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A '''wayfinder''' is a junction that instructs users on a certain road how to continue on that same road, in situations where it may be unclear, and there would otherwise be no instruction. The simplest case of this is a surface road with half of its travel lanes splitting off to another road, half of its travel lanes continuing on the same road, and no overhead signs with extra information. A single [[turn instruction override]] can force an instruction to provide wayfinding for the continuing traffic.

However, most wayfinders are more complex than this and require "stub" segments to present information on signs along with turn instruction overrides to specify instructions. This page focuses on wayfinders in freeway interchanges and will explain criteria, configuration and different use cases.


== Terminology ==

A '''travel lane''' is a lane which is long enough that a naïve driver might consider it a long-distance lane. For our purposes we will clarify this as any lane which;
#before nearing the exit, is neither striped nor signed as a departing lane over a significant length (approximately ¾ a mile, or its full length, whichever is shorter), and
#has not just started within a mile before the exit.

A '''continuation path''' or '''continuation''' is the group of lanes after the junction which continue to be the same road as they were before the junction. (In the following example, the lanes which continue to be I-47)

[[File:Lane definitions.png|400px|thumbnail|center]]
{{clear}}

=== Criteria ===
[[File:75split.png|thumb]]An instruction should be given where it is unclear how to continