDs. Since changes affecting these IDs can break toll pricing calculations, please contact SER leadership before editing these segments.

If any of these IDs or their order are changed through cutting, merging, disconnection or deletion, the toll price file will not work. Much more detailed information is in the Waze Wiki for Tolls.  https://wazeopedia.waze.com/wiki/USA/Toll#Prices

The Southeast region maps per Toll Road national guidance EXCEPT in the following situation:

ALL segments of a road with tolls should be marked with the “This is a toll road” attribute. To do this:

1. Press “Add Restrictions” menu button in WME.
2. Next, select the blue checkbox for “Toll road”.
3. Then click on the Apply” button.

Reminder: For bridges or causeways, mark only the segment with the toll booth as a “Toll road”. If only one direction is tolled, divide the road where the toll is collected AND mark only the segment with the toll booth as a toll road.

Alleys

Alleys are only mapped if they lead to more than one business or residence.

Map Alleys which meet this condition as follows: If there is a name for the Alley, set the road type to Private Road. An Alley without a name should be set to PLR. To ensure routing issues have not been created in the map, review all streets adjacent to the alley and verify that 1) HN's are present and placed in the correct location, and, 2) Place Points snap to the correct segment.

Alleys which do not meet this condition are not to be mapped.

Boat Ramps

A boat ramp is a roadway that leads into water to float a boat to or from a trailer. Boat ramps are not to be mapped. Any adjacent parking may be mapped, but ensure that dead-end segments that point toward the ramp terminate at least 150 feet from where the ramp goes into the water.

Non-drivable Roads

Generally, if a path can't be driven on (e.g. Walking Trail, Pedestrian Boardwalk, Stairway) then it is not mapped in SER.

Emergency Vehicle and DOT Service Roads

We do not map Emergency Vehicle and DOT Service Roads.

Ferries

For areas where residents are dependent upon ferries, see the Ferries Editing Manual. Please contact your RC for any questions deciding if a ferry should be mapped.

Parking Lot Roads

The Southeast region maps per PLR national guidance EXCEPT for the following situations:

• Do not add U-turns to ANY PLR segment (including those for PLAs and gas stations) and,
• Do not map transition penalty segments unless the problem was documented in an Update Request.
• We do not name parking lot roads in the SER. Consult with someone from the SER Leadership team if you think a parking lot road segment should be named.

Railroads

Railroads can be mapped, but they are not a priority at this time.

Segment & Turn Restrictions

U-Turns

In the Southeast where legally allowed, roads with medians (earthen, curbed, or striped pavement) or dedicated turn lanes should have U-turns enabled.

• Alabama Code: Turning on curve or crest
• Florida Statutes: Limitations on turning around
• Georgia Code: U-Turns

Reminder: The Southeast region DOES NOT ADD U-Turns to PLRs FOR Gas Stations and Parking Lot Areas (PLAs).

Closed Roads

Temporary Road Closures are the preferred method for road closures in the Southeast. Please contact a State Manager or higher for any of the closure types listed below. They will be happy to help with these.

1. Major Traffic Events
2. Temporary Road Closures
3. Scheduled restrictions
4. Disconnect road segments - In some cases it may be best to completely disconnect road segments. Please consult your Area Manager or higher for advice before disconnecting a segment.

Please refer to the Partial Restrictions wiki for further guidance.

Cameras/Railroad Crossings

See How to Identify Cameras.

Red Light Cameras

New red light cameras are rare, so all should already be mapped. If you find a camera that needs to be added, please let an L3+ ranking editor know so it can be angled properly and locked to rank 3.

DO NOT USE PHOTOENFORCED AS A REFERENCE FOR CAMERA LOCATIONS. This website is inaccurate! Only use official websites, or (of course) your own eyes.

There is no need to purge the map of invalid and non-approved red light cameras. They drop off the map no more than 14 days after their report.

RLCs that are known to have been deactivated (no longer issuing tickets), but not physically removed, should not be mapped. If they were previously mapped, they should be removed when deactivation is verified.

Known Camera Locations

Duval County Red Light Cameras

Orange County Red Light Cameras (2014)

Orlando, FL (Orange County) Red Light Cameras (2016)

Tallahassee Red Light Cameras Deactivated 8/17/15, slated for removal.

