Welcome to the South Central Region (SCR) Wazeopedia. Below you will find information related to editing for Waze in the South Central Region, which includes the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas. All editors in the region are required to have a non usa_username, have their private messaging turned on, and turn live users on in the layers menu. Do not edit in Invisible mode if you are a rank 3 or below.
Getting Started as an editor in the South Central Region
Want to help out with the map in the South Central Region? Add missing streets, solve Update Requests (URs), improve place details, etc - ask questions to anyone listed at the bottom of the page, and seek out advice when/where needed. Before you get started, though, please review the rest of this page and ensure you adhere to the rules for editing.
Key Wazeopedia Links
If you haven't already done so, please be sure to review the following links before and as you begin editing (we recommend bookmarking them!):
This South Central Region page you are currently on
There are additional links at the bottom of this page that will be of interest once you are editing on an on-going basis.
Editing Rank and Permissions
As you advance in rank, new editing abilities will become available and you will have permission to do new things. Editors at all ranks are encouraged to provide level unlocks in their editing area and to informally mentor other local editors. The following table lists editing permissions added at each rank divided into permissions inherent to the WME editor and permissions based on our South Central Region-specific lock levels.
Rank
WME Permissions
SCR Locks: Roads
SCR Locks: Places
1
Places, PLAs, HNs, RPPs, Start MTEs
Local Streets
2
Force HNs
Primary Streets, Private Roads
RPPs
3
Set Road Closures, Link Places to Google, Lock Harmonized Places/Area
Minor Highways
Most Places, Gas Stations
4
Set Routing Preference
Major Highways
Hospitals/Urgent Care, Government buildings, Large Areas (State Parks)
5
Freeways, Ferries
6
While rank is marginally tied to the number of edits you have, that is by no means the only factor taken into consideration. After the initial advancement from R1 to R2, additional advancement will occur at the discretion of the regional leadership team. Questions about your rank and advancement can be directed to your state managers, found in the table below.
More information about your editor rank and points in the Waze app (and the difference between the two) can be found here.
Navigating the Waze Environment
Finding Your Waze Profile Information
To find your editor profile, which lists your rank, points, number of edits, recent edits, and shows your editing area, go to https://www.waze.com/user/editor/<your user name>.
To find your overall Waze dashboard, which shows your edit count, but also your total points, miles driven, etc., go to http://www.waze.com/dashboard and it will redirect you. You can learn more about the dashboard here.
To learn more about how you earn points in both the client application and as an editor, go to Your Rank and Points.
Working in the Waze Map Editor
Language Settings
When first working in the Waze Map Editor (WME), make sure you are set to use US English. To do so, click on the Gear icon on the tab on the left side, the choose US English from the dropdown menu. This will ensure you are working with the correct set of category names for our country.
(NOTE: all day values are relative to the date the FIRST editor response is sent to the reporter)
Day 0
The first editor who is able to respond to a User Report (UR) should attempt to resolve the UR. This is considered Day 0. If they are successful, they should comment as such in the UR and mark it "Solved". If more information from the reporter is required to make progress towards closure, a response should be sent to the reporter containing the information needed for resolution.
Day 8+
URs may be noted as closed due to lack of reporter response at any time, provided at least seven full days have elapsed since the request for additional information was sent. These need to be marked as "Not Identified" and a brief comment sent.
Reminder messages are not required and do not change the timeframe for closing a UR.
Shared Ownership
All editors are considered to have equal ownership of and responsibility for all URs within their editing area. All editors, regardless if they have worked the UR previously, may send either of the responses described above, provided they adhere to the minimum time spacing guidance between responses and make their best effort to work the UR correctly. All editors are explicitly encouraged to attempt to resolve URs at any point during their lifecycle, however if someone else appears to be actively working it, you are encouraged to reach out to them to avoid duplicating effort.
You are encouraged to reach out to higher-level editors for mentoring when working on advanced URs.
Notes
The script URComments streamlines the process of responding to a UR and provides comments based on the UR type and can be edited prior to sending to fit your needs. Highly recommend you install this script if you will be responding to URs.
Communicating with other editors
Discord
We encourage you to join Discord as this is the best way to chat with SCR and state-specific editors, as well as the state managers (SM) and regional coordinator (RC), request unlocks, get help, etc. Once you receive the Slack invitation, there are several different channels you can join.
general - This channel is for all editors who are interested in editing anywhere in the South Central Region
arkansas, louisiana, mississippi, oklahoma, texas: State-specific channels for editors working in those states. This is the primary location for unlock and help requests.
off-topic: - Automatically joined: Channel for casual conversation with your fellow editors.
closure-requests - Automatically joined: Use this channel if you have closure requests that are not getting seen in your state-specific channel. If you post your closure request in this channel, make sure to remove from the State channel to prevent duplicate work.
As you continue to edit in the SCR, you may be invited to private channels now and then for different activities such as map raids and other projects. You may also use Discord to direct message one or more users if you wish to talk directly with someone. We highly recommend posting editing questions in your corresponding state channel, however, as we are all constantly learning, and your question may help someone else too.
Please pay attention to the chat window in the lower left-hand part the map editor (and introduce yourself if you're a first-time editor). You can find useful info there and ask questions.
Waze Forum
You can also find useful information in the US South Central forum or the various state forums.
States, Counties and Parishes, and Localities
States in the South Central Region
Arkansas
Arkansas is divided into 75 counties and contains 502 incorporated municipalities consisting of cities and towns. See Cities and Towns in Arkansas for the proper names to use.
Louisiana
Louisiana is divided into 64 parishes, which are equivalent to counties, and contains 308 incorporated municipalities consisting of four consolidated city-parishes, and 304 cities, towns, and villages. See Municipalities in Louisiana for the proper names to use.
Mississippi
Mississippi is divided into 82 counties and contains 299 incorporated municipalities consisting of cities, towns, and villages. See Municipalities in Mississippi for the proper names to use.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is divided into 77 counties and contains 597 incorporated municipalities consisting of cities and towns. See Cities in Oklahoma for the proper names to use.
Texas
Texas is divided into 254 counties and contains 6386 cities and towns. See Cities in Texas for proper names to use.
How to use city names in Waze Map Editor
City limits are clearly defined by roadside signs. Use of Google Maps to find where a city is highly discouraged. Be sure to have the Cities layer enabled in WME to see what Waze currently has as the incorporated city limits when working with city limits. See City Names for complete information, but a quick summary of how cities names are used is shown below:
Road segments
When creating or editing road segments, the primary segment should include the official city name as defined by roadside signs (or official GIS, if available and needed). If the road segment is in an unincorporated area, check None to indicate no city. Alternate segment names can be added with common city names to aid in searches. Use the USPS zip code lookup tool to find the correct alternate city name for the area. Road segments should be cut at the city limits so each segment accurately reflects the correct city value.
Roads in Places
When creating or editing places, the location should include the name of the city as listed on the place website or advertisement since this is what the users are most likely to recognize when searching for the correct location among a list of search results. Cities listed in places do not have any effect on city boundaries in the Waze application.
Business Roads
All business roads should be suffixed with BUS:
Business Interstate = I-XX BUS
Business US Highway = US-XX BUS
Other road names
The South Central Region conforms to the USA Standards for TTS abbreviations for prefixes and suffixes. Please see the Road Naming Abbreviations & Suffixes page for more details.
Non-drivable roads
Generally, if a road can't be driven on (e.g. Walking Trail, Pedestrian Boardwalk, Stairway, Ranch road in the middle of nowhere), then it should not be mapped in the South Central Region. We have chosen to implement this guideline because due to the way the routing engine works, Waze WILL route users to drive on these "Non-Drivable" road types.
Railroads mapped in the South Central Region should follow the current standard of editing. All crossings should be connected to drivable segments accordingly. If no crossing exists, elevate the segment accordingly.
ONLY enter a name for the railroad segment if the tracks are historical in nature, a major landmark, or a routine destination for Wazers. In the SCR, very few segments should be named and most 'routine destinations' will be covered by a Place point/area for the train station.
The Waze app now renders railroad tracks as such so naming serves little purpose any longer.
Dirt Roads. In the South Central Region ALL roads that are unpaved or gravel are considered dirt roads as this is how GPS Nav users (any brand) expect the "Avoid Dirt Roads" feature to behave. These roads should be deleted when going through farm land, ranch land, or mountainous areas throughout the state, as they are most likely base import roads and not real roads. For roads which are labeled with names and are actually dirt on SATIMG, please keep these and make them dirt roads. To do so, select the Local Street or Private Road type (as appropriate), then check the Unpaved box.
Parking Lot Roads. Map parking lot roads (PLRs) that will allow proper navigation in to and out of a parking lot. A primary routing purpose for PLRs is to connect a parking lot that has entrances along two or more different named roads, to enable shorter / faster routing to a destination. The SCR standard for PLRs is to enable U-turns at the ends of each PLR segment. In the Waze app, U-turn-enabled PLR segments will support drivers that need to double-back on a segment. This will allow Waze to quickly route drivers who need to exit any parking lot the same way that they came in. This SCR guidance is true for gas stations, strip malls, shopping areas, and other PLAs where a PLR is appropriate. Remember that a parking lot area (PLA) does not substitute roads needed for actual navigation. While it is important to map appropriate PLRs, please follow guidance and do not add PLRs which are not necessary.
Toll Roads. Only segments that actually contain a toll gantry should be marked as Toll.
Frontage roads. Name as "Frontage Rd" unless the corresponding highway has an alternate name. I-635 Frontage roads are labeled as "Lyndon B Johnson Freeway" as that is the local name for I-635.
Alleys and driveways are generally not mapped unless they are required for navigation. See Driveways for more information.
Any road which is a main road for a state park can be a Primary Street . Other roads can be Local Street .
Turnarounds and Median U-Turn Segments (MUTIs)
Turnarounds Turnarounds (those labeled as Turnaround, not crossovers), should be classed as Local Street .
Median U turn segments (Louisiana) Dedicated median U-turn segments in the New Orleans metropolitan area (at least) should be unnamed.
A turn instruction override should be used such that a "U-turn" instruction is given when entering the U-turn segment.
For curved segments, the geometry of the segment should be set such that no instruction is given when leaving the U-turn onto the road. For straight segments, a turn instruction override may be used as well, set to "None".
The South Central Region participates in functional classification across all states. We promote a hybrid FC to ensure for the best routing possible for all Wazers. The hybrid FC basically means a state highway would never be typed less than Minor Highway (mH). See Road types and Road names to learn more about various road types and how functional classification applies.
Frontage roads
All frontage roads running along freeways and major highways should be set to Minor Highway .
In cases where a Wazer would go from Fwy > Ramp > Frontage Rd > Major , the Frontage Rd would be set as Minor with the Routing Type changed to One type higher or Preferred. This moves that section of road up in classification within the routing server but for appearance purposes, it keeps it as a Minor . Frontage road that dead ends should be set as Local Street . Small sections of Frontage Rd which just run parallel to a freeway and provide no entrance/exit to/from the freeway will match FC or be no higher than PS .
Only those rank 4 or higher can set the Preferred/One type higher routing flag. Once this flag is set, certain edits on the segment will be limited to those R4 and higher.
Turnarounds
Turnarounds (those labeled as Turnaround, not crossovers), should be classed as Local Street .
Functional Classification by State
Use the appropriate link below to access the correct Waze Functional Cross Reference chart and state DOT Functional Classification map for the state you are working in. Once you have reviewed the map, refer to the FC cross reference chart below to determine what road type and lock level should be assigned to the roads in the area. For roads that need to be locked at a higher level than you are able, change the street to the correct type, then request a lock from a higher-level editor.
The AR FC map is an overlay added to the base ArcGIS map. To use the overlay, click on the "Modify Map" in the upper right corner of ArcGIS. On the left side an "Add+" tab will pop up. Click on it and select "Add Layer from Web" and paste in the URL for the overlay provided by the link to the left. If you have never used ArcGIS before, you may be asked to create a Public Account.
Select Functional Classification & Urban Areas in the left menu to turn the FC overlap on.
FC issues on State Maps
If you find any issues where FC changes unexpectedly such as in the image (the small section of green in between 2 red sections), please let the Regional Coordinator (RC) know exactly where this is located, so the appropriate DOT can be notified.
Road Lock Standards
In the South Central Region, we have a set minimum standard for locking roads based on segment type. Any road of a certain segment type must be locked at least to the rank (level) in the chart below. Roads may be locked higher for protection and special situations (areas with construction, tricky design, frequent mistakes, imaging inaccuracies, and the like), but should not be locked lower. If you find a road locked to a higher level than its minimum, please leave it locked no lower than that level when you have finished editing.
Speed limits should change where they legally go in effect for your state, that may be at the sign, a specified distance before the sign, or the nearest intersection. When a speed limit changes in the middle of a segment, a new junction should be added to support the SL change.
However a new junction should never be added for a SL if it will be within 200 feet of an existing junction, or potential junction.
A new junction should always be added if it will be more than 1,000 feet from the nearest existing or potential junction.
Creating a new junction for a speed limit change
When creating a new junction solely for the sake of showing a speed limit change, you can attempt to get more value from the junction. Survey the area around the speed limit change, determine if there is a PLR or other segment which should be connected to the road and would result in a junction. You may find that there's a parking lot which could benefit from being added to the map within the allowable distance of 200 feet (or more depending on your area) to where the SL changes. In such a case connect that segment and use that junction. Otherwise you should create a new junction to show where the SL changes.
On roads where traffic for one turn direction typically backs up waiting to make the turn further than 200 feet, and traffic going straight or turning the other direction does not have to wait as long to pass through, turn delays can be affected even with the new junction 200 feet away. In these cases you may choose to extend the buffer zone to beyond the point where traffic backs up, and instead make the change at an existing junction node. These situations are governed by editor discretion and local guidance.
Click Expand for details on the rationale behind these rules.
It is very important that we do not create new junctions too close to existing intersections, yet marking the speed limit change too far can have a negative impact on the user experience.
The minimum distance of 200 feet was chosen because a distance less than that is negligible, and unnoticeable in the client experience. It is not much different than the delay we expect with GPS lag and error anyway. For example think of where you hear the turn prompts announced, they can sometimes precede a junction by up to 200 feet.
We have confirmed directly with the routing developers that adding a junction node connecting only 2 segments does not have an associated routing penalty. We have also confirmed that creating and adding new junction nodes where necessary using these above guidelines will not have a negative effect on route calculation.
However there is a legitimate concern when adding new junctions too close to existing intersections / interchanges, that they may interfere with and pollute the ability for Waze calculate accurate turn delays.
The reason to use a minimum of 200 feet from the nearest junction as a buffer is to account for turn delay calculations.
If we create junction nodes very close to intersections we will effectively eliminate Waze's ability to differentiate the time it takes to go straight, vs the time to turn left or right. A distance of less than 200 feet between junctions poses a significant risk to the ETA calculations (turn delays). Over 200 feet it is up to local practice , and the editor's discretion to determine if a junction node there will negatively impact turn delay calculations. We must stipulate a minimum buffer zone, but it doesn't need to be exact. The area between 200-1,000 feet is open to interpretation, editor discretion, and local guidance.
