Lanes
Details on Lanes and how to map them can be found on the Lanes Wazeopedia page. Editors should consider using the Lane Tools script to assist in mapping lanes correctly.
In California, Lanes should be mapped for major intersections where the number of turn lanes deviates from what is expected. In other words, do not map if you can turn right from the right lane and/or you can turn left from the left lane, regardless of whether these turn lanes are dedicated lanes or shared lanes.
Intersections where you should map Lanes
- There are multiple left or right turn lanes
- In a # or H junction where there is a U-Turn. The addition of lanes for these types of junctions combined with lane heuristics enables Waze to announce a
U-Turn, rather than aTurn Left, Turn Left.
Special Considerations
At-Grade Connectors
When adding Lanes, please consider whether AGCs are still needed at that intersection.
As an example, the AGC from westbound Walsh Ave to northbound San Tomas Expwy is not needed. The island is extremely small. The benefits that the AGC was originally meant for, such as advanced announcement of the turn, are not needed.
Picture here (not uploaded to Wazeopedia yet):
Special considerations
Lane specific guidance
There are intersections where users should be guided to the proper lane in preparation for the next maneuver. Consider a driver going from Crow Canyon Place to I-680 North. There are 2 left turn lanes on Crow Canyon Place. An editor following lane mapping guidance would map that intersection with 2 left turns. A driver unfamiliar with that area could potentially turn using the left lane of the 2 left turn lanes, get into the left lane and miss the entrance to I-680 North if there is a lot of traffic blocking the movement to the right lanes in the short distance available.
Picture here (not uploaded to Wazeopedia yet):
In order to properly guide the driver, some sort of compound guidance such as Use the right of the two left turn lanes to turn left and then turn right to enter the freeway would be ideal. Unfortunately, Waze does not have this capability.
Loss of lane
Another consideration is where two close-by intersections have dedicated turn lanes, but in between the two intersections, a lane is added such that the driver going to the second intersection could mistakenly enter the wrong lane. Consider a driver on Mission Boulevard being guided to northbound I-680. There are 3 full lanes prior to the on-ramp to northbound I-680 with the right lane dedicated to the freeway entrance.
Picture here (not uploaded to Wazeopedia yet):
At the prior on-ramp to southbound I-680, there are also 3 full lanes prior to the on-ramp with the right lane dedicated to the freeway entrance.
Picture here (not uploaded to Wazeopedia yet):
Note that since Lane Guidance is announced about ½ mile for MH (and ¼ mile for mH and lower) prior to the turn instruction, the driver would have heard In ½ mile, use the right lane to turn right to I-680 North Sacramento at around Warm Springs Boulevard, which is 2 signaled intersections prior to the entrance to northbound I-680. There is no signage that the right lane ends until you are almost at the entrance to southbound I-680. A driver unfamiliar with the area, upon seeing or hearing the guidance, would get into the right lane and would not have much distance/time between the last signaled intersection to the entrance of southbound I-680 to change lanes, especially when there is a lot of traffic in the immediate lane to the left.
Picture here (not uploaded to Wazeopedia yet):
In order to properly guide the driver, there are a few possibilities. Waze could delay announcing the Turn instruction to northbound I-680 until the driver is past the entrance to southbound I-680. A more preferable solution would be for Waze to announce In ½ mile, stay in the middle lane and then turn right to I-680 North Sacramento. Unfortunately, Waze does not have this capability.
What can be done for these situations?
- Consider whether these lanes should be mapped.
- Review intersections prior and after to ensure the Lane Guidance would not unduly cause confusion for the driver.
- Place a Map Comment so that future editors can locate these locations if Waze enhances the Lane Guidance feature to make mapping these locations possible. Adding a Map Comment could be used as a notification to current editors that the intersection has been reviewed and Lane Guidance should not be added until such time these enhancements are available.