New York/Major roads/Main View history

Revision as of 18:31, 15 August 2014 by PesachZ (talk | contribs) (*/Major_roads/Main*/ changed instruction for documenting FC upgrades)


Local naming variations

  • New York State uses SR-##, and SR-##X for all state routes and their spurs, loops, etc. (e.g. SR-27, SR-17W)
  • Concurrent routes which are signed/shielded with both names, AND commonly referred to using both names together, should use both names separated by a slash (/) as the primary name, and each individual named as an alternate name. (e.g. US-1 / US-9)
  • Highway name descriptors, such as TRUCK, EXPRESS, etc. should be added parenthetically after the name. (e.g. US-1 (Truck), or on a concurrent road US-1 (TRUCK) / US-9 (TRUCK))

FC Upgrade

New York State is currently in the process of upgrading the entire road network to meet the national guidance for road type classification. This will ensure a consistent, and better navigational experience to wazers around the country. The general guidelines for implementation are in the Road Types (USA) page. Any local deviations, and special information for New York State will be listed below.


If you would like to assist in this project in any county of the state, please ensure you are listed in the appropriate table in the Area Managers section below, and list which county you will be upgrading. Please also update the entry for that county to "in progress", with your username, and the date in the the FC Upgrade project table on the To-Do subpage. Once you have completed the FC upgrade for an entire county, please mark it (or ask someone to mark it for you) as "complete" in the table, with the completion date.


The Mapping Resources section has links to several FC data sources including a State DOT maintained GIS, CSV lists of all FC roads by county, and general FC information.


Local Exceptions

  • Roads which are Private (not accessible to the general public i.e. a gated entrance, busses only, etc.), Parking Lot Roads, or Non-Drivable (i.e. pedestrian plazas, boardwalks, etc.) should be classed as such (Private, PLR, Non-Drivable), regardless of what their official FC class is.
  • The NYS FC GIS is incomlplete, and does not show all roads highlighted correctly for the full length on the road. When in doubt consult the Inverntory Lists.
  • The NYS FC GIS will only highlight one direction (side) of a split roadway, in these cases both directions should be classed the same (at the highlighted class).

From this point, roads may be adjusted up or down the scale as indicated by the road's setup and usage ONLY with the consensus of a local RC, or SM. Examples:

  • Most of SR-17 from Binghamton to Harriman is fully limited access; it is therefore typed as Freeway (except for one 5½-mile stretch of at-grade intersections between Sanford and Hancock, where it is typed Major Highway).
  • US-11 north of Syracuse has largely been supplanted as a thoroughfare by I-81, and there are places where it is more advisable for it to be typed as Minor rather than Major.
  • CR-56 in Steuben County is barely wide enough for two cars, has no appreciable shoulders, and is only rarely used; based on that, its type was downgraded to Street.


If you are having difficulty in determining what road type a particular section should have, feel free to contact any of New York's, Waze Champs Country Managers, State Manager(s), or senior editors list in the table below. You can also contact the Regional Coordinator(s) Error in Parameter to RC/Data or RC/Forum (in Parameter to RC/Data or RC/Forum PM [Help])  link=https://www.waze.com/user/editor/Error in Parameter to RC/Data or RC/Forum and Error in Parameter to RC/Data or RC/Forum (in Parameter to RC/Data or RC/Forum PM [Help])  link=https://www.waze.com/user/editor/Error in Parameter to RC/Data or RC/Forum, or post to any of the New York editing community locations listed above.


See New York/Major roads for a list of Major Highways in New York which are or were being worked on.