All Of Georgia (legally licensed locations only - not all are active - check with a GA State Manager)

Speed Cameras

Alabama - As of the Alabama Supreme Court decision on May 1, 2020 (on technicalities), speed cameras that issue tickets appear to be valid on a localized basis. There is currently no statewide regulation in place. Speed cameras may be mapped after checking with local ordinances to validate the existence and permitted use.

Florida - The state of Florida does not make use of speed cameras that issue tickets. Please do not map them.

Georgia – Speed cameras have been legal in Georgia school zones since May 8, 2018. These cameras should be mapped with a speed limit of 0 MPH. Lock them at rank 3. Most school zones do not have speed cameras, so use Street View or news sources to confirm their existence. Cameras operate one hour before through one hour after school hours when school is in session. If you are handling a UR outside those times complaining that they are not active, advise the reporter that Waze does not have the capability to limit the camera alert by date or time but we decided avoiding a speeding ticket was more important.

Other Camera Types

These are cameras or signs that either provide driver feedback or are used for traffic control. These devices CAN NOT issue tickets and are not mapped.

Railroad Crossings

SER follows national guidance for RRCs [see: Railroad crossing - Wazeopedia]

Forums

Forum Etiquette

Waze Forums (USA)

Proposed Wazeopedia Changes

Anyone who wishes to propose additions, changes, or corrections to the SER Wazeopedia should send a DM to a State Manager and Regional Coordinator (listed below) with the proposed addition or change along with the reasons why (as appropriate). The SER leadership team will then review, discuss, and make a decision on the proposal.

