Locking Roads & Places
We need balance in protecting the integrity of roadways and other content that has been put into the map and providing access to as many lower-level editors as possible. This guidance really needs to be locally driven because one answer does not fit all situations. General guidance for locking roads to editing ranks for New Mexico is as follows. Lower-level editors can always ask for unlocks from other state or national editors.
What affects how we might lock roads?
When higher lock levels are usually needed:
- When areal images do not match actual ground conditions. This includes construction areas.
- Higher value routes that would inconvenience many users if damaged.
- Particular locations that are frequently damaged by new editors.
- Areas of the map that are well developed but not frequently visited by editors to check condition, and error reports.
- Items that have had significant research in creating data in the item such as the naming of a Ramp and the creation and information of a Place.
When lower lock levels are possible:
- Areas where few mistakes or acts of vandalism occur.
- Areas that will be frequently visited by AMs or other higher-ranked editors, such that they can keep an eye out for problems.
- Areas that are purposefully unlocked or reduced in lock level so a lower-level editor can manage and watch over them for an extended period.
- Items that are briefly unlocked under the real-time oversight of a higher-level editor, then locked after adjustment by a lower-level editor.
Basic Road Locking Guidance
Consider and adjust these lock levels up or down based upon the actual situation and locality. Always have Freeways and their Ramps locked at Rank-5. This set of rules is selected because it is easy to remember and generally useful.
- Default lock level, Street (S)
- Primary Street (PS)
- Minor Highway (MH)
- Major Highway (mH)
- Freeway (F) and Ramp (R), some construction areas
- Some construction areas, problem areas as a temporary measure
Roads locked at a "Staff" level may need to be unlocked via a request to staff. Contact a senior editor in New Mexico for help with that.
Please use local editor discretion in either increasing or decreasing this guidance temporarily or permanently. If outside of this guidance, do not unlock roads permanently unless you first attempt to contact the last editor of those road segments to determine the reason for the lock. It is our intent not to prevent new editors from editing the map, so do not lock areas down unnecessarily.
If you need to edit a road locked above your rank, please contact a more senior New Mexico editor or check the Unlock Forum.
Basic Place Locking Guidance
- Default lock level - many Places or those that are not complete and need more input from everyone. Default Gas Stations that need to be located or named properly.
- Well-established Places that are edited with new information but may need updates.
- Refined Places that have important information
- Refined Places that have critical information.
- High-value Places, those that do not match areal images, etc.
- Rare use for critical Places, special projects, acts of vandalism, etc., usually only as a temporary measure.