This page contains information related to editing Waze maps in the USA Southeast Region which includes Alabama, Florida, and Georgia. It takes precedence over any more geographically localized state-level sub-pages to insure regional unity and consistency. It is not the intent of this page to override any US-level page. If the information on this page conflicts with a US-level page, the US-level page takes precedence (exception: dirt/unpaved roads). Questions should be addressed to a rank 5 or 6 editor listed below.
See the Southeast Forum for more information. In most cases, anything listed below as "planned" will link to an existing US-level page.
This page is maintained by driving79. Please coordinate any changes in advance. Southeast map editors are encouraged to add/modify their own information in the Southeast Editors table below. All editors should be intimately familiar with Best Editing Practices.
Cities and towns
- Alabama: The are 426 municipalities and 67 counties in the state. The primary urban centers are Birmingham, Mobile, Montgomery (state capitol), and Huntsville, all pierced by or nearby the I-65 corridor. The toll system is Freedom Pass. Alabama is in the Central time zone.
- Florida: There are 473 municipalities and 67 counties in the state. Orlando and neighboring Lake Buena Vista endure the most editing and map reports due to their popularity as global tourist destinations, to the point of being not as "navigation trustworthy" as other areas. The toll system is "Sunpass" (toll rates) and it is near impossible to travel anywhere in Florida from Orlando southward without encountering it. Outside of Florida, it is compatible only with NC QuickPass. Florida spans the Eastern and Central time zones, with the dividing line at the Apalachicola River west of Tallahassee.
- Disney World: Disney World has been edited and locked to rank 5 for segments and rank 6 for areas/points. If you see an issue anywhere in Disney World, please post it to the unlock request forum, or alert a rank 5 or 6 editor with the problem and it will be fixed.
- Georgia: There are 523 municipalities and 159 counties in the state. The toll system is PeachPass and is primarily found on HOV lanes in metro Atlanta. Some HOV lanes require PeachPass. Georgia is in the Eastern time zone.
Road (segment) types
Determining road types in the Southeast aligns with the Waze USA Standard for for freeway, major highway, minor highways, and primary streets. The Waze USA standard is a hybrid system based on a national standard called "functional classification" with a few modifications.
Functional classification maps are available for most states. Compliance across state borders is important to insure better route selections between states; however, editors in some states have deferred adoption of the USA Standard due to in-state concerns. If you edit in any region than the Southeast, you must comply with that state's recommendations.
Although the Waze USA Standard permits some road-type selection deviation, at present no Southeast deviations are permitted, but may be in the future.
Minimum Road Type Standards
Interstate = Freeway
US Hwy = Major Highway (MH)
State Roads = Minor Highway (mH)
Application of the Waze USA Standard may permit a segment be upgraded one or two steps up from those minimums, but never downgraded.
Dirt (unpaved/gravel) roads
The USA Standard (matrix table) does not specify how to set unpaved road segments, so we define that here. Unpaved roads may or may not be classified in the states' functional classification system. If they are, set the road type according to the functional classification. If they are not, set the road type to Dirt Road / 4x4 Trail.
To stay aligned with the USA Standard, a County Road functionally classified as Local, or a Local street classified as a collector, is still to be set as a Primary Road. A Local street functionally classified by the DOT as Local, is a Street. Otherwise, dirt is dirt. The majority of dirt roads are not functionally classified.
| How to determine when to set a dirt road as type dirt road |
Dirt | ||
County |
Street | ||
Functional |
Collector |
PS |
PS |
Local |
PS |
Street | |
not |
Dirt |
Dirt | |
If the users' client options are set to avoid dirt roads, they will still be routed on dirt roads functionally classified as either a Collector or Street. This is necessary to insure beginning-to-end routing should the origin/destination be on an unpaved road however, Waze route pruning will only consider these lower-priority roads (Primary Street, Street, Dirt) near the origin/destination.
Examples:
- An unpaved County Road identified in the DOT FC system as a Collector is a Primary Street.
- An unpaved street identified in the DOT FC system as a Local road is a Street.
- Any unpaved road not listed in the DOT FC system is Dirt.
Road segment naming
Interstates: I-xx
US Hwy: US-xx
State Road/Rte/Hwy: SR-xx
County Rte/Hwy: CR-xx
Often when US Hwys, State Roads, and County Roads pass through municipalities, they have a local name (e.g, "Main St"). Please see Road Names for instructions on how to name these segments. Check here for other states.