Key Southeast Region Editors

Username	Rank	PM	Area Managed	Comments
Champs
itzwolf	6	PM	United States Southeast Regional Coordinator	Local Champ FL Resident
driving79	6	PM	United States Southeast Assistant Regional Coordinator	Global Champ FL Resident
Jakflash	6	PM	United States	Local Champ FL Resident
ramblinwreck_81	6	PM	United States	Local Champ NC Resident (Former GA resident)
spankdog	6	PM	United States	Local Champ GA Resident
willdanneriv	6	PM	United States	Local Champ FL Resident
State Managers
n4dog	5	PM	Alabama	FL Resident
decktj001	5	PM	Florida	GA Resident
ramblinwreck_81	6	PM	Florida	GA Resident
red-nax	5	PM	Florida	GA Resident
willdanneriv	6	PM	Florida	FL Resident
RainMan3699	5	PM	Georgia	GA Resident
spedracr	5	PM	Georgia	GA Resident
xkspeed	5	PM	Georgia	GA Resident
Country Managers
n4dog	5	PM	United States	FL Resident
RainMan3699	5	PM	United States	GA Resident
spedracr	5	PM	United States	GA Resident
Area Managers
ALABAMA
Username	Rank	PM	Area Managed	Comments
BruceQC	5	PM	Statewide	Local Resident
DCLemur	5	PM	Statewide	NC Resident
RainMan3699	5	PM	North Alabama	GA Resident
wxw777	5	PM	Central Alabama	Country Manager WI Resident
BLKTRUC	4	PM	Central (B'ham-Jefferson, Shelby, & Surrounding Counties )	FL Resident
dastars6	4	PM	Southeast (Auburn, Dothan)	GA Resident
jbrianj	4	PM	Gulf Coast (Mobile, Gulf Shores)	FL Resident
young7up	4	PM	North (Huntsville, Gadsden)	Local Resident
Skulllzzcode	4	PM	Mid-Central Alabama	FL Resident
Sr-Navi-Gator	4	PM	Southern Alabama	LA/AL Resident
FalloutRanger	4	PM	Montgomery	FL Resident
goddard244	3	PM	Mobile and the surrounding areas	NC Resident
LookBothWaaze	3	PM	Central Alabama	PA Resident
RivrGuy	3	PM	Gulf Coast (Mobile, Gulf Shores)	MS Resident
tiggerfireny	3	PM	Southern Alabama	NY Resident
jimbobninja06	3	PM	Northern Alabama	PA Resident
jeepintodd	3	PM	Montgomery	GA Resident
FLORIDA
Username	Rank	PM	Area Managed	Comments
banished	6	PM	Southeast (Panhandle)	Global Champ FL Resident
nimper2000	6	PM	North Central FL (Daytona, Ocala, Gainesville)	Local Champ KS Resident
BruceQC	5	PM	Statewide	AL Resident
n4dog	5	PM	Statewide	FL Resident
dBsooner	5	PM	Southeast (West Palm, Ft Lauderdale, Miami)	OK Resident
DCLemur	5	PM	Statewide	NC Resident
gOyDp	5	PM	Central and Eastern Florida	Local Resident
jalondon628	5	PM	Southeast (West Palm, Ft Lauderdale, Miami)	TX Resident
juliansean	5	PM	Southeast (West Palm, Ft Lauderdale, Miami)	Country Manager TX Resident
LostRiver2008	5	PM	Big Bend (Tallahassee, Lake City, Cedar Key)	Local Resident
mrbyte_ontheroad	5	PM	Central FL (Daytona, Ocala, Spring Hill, Orlando)	Local Resident
red-nax	5	PM	South Florida	GA Resident
robert04101	5	PM	Southeast (West Palm to Homestead)	ME Resident
tcalvert317	5	PM	South Florida	Country Manager TX Resident
EmilGz	5	PM	South Florida	Local Resident
bassdan7403	4	PM	Alachua County (Gainesville)	Local Resident
breadstk11	4	PM	Central (Brevard, Lake, Marion, Orange, Osceola, Polk, Seminole, Volusia Counties)	Local Resident
DruDoyle	4	PM	Mid to South Florida & Panhandle	Local Resident
jbrianj	4	PM	Western Panhandle (Pensacola, Panama City)	Local Resident
jellicle0	4	PM	Central (Orlando)	UT Resident
tenetienne	4	PM	Central (Orlando)	MA Resident
yellowmellowyellow	4	PM	South Florida (Tampa, Orlando, Miami, Ft Myers)	Local Resident
MikeyPizzaman	4	PM	Tampa	Local Resident
Skulllzzcode	4	PM	Northeast (Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Daytona, Palatka)	Local Resident
BLKTRUC	4	PM	Southeast (Palm Beach Gardens to Goulds)	FL Resident
bmtg	4	PM	Tampa and surrounding area	Local Resident
FalloutRanger	4	PM	St. Augustine	Local Resident
CyberSnipe	3	PM	Northeast (Jacksonville and St. Augustine)	Local Resident
fourLoop	3	PM	Southeast (West Palm to Homestead)	Local Resident
HillsSnackBar	3	PM	Tampa	PA Resident
NetGuyGreen	3	PM	Northwest and Central (Tallahassee-Gainesville, Orlando)	Local Resident
RoadWarriorTech850	3	PM	Pensacola	Local Resident
SusanVette	3	PM	Central (Orlando, Sanford, Apopka)	Local Resident
trafficGeekMs	3	PM	Pensacola	Local Resident
zheka160	3	PM	Southwest (Tampa, Sarasota, Ft. Myers)	Local Resident
Crew_Rest	3	PM	Southwest	Local Resident
SeaKyle0712	2	PM	Ocala and surrounding areas Marion County	Local Resident
Thegaymer	2	PM	St. Augustine Area	Local Resident
GEORGIA
Username	Rank	PM	Area Managed	Comments
BruceQC	5	PM	Statewide	AL Resident
n4dog	5	PM	Statewide	FL Resident
DCLemur	5	PM	Statewide	NC Resident
dfw_gis	5	PM	Southeast Atlanta	Country Manager TX Resident
red-nax	5	PM	North Georgia	Local Resident
spedracr	5	PM	Statewide	Local Resident
dastars6	4	PM	Southwest (Blakely, Colquitt, Columbus)	Local Resident
DruDoyle	4	PM	North Georgia	FL Resident
fish1552	4	PM	Southern half of Georgia (Fort Stewart, Ludowici)	Local Resident
NightReaper86	4	PM	Eastern GA	GA Resident
Skulllzzcode	4	PM	Northern GA	FL Resident
DrHenryJonesSr	4	PM	North and East (Atlanta, Savannah)	Local Resident
aerazona	3	PM	Central/North Georgia
lightmaster1	3	PM	South Georgia (Appling, Bacon, Jeff Davis, Telfair)	Local Resident