Information related to using Waze in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
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Cities and Towns
In WME, every segment of every Street, Primary Street, Minor Highway, Private Road, Parking Lot Road, and Dirt Road/4x4 Trail should have a city name applied to it. Major Highways should have a city name applied to all segments that also have street addresses.
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. PA should not be used except as shown below.
Penna Tpk is the proper abbreviation for naming ramps, and for 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 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 2 or 3 Digit Route Numbers
In Pennsylvania all State Routes with 2 or 3 digit route numbers (e.g. State Rte 28 or State Rte 315) should be Minor Highways or higher. State Routes 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 city name should be the same for both the common name and route number. State Rte 111 is the current acceptable format. The use of State Hwy or PA-xxx and other variations should not be used unless it is on the road signs that drivers would see. Please note, that despite the designation of a "Minor Highway" these road types do not necessarily need high speed limits along their entire route.
State Route naming should follow the following format:
- State Rte 28 S (Split "1-way" segments)
- State Rte 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.
State Routes with 4 Digit Route Numbers
Most State Routes with 4 digits (e.g. State Rte 3001) should have the road type set as a Primary Street. Some 4-digit State Routes are numbered for legacy or maintenance reasons, but they do not serve as primary thoroughfares for the area and should be classified as Streets.
Shortened Names
The use of SR-xxx (meaning State Route) format should be used when naming exits (e.g., Exit to SR-28 S / Pittsburgh). Also see: Ramps. To maintain uniformity across the state, the PA-xxx format should not be used unless it is on the road signs that drivers would see.
County or Township Roads
County (Co) and Township (T) roads need no special designation or road type. Road number info is not needed in the alternate name field.
Primary Streets
Primary Streets should be used for the following:
- To connect two State Routes, or higher.
- On any State Route with 4 digits. (e.g. State Rte 3001)
- Any road used to route to key tourist or business destinations.
- Main urban thoroughfares that are not classified as Minor Hwy or Higher
Primary Streets should have the name on the street signs as the primary name in WME.
- Primary Streets should generally be improved roads with smooth grading and a yellow center line painted throughout.
- Multi-lane roads that don't meet the definition of Major, and are not Minor based on State Route 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.
Note: 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. Otherwise, turning on GPS points in the Map Layers is a good reference for identifying which streets should be made Primary Streets.
A primary street type designation is very relative to population and traffic densities. In the smallest rural town, a primary street may barely be wide enough for two cars heading opposite directions to pass each other. In dense urban areas primary streets may need to be a divided road with multiple lanes of traffic in each direction having traffic controls at every intersection.
Ramps
When naming Ramps to State Routes, use the SR-111 format. PA-111 format should not be used and is acceptable only if it matches exactly what is on the big green sign directing you to the ramp. It is best to reference Google Street View 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
Because of the way the routing engine works, Waze will route users to drive onto "Non-drivable" road types. 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 drivable road, the road type should be set as Private Road and locked at the highest rank of the editor.
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 rank of the editor up to 3 and should not be connected to any drivable road.
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 approved in WME.
Red Light Cameras
Red light cameras are legal only in certain cites and suburban towns. Currently Philadelphia is the only city with cams. However, Red Light Cameras are currently permitted in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and municipalities w/ a population >20,000 and police depat. accredited by the Penn. Chiefs of Police Assoc. in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery Counties; but requires a local ordinance. SEE: 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 approved in WME. 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.
Area Managers
| Username | Area Managed | Comments | Forum PM |
|---|---|---|---|
| orbitc | Northeast Region Coordinator | Rank 6 | PM |
| Rank 6 - Country Managers | |||
| jondrush | Pennsylvania | Rank 6 | PM |
| Rank 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
|
| Rank 4 - Area Managers | |||
| fueltank | Allegheny County | Pittsburgh | PM |
| Kodi75 | Indiana County | PM | |
| MGODLEW | All of Pennsylvania | Coverage extends into borders of DE, MD, NJ, NY, OH, & WV | PM |
| no1uknow | Cumberland, Dauphin, Lackawanna, & York Counties | Also editing areas near: I-81, US-11/15 | 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
|
| Rank 3 - Area Managers | |||
| CptCranky | T.B.D. | T.B.D. | PM |
| dmiller1984 | DuPage and Kendall Co | PM | |
| Dogshrink | Lehigh Valley, Hazleton | 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).