Mapping Resources & Functional Classification
Use only state DOT level FC maps when determine how to type (classify) a segment (Major Hwy, Minor Hwy, etc.). Some counties and cities have their own FC system, but only the state level system is to be used as a reference as these have been through a federal and state level approval process.
- Map Editor
- Functional Classification for other states.
Alabama
- Functional Classification (very dated)
Florida
Florida is divided into Regional Planning Councils which include transportation issues. Several GIS map sources (not necessarily with FC data) may be found in the Florida Mapping wiki.
Functional Classification
- Interactive: At present, the state site is of limited value due to its limited operating hours
- Static: Install the free ARCGIS viewer and download the FC layer.
NOTE: After the FC updates are complete, Florida begins to enter a "maintenance mode." This means updates only as required by construction. Most major work is complete except for residential streets outside of metro areas. Mass editing of anything other above Street level will be subject to more scrutiny, e.g., were the edits actually improving/fixing anything, or were they edits for the sake of edits (& points)? The opportunities for points by doing anything but driving are dwindling, but still available in more rural areas.
Other Resources
- Florida DOT (General Interest Highway Statistics)
- State Highway Map
- County Maps (for reference, only, as these are not indicative of the USA Standard)
Georgia
Functional Classification
- Functional Classifcation Atlanta Metro (draft)
Other Resources
- Georgia DOT
- State Highway Map (look under the "Transportation Maps" heading)
Places (formerly Landmarks)
Interchanges are not landmarked. For all other types of Places, see Places.
Major construction projects
See the states' Department of Transporation (DOT) web sites for a list of long term road closures and changes to traffic flow that impact the Waze Map.
Special roads
- Divided Highways
- Carpool, HOV, Transit lanes
- Roundabouts/Traffic Circles
- Cul-de-sac's
- Parking Lot Roads
- Toll Roads
Alleys
These are mapped as a Parking Lot road only if the alley leads to more than one address (businesses or residences) or is a named street. Otherwise, alleys are not mapped.
Non-drivable roads
Generally, if a path can't be driven on (e.g. Walking Trail, Pedestrian Boardwalk, Stairway, Runway/Taxiway) then it not normally mapped. If mapped, do not connect to any roads. Waze is a driving app, not a pedestrian app.
Ferries
Waze does not presently incorporate ferries into its programming infrastructure, so they are NOT mapped (e.g. Tampa - Key West, Mobile Bay). For areas where residents are dependent upon ferries, see the Editing manual, but there's no place in the Southeast that fits that description.
Railroads
Railroads should be mapped since some users run Waze while on the train thereby contributing false data to the system. This false data has been known to effect rate information on adjacent roads and generate false missing road reports.
Time restricted turns
(planned)
Speed / red light cameras
Speed cameras
(planned)
Red light cameras
Currently, the only way to add cameras to the editor are from the app. When placing a camera in the app, drop a general error with "RLC W" where W = the direction the camera is facing. This will allow other editors to know which way the camera is facing when they go to approve it in the editor.
Known Camera Locations
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 are not mapped.
To do list
The Waze USA Standard for assigning segment types for freeways, major highways, and state roads is mostly complete. County Hwys need review (as of 2014-04-27).
One semi-active specific to do list page in this region is currently located at Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford,_FL.
Southeast Editors (Key Personnel)
If you reside in and are granted Area Manager editing privileges or higher anywhere in Alabama, Florida, or Georgia, please add yourself to this table.
| Username | Assigned Responsibility | Location | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank 6 | |||
| driving79 | Southeast Regional Coordinator | NE, Fl | PM |
| banished | Global Champ |
Florida Panhandle | Profile |
| Txemt | South Central/US Territories RC | Miami, Fl | PM |
| Rank 5 | |||
| DonJ2 | Country Manager | DeBary, FL | Profile |
| aarakes | Area Manager | Profile | |
| heyblue | State Manager (AL) | Huntsville, AL | Profile |
| ggrane | State Manager (FL) | Miami, FL | PM |
| Rank 4 | |||
| HuckD | Area Manager (SW Ga) | Albany, GA | Profile |
| Rank 3 | |||
| Jpere | Area Manager | Miami | Profile |
| T0cableguy | Area Manager | Lake Wales, FL | Profile |
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