When to Split a Two-Way Road
Generally, a road should be undivided unless it meets ALL of the requirements for dividing a road. When initially reviewing whether to divide or "un-divide" (merge back together) a roadway, consider these points first:
- The default representation for any roadway is a single 2-way segment, even if the physical roadway is divided. Dividing a roadway carries with it the burden of proof that the change will improve the usability and/ or simplicity of the waze map.
- If a road is currently working with no problem reports, consider leaving it as is.
- Prior to splitting a road, send a PM to one of the State Managers or the SE Regional Coordinator.
- Try to avoid switching roads back and forth between being divided and 2-way. For example, if most of the road is clearly divided and only parts would be considered a single two-way road, consider leaving it all divided. If only a small portion seems better off divided, consider keeping it all 2-way.
A road may be divided when ALL of the following conditions are met:
- GPS tracks show a clearly definable and continuous gap (blank area) between the color-by-azimuth arrows at the 100m/500ft zoom level,
- Multiple houses or businesses with no off-street parking are located directly on the street but are not accessible from the opposite direction of travel due to lengthy median, obstruction, or traffic control signage, or
- U-turns are required to properly make turns from public driveable road types that are blocked by a median.
A road should not be divided when:
- There is a curb or non-driveable median less than 5m wide between lanes of travel (see exceptions above).
- The non-driveable median is interrupted by a cross segment at most intersections.
- There is a center turn lane (any width) between directions of travel. Dividing this type of road creates problems when people turn from the middle lane because there is no road for the navigation to follow.
- It is possible and legal to make a left turn/u-turn everywhere along the road
- The objective is solely for visual appearance or to make the road match another visual source like Google Maps. MATCHING GOOGLE (or any other map product) IS NOT A REASON.
Remember that dividing and undividing roads each comes with its own set of problems. Each situation is unique and some issues may be more manageable with a single two-way road, and some may work fine with a divided road. Consider every aspect of routing, and carefully examine each junction before dividing or undividing. Regardless of whether you're dividing or undividing, remember that you might cause more problems than you solve and you might have to put it back the way it was before. Also remember that dividing and undividing each cause loss of some traffic data, which can result in poor Waze routing. The table below summarizes:
| Condition/Requirement | Southeast Best Map Editing Practices1,2 | Best Map Editing Practices |
|---|---|---|
| A. It is an Interstate Highway (USA) or other Limited Access Highway using the "Freeway" road type. |  |
|
| B. GPS tracks show a clearly definable and continuous gap (blank area) between the colour-by-azimuth arrows at the 100m/500ft zoom level. | |
|
| C. Multiple houses or businesses with no off-street parking are located directly on the street but are not accessible from the opposite direction of travel due to lengthy median, obstruction, or traffic control signage, | |
|
| D. U-turns are required to properly make turns from public drivable road types that are blocked by a median | |
|
Notes
1. Southeast Best Map Editing Practices require all of the conditions/requirements B through D to exist.
2. Before dividing a road in the Southeast, consult with a State Manager or the Regional Coordinator.
The following video was recorded by an editor (alanoftheberg) merging two one-way roads so the addresses were preserved. This video follows the described steps above, but may help seeing it happening in real time. Press the "enlarge button in the lower right corner to see it full screen.
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