Information related to using Waze in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Cities and Towns
In WME, every segment of every Street, Primary Street, Private Road and Minor Highway should have a city name applied to it. Major Highways should have a city name applied to all segments that also have street addresses, other segments are optional. City names on Parking Lots, Railroads, Walking Trails, etc. are nice, but not required.
City names are not required on Freeways and Ramps and may interfere with navigation instructions at ramp interchanges on all highway types. Only place city names on highway segments junctioned with ramps, or on ramps, if you know how to avoid the navigation problems.
The only city name that should be applied to a segment is the incorporated municipal name or the official 2010 Census Designated Place (CDP) name. Do not use other unincorporated names such as villages or neighborhoods. Do not use Postal names or areas.
See PennDOT's municipal maps for incorporated city borders and proper naming information. For city maps that are missing from this list, you may be able to get the information you need from PennDOT's County Maps or by visiting that city's GIS website. CDP outlines and names for Pennsylvania are found here.
If a road runs on a border, according to Waze statements, the other city should be in the alternate name field to support future address searches.
If a road segment runs across a border, it should be split with a junction on the border if there should be house numbers applied within each city. This will support future address search. Otherwise apply the city name that makes the most sense, or none at all for highways.
See Duplicate Cities for information on resolving the numerous conflicting city names in Pennsylvania. When a municipality has the same name and city type (i.e. Borough, Township, City), append the county after the city name in the format Cityname, Countyname. This is based on a recommendation by Waze for future database organization.
Standard Abbreviations
When naming roads or Ramps, use Penna as the abbreviation for Pennsylvania. Penn causes text-to-speech conflicts with the numerous items named after William Penn and other names with the word "Penn". PA should not be used except as shown below.
Penna Tpk is the proper abbreviation for naming ramps and alternate names for the Turnpike.
Major Roads
See Road naming by state, Road Naming (USA), Road Types (USA)
Freeways
Interstates, US Highways, and State Routes that meet the general standards for Interstates should be should have the Freeway Road Type applied to them in the editor. Some of these roads may have Rest Areas.
US Routes
US Highways that don't meet interstate standards should have the Major or Minor road type applied to them.
US Highway names should use the following format:
- Keep local names as primary (e.g. Wyoming Ave)
- Put the route number in the alternate name field
- US-22 W (Split "1-way" segments)
- US-11 (Un-split "2-way" segments)
State Routes with Three-Digit Route Numbers
In Pennsylvania all State Routes with three-digit (or less) route numbers should be minor highways or higher. They should have any common name as displayed on street signs as the primary name in WME and the route number in the alternate name field. The format State Rte 111 is currently the recommended format but PA-111 is also acceptable until Waze announces how shield generation for state roads will work. Do not alter route numbers if they are currently in one of the acceptable formats. State Hwy and variations should not be used unless it is on the road signs.
State Routes should follow the following format:
- State Rte 28 S or PA-28 S (Split "1-way" segments)
- State Rte 309 or PA-309 (Un-split "2-way" segments)
Note: Some state routes have mixed signage, with route numbers at major intersections and road names at minor intersections. Until Waze gets state shields working, the best practice is to name the segments according the the signage that the motorist will see as he approaches the state route, with priority given to the major intersections.
Shortened Names
- The use of SR-xxx (meaning State Route, but used for both routes and highways) format should be used when naming exits (e.g., Exit to SR-28 S / Pittsburgh). Also see: Ramps. State Rte xxx format should be used everywhere else.
State Routes with Four-Digit Route Numbers
Most state routes with four digit route numbers should be Primary Streets, with the exceptions shown below. There is no need for the route number in the alternate name fields.
County or Township Roads
County and Township roads need no special designation or road type. Road number info is not needed in the alternate name field.
Primary Streets
Primary Streets should connect two important things, for example:
- Two PA-xxx state highways, or higher.
- PA-xxx highway (or higher) and a decent-sized town.
- Key tourist or business destinations.
Primary Streets should have the name on the street signs as the primary name in WME. PA-xxxx, SR-xxxx, or State Rte xxxx should not be used unless there is no name for the road.
- Not every PA-xxxx route is Primary. Some just trail off to nowhere. Other short ones connect two minor things, so they can be ignored.
- Primary Street should be improved roads with smooth grading and yellow center lines painted throughout.
- Multi-lane roads that don't meet the definition of Major, and are not Minor based on PA-xxx or US-xxx route designation, are almost always Primary Streets.
- Sometimes it is obvious that a city street department wants you to follow certain routes. Those should be made Primary.
- Local knowledge should always be applied when designating Primary Streets. If you are not sure, try to drive it and see if it should be elevated above a regular street for our users.
Ramps
When naming Ramps to state routes, use the SR-111 or the PA-111 formats only. Match exactly what is on the big green sign directing you to the ramp. It is best to reference Google StreetView in WME, where available.
Adhere to national standards for Exit ramps and Entrance ramps (on-ramps). Ramp names should use these format:
Off-ramps:
- Numbered exit: (Exit 16: Scranton)
- Numbered exit w/ Multiple Names or Routes: (Exit 260B: I-81 N / Wilkes-Barre / Scranton)
- Numbered exit w/ Multiple Exits: (Exit 4A-B: SR-1 / SR-7 / SR-58 / Mall Rd / Dover)
- Non-numbered exit: (Exit: to SR-28 S / Pittsburgh)
On-ramps:
- to I-80 E
- to I-476 N
Splitting/Un-Splitting Roads
Splitting & Un-Splitting a road should follow the national guidelines which can be found on the Best map editing practice page: When & How to Split Also see: How to Un-Split a Road
Special Roads
Alleys
- An alley should be mapped if it is named.
- An alley should be mapped if it is the address of a home or business.
- An alley should always be set to type "Private Road" if unsuitable for through traffic.
- An alley is normally mapped if it is acknowledged by the municipality.
If an alley does not meet the above criteria, mapping is optional. Check the "No name" box.
Non-Driveable Roads
Generally, if a path can't be driven on (e.g. Walking Trail, Pedestrian Boardwalk, Stairway, Runway/Taxiway) then it is not normally mapped. If it is mapped, it should not be connected to any roads. "Emergency and Authorized Vehicles Only" and PennDot Service Roads are to be treated as Non-Driveable roads as well. You primarily see these between interstate roads and on the turnpike. If mapped, they should not be connected to any road with the road type set as Private Road and locked at the highest level of the editor. Because of the way the routing engine works, Waze will route users to drive on these "Non-Driveable" road types.
It is permitted to map Railroads since some users run Waze while on the train and contributing false data to the system. This false data has been known to effect drivers on adjacent roads. Railroads should be elevation -5 and locked at the highest level of the editor up to 3.
Time Restricted Turns
The Waze Map Editor and routing engine supports scheduled restrictions (time of day, day of week, turns, traffic flow direction, vehicle type, etc.).
Please see the Scheduled Restrictions page for full documentation on this feature.
Road Closures & Construction Projects
When dealing with Road Closures or Major Construction please see the Pennsylvania forum for a list of long term road closures and changes to traffic flow that impact the Waze Map. When editing, in most cases you should disconnect these segments to prevent Waze from routing along a certain stretch of road. You should NEVER delete a road simply because of construction or a closure. If you perform such steps in WME, please add CONST ZN to the end of the Street Name and document it via the forum so other area managers can ensure the roads are reconnected at the appropriate time. When creating a new post, please note start and (anticipated) end dates as well as a link to more information about the project (if available). Also include: a Permalink to the road and change the name of the permalink to reflect the Road Name/Cross Streets. Be sure to read How to handle road closures before making changes to the map. You can also list them in the PA Road Closures/Construction Wiki. (May be out of date.)
Landmarks
Landmarks in Pennsylvania should follow the guidelines from the state of Connecticut until the national standards are complete.
Speed / Red Light Cameras
Limited Red Light Cameras are legal in the State of Pennsylvania.
Speed Cameras
Not legal in Pennsylvania and should not be mapped.
Red Light Cameras
Red light cameras are legal only in certain cites and suburban towns. Currently Philadelphia is the only city with cams. Red Light Camera Laws in Pennsylvania
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 should not be mapped. See: How to Identify Cameras
To Do List
Want to help out with the map in Pennsylvania? Check out the To Do List. (Might be out of date.)
- NOTE: You should always finish any work you start... Please do not leave it incomplete.
Mapping Resources
Forum
Area Managers
| Username | Area Managed | Comments | Forum PM |
|---|---|---|---|
| orbitc | Northeast Region Coordinator | Level 6 | PM |
| Level 6 - Country Managers | |||
| jondrush | Pennsylvania | Level 6 | PM |
| jhfrontz | T.B.D. | T.B.D | PM |
| Level 5 - Country Managers (Pennsylvania Based) | |||
| attheyard | Chester County | Mainly in Maryland | PM |
| bigbear3764 | Chicagoland, Lake,Cook,McHenry Co | PM | |
| mpawlicki | T.B.D. | T.B.D | PM |
| svance92 | T.B.D. | T.B.D | PM
|
| Level 4 - Area Managers | |||
| fueltank | Allegheny County | Pittsburgh | PM |
| Kodi75 | Indiana County | PM | |
| MGODLEW | Allegheny, Carbon, Columbia, Luzerne, Lackawanna, Lycoming, Montour, Monroe, Northumberland, Schuykill, Sullivan, & Wyoming County | Also editing areas close to US-22, I-99, I-80W & SR-28 | PM |
| PhantomSoul | Bucks & Northampton County | Primarily Central New Jersey | PM |
| rleejr79 | Southwestern, PA | Current project: Fayette and Greene Counties. | PM |
| tibble | Southeastern, PA | T.B.D. | PM
|
| Level 3 - Area Managers | |||
| CptCranky | T.B.D. | T.B.D. | PM |
| dmiller1984 | DuPage and Kendall Co | PM | |
| Dogshrink | Lehigh Valley | T.B.D | PM |
| hickpop | T.B.D. | T.B.D. | PM |
| KMart27 | Dauphin & Lancaster County | T.B.D. | PM |
| LeoKantus | T.B.D. | T.B.D. | PM |
| letukka | T.B.D. | T.B.D. | PM |
| MarkInMd | T.B.D. | T.B.D. | PM |
| mreich00 | T.B.D. | T.B.D. | PM |
| nepahxc | Wayne & Lackawanna County | T.B.D. | PM |
| NevynPA | T.B.D. | T.B.D. | PM |
| PhillyRace | T.B.D. | T.B.D. | PM |
| regsv | T.B.D. | T.B.D. | PM |
| steelsandals | T.B.D. | T.B.D. | PM |
| steinbdj | Philadelphia area, primarily Philadelphia, Delaware, Montgomery, and Bucks counties | PM | |
| yrrabsille | T.B.D. | T.B.D. | PM |
If you are an Area Manager that covers the State of Pennsylvania, or a USA Country Manager that does a lot of work in Pennsylvania, please add yourself to this list (alphabetical by username).