If an exit or turn lane does back up over 1,000 feet, it is unlikely that traffic beyond the 1,000 mark will be drastically affected by the new junction placed that far away. However specific exceptions with the consultation of Regional Coordinators, or State Managers will always be allowed.
The turn delay issue could potentially be mitigated by adding Junction Boxes to each of these situations to correct them. However doing so would result in a lot more work for editors, and a lot more strain on the servers. It would make it harder to manage these intersections since all the included segments, and turns get locked from editing. It will have an effect on route calculation timing as well. We therefore had to come up with a compromise that is still visibly accurate, without anything being noticeably different to the client user, yet maintaining the ability for Waze to calculate proper ETA timing through intersections.
Work Zone Speed Limit sign
Work zones
Speed limits in work zones are often lowered to protect workers and prevent collisions. If these speed limits appear on regulatory black and white signs, they MAY be added to the associated WME road segments. Speed limits should only be changed in work zones when the change will be in effect for at least 30 days.
Add the construction zone speed limit to the affected segments and place a [CONSTRUCTION] note on the map listing the official speed limit so when construction is complete, an editor can easily reset the speed limit.
True Elevation
The South Central Region practices the concept of True Elevation (TE) to better represent segments in relation to surroundings / ground level. In general, 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 respect to elevation.
NOTE: At this time, this is not a seek-and-destroy mission. Only fix true elevation as you encounter it.
True Elevation can help the user identify an elevated segment by shading the edges of the segment. Currently, not all elevated segments are configured to display this. At this time, true elevation only affects the look of the map in the LiveMap. However, it is anticipated the Waze app will render elevated segments in the future.
Definitions
Bridge: A bridge is defined as a segment which is elevated above ground level by means of a man-made structure, typically to pass over another segment, waterway/body of water, or a ground-level natural feature. This does not include segments which are elevated above surrounding ground level solely by earthen construction.
Tunnel: A tunnel is defined as a segment which passes below ground level (i.e., underground) by means of a man-made structure. This includes segments which pass under ground level segments via the use of a culvert or similar structure. This does not include segments which are below surrounding ground level but above ground (e.g., depressed freeways).
Below are two images showing the difference in Live Map rendering when True Elevation is not applied and when True Elevation is applied. Take note of the shading along the edge of the segment is missing when True Elevation is not used.
* * * * * * NOTE * * * * * WAITING ON LIVEMAP UPDATE AND UPLOAD CAPABILITY ON WIKI TO RETURN. WILL REPLACE THESE WITH SCR EXAMPLE SOON. :)
Segment over water without True Elevation
Segment over water with True Elevation
Implementation
Any segment that intersects another segment at the same elevation must have a junction node.
Elevation of overlapping segments should be set relative to each other, with the lowest segment as Ground except when the lowest 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 typically see guardrail at the start / end of the bridge section, an expansion gap in the pavement where the bridge starts / ends, and/or a pavement change (asphalt to concrete, for example).
Careful attention needs to be paid if a potential segment cut will occur within a very short distance of an existing node.
If your new node would be placed within a few dozen feet of an existing node, you can either use the existing node as one end of the bridge, or, if desired, add the node for the elevation change and then add a junction box.
If you are unsure which of the above methods is preferable in a given situation, please contact local leadership.
Maintain some uniformity for display purposes when determining where to make the cuts.
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. Consult the USA Tunnel Guidance on whether or not Tunnel should be checked.
Only segments which 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 implementing True Elevation.
Note: If you have any questions, please speak with leadership for your area. Also, if you use the Bridge tool to join segments, be aware this will raise the elevation of the joined segment and you must lower the joined segment as appropriate.
Places
See the Places page for general information on editing places. Keep in mind, however, that the SCR-level guidance below takes priority over national-level guidance on categories, point vs. area, etc.
Information for Places
Places should be completed as fully as possible anytime 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
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.
If possible, editors should look online to find additional helpful information such as:
website
phone number, preferably formatted like (903) 654-3210 or 903-654-3210, so it will autodial properly
opening hours. If the place has different hours for different parts, the opening hours listed in the discrete data on the second tab should reflect the longest hours the location is open. Any shorter hours should then be listed in the description box on the first tab. (e.g. a Whataburger with a 24-hour drive-thru but shorter lobby hours would should show all-day in the opening hours on the second tab, and list the Lobby Hours in the description on the first tab.)
However, DO NOT COPY FROM WEBSITES as this is plagiarism and will not be tolerated. The most common form is copying straight from Wikipedia. Please refrain from copy/paste anything from websites into the description field. They will be removed when discovered.
Photos also help Wazers recognize the destination when they arrive, however, these can only be added from the app. Review the photos when approving a place to ensure they are not inappropriate.
Place Locking Standards
When completed, places should be locked, to prevent inadvertent damage. Please don't lock places to their highest level until most of their information is completed, but do lock to a level higher than 1 once you have verified any information to help protect from accidental damage through client submissions. The following are recommended (minimum) levels:
Place Type
Lock Level
Hospitals, universities, park and ride lots, arenas, airports
4
Large areas - (State Parks, if mapped, etc.)
4
Police Dept / Fire Station / Government facilities
3
Gas Station
3
Residential Place Points (RPPs)
2
Most other places should be locked at 3 once completed.
Place Naming Standards
We are standardizing the naming of most public facilities and businesses. This makes search results more consistent and useful, and gives Wazers a more professional and uniform experience. The names have been designed to work well with instant search, regular search, and to be clear and concise in the map display. Please follow these guidelines when naming the places described below.
Places which are part of a larger area place (e.g. place points for parking lots in a university area, separate ER entrances in a hospital area, etc.) should be named with their unique name followed by a hyphen and the name of the larger area they belong to. For example "ER - Parkland Hospital"
Government Agencies
All places for the following agencies should be named according to the standards as follows:
City and County Offices: City or County Name followed by City Hall or department or agency as appropriate, for example:
"Dallas City Hall"
"Travis County Probation"
"Bexar County Courthouse"
Police and Sheriff's Departments: City, Agency or Division Name followed by "Police Station/Dept" or "Sheriff's Office/Dept" (should match signage), for example:
"Dallas Police Dept"
"Austin Police - North Substation "
"Tarrant County Sheriff's Dept"
"Travis County Sheriff's Office"
Fire Stations: Agency Name or abbreviation followed by “Fire Station – “ and the station number. For example:
"DFD Fire Station - 15"
"Austin Fire Station - 3"
"Whitehouse Vol Fire Station - 2"
Light Rail Stations: Start with the Agency, which line, followed by the station name. For example:
"DART Rail – Akard Street Station"
"DART Green Line – Fair Park Station"
In general, City Bus stops should not be mapped.
United States Postal Service: Follow the USA standardization for the "Post Office" category, naming convention, description, URL, and external source link.
Full Service Post Offices should be an Area Place.
Village Post Offices (VPO) and Contract Postal Units (CPU) should be a Point Place.
US VA Hospitals/Centers/Clinics: Should be named with their official name as the primary name. For VA hospitals/medical centers "(US Veterans Only)" should be added to the end of the primary name and as the first line of the description. In the primary name, "VA" should be expanded as "Veterans Affairs", so as not to cause a TTS conflict with Virginia. Names can be shortened to remove extraneous words; for example, replace "Campus of the" from the official name with a hyphen (-). Any colloquial names should be added as alt names, so they are returned in search results, and also at the beginning of the description, so they are visible on the place preview page in the client. Some examples:
"Veterans Affairs - Healthcare Center at Harlingen (US Veterans Only)"
"Veterans Medical Clinic - McAllen"
"Veterans Affairs - North Texas Health Care System (US Veterans Only)"
Military Bases (Changing to Military Installations)
The South Central Region follows the Waze USA standard for Military Installations. Please see Military Bases for more information on how to edit these facilities and installations.
Place Imports
Waze3rdParty
For Gas Stations: keep existing Waze3rdParty Places. These Waze3rdParty gas stations have hidden backend data to remotely update gas prices. Other Waze3rdParty Places (not gas stations) may be removed in favor of a Yext_Import Place.
Yext_Import
This is only a taste of a much larger database. At this time, additional Yext imports are being held until additional WME Place editing tools are released.
There is hidden backend data on Yext_Import places that allow for remote updates of operating hours and services. Every effort should be made to preserve this data by keeping the Yext_Import Place. Copy/paste correct data from the existing non-Yext place to replace incorrect data in the new Yext_Import place. Then, delete the old non-Yext place.
Imported descriptions can be longer than the max character counts, and editors may truncate descriptions to allow for saving other edits. However, there is no initiative to adjust all Yext descriptions.
Only a very small percentage of Yext places have been imported. At this time, additional Yext imports are being held until additional WME Place editing tools are released.
WazeParking1 & WazeParking 2
Duplicates can be removed and favoring the existing parking lot is fine. There is no back-end data that will be lost if the import is not retained.
Navads_Import
Duplicates can be removed and favoring the existing place is fine. There is no back-end data that will be lost if the import is not retained.
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.
Fast food chains or businesses that can sometimes be nested inside other businesses should be labeled as such. For example, if a Starbucks is inside Target or a Subway is inside Walmart, you would list it as Starbucks (inside Target) or Subway (inside Walmart) as the primary business name. This will allow for Wazers searching for a Starbucks or Subway to immediately know they may be routing to a coffee shop or sandwich shop with no drive-thru or standalone business as they may want or expect.
Eating / drinking establishments at airports should follow this standard in the USA/Airports page.
If inside a military installation or area of restricted access, these establishments can be added with the tag of (Restricted Access) ; for example: McDonald's (Restricted Access). This will still route Wazers to these businesses but it lets them know they must have the proper credentials to access the location.
When to use Area or Point in the South Central Region
Here is the SCR guidance on selecting Area or Point for Places in the Waze Map Editor. All areas are to be landmarked from fence line to fence line to include all parking lots, roads, and anything associated with the property.
The Primary Category for a Place is used to determine whether to use a Point or Area.
Most categories in Waze are self-evident, however, occasionally questions arise as to what category should be used to maintain consistency in search results across the region. Use the chart below when working with a place that is not part of a chain and you are unsure of the category.
Generic Place to Category Mappings
Type of Place
Point/Area
Category 1
Category 2
Notes
Apartment Complexes
Point
Offices
Locate place point at main office. Use office hours if available.
Assisted Living / Nursing Homes / Hospice
Point
Personal Care
Auto Parts
Point
Garage / Auto Shop
Bowling Alley's (Centers)
Point
Game Club
College Dormitories
Point
College / University
Dentists / Orthodontists
Point
Doctor / Clinic
Equipment Rentals
Point
Shopping / Services
Funeral Homes
Point
Shopping / Services
Kiosks
Point
'Business-dependent'
e.g. Red Box, Ice/Water stations, Stand-alone ATMs
Learning Centers
Point
Offices
Liquor Stores
Point
Shopping / Services
Pawn Shops
Point
Shopping / Services
Physician Offices
Point
Doctor / Clinic
Real Estate Office
Point
Offices
Self-Storage Facilities
Point
Shopping / Services
Vapor Shops
Point
Shopping / Services
Winery / Brewery
Point
Bar / Winery / Tasting Room
Tourist Attraction/Historic Site
Only use Tourist Attraction if it fits
Special Place Types
The following types of places have additional considerations you should be aware of before editing. Please be sure to read the linked Wazeopedia articles below before editing these place types.
Gas Stations
You should familiarize yourself with the gas stations wiki - specifically naming, branding, and stop points. Note the guidance in the Parking Lots section below.
Parking Lot Guidance and
Small Parking Lots.
When using PLRs to connect two named streets, such as a corner lot, enable U-turns at both ends of the PLR segment. This way Waze can route a driver to exit the parking lot the same way they came in. When PLRs are part of a larger area Parking lot area, for example a strip mall, allow u-turns on the PLR segments at/near the exits of the PLA, so the app can quickly route drivers out with fewer route re-calculations.
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.
Currently, the only way to add cameras to the editor is from the app. When placing a camera in the app, drop a general error with "RLC W" where W = the direction the camera is facing. This will allow other editors to know which way the camera is facing when they go to approve it in the editor.
The legality of red light and speed cameras varies by state. If you get a request for a camera type that is illegal in the state you are editing (or you find an already approved one), please remove it
Legend
Not Legal Statewide
NOT LEGAL
Legal in Certain Jurisdictions
SEE NOTES BELOW
Legal Statewide
LEGAL STATEWIDE
No State Law
[field is left blank]
State
Red Light Cameras
Speed Cameras
Arkansas
NOT LEGAL
NOT LEGAL
Louisiana
SEE NOTES BELOW
SEE NOTES BELOW
Mississippi
NOT LEGAL
NOT LEGAL
Oklahoma
SEE NOTES BELOW
SEE NOTES BELOW
Texas
LEGAL STATEWIDE
NOT LEGAL
Arkansas
Photo radar only in school zones and railroad crossings with an officer present at the time of the infraction. These should be reported as Police through the Waze client and not added as cameras through WME.
Louisiana
By state law, speed cameras are not allowed on interstates.
Oklahoma
There are no statewide laws for red light or speed cameras in Oklahoma. All existing cameras operate under programs directed by local ordinance.
Texas
Although the state allows red light cameras, some communities are not using them.
Multi-purpose / Multi-tenant facilities and other special cases
Example of multi-purpose religious facility
Multi-purpose and Multi-tenant facilities, such as Casinos, Religious institutions, and other large Community buildings can house functions that Waze classifies in different ways. SCR Editors should classify the parts of large facilities in accordance with their function. When a religious institution hosts a K-12 school, the school portion of the building is shown as an Area Place, with the stop point placed at the main entrance of the school. Other parts of the building may host entrances to the main part of the building, a day care, café, coffee shop, bookstore, community theater, etc. Set place points at the doors closest to the entries for each of those functions.
Example of multi-purpose resort facility
In the case of an Area Place like a casino or resort, use the Area-Point combination guidance from the PLACES WoP. PPs for places such as these can include a hotel lobby, gift shop, restaurant entrances, salon/spa, coffee shop, smoke shop, dive shop, etc. Other parts of these Area facilities are themselves Area Places, such as internal Convention / Event Centers and concert Arenas. Mark those parts of the multi-use facilities with their own separate, not overlapping, Area Places. Set Area Place stop points at the main entrance of each function.
See the Area-Point combinations section in the Places page for more information.
TrafficCast Form - Use this form to report bad or stale TrafficCast markers on the map
Signal Avoidance Spreadsheet - Use this spreadsheet to log when the app is determining it would be faster to (turn right, then u-turn) than it would be to wait at the left signal
Scripts/Browser Extensions
Scripts and browser extensions can help make editing with WME easier and faster. If you are a new editor, however, we strongly recommend you learn to edit "bare" before you start installing scripts so you get a better understanding of exactly how you are affecting the map. This will also help when a script inevitable breaks and you are forced to edit by hand on occasion.
You will need a user script manager for your browser in order to run WME scripts. Tampermonkey is generally used for Chrome and Greasemonkey for Firefox. Visit the Addons. Extensions, and Scripts section of the Waze forum for the most up-to-date information about WME and Scripts. You can find several WME scripts at greasyfork.org by searching for WME.
Learn more about scripts and other WME extensions at the Scripts page.
The following editors have responsibility for one or more states. Feel free to reach out to them if you have questions about editing in that state or have an editing puzzle you can't figure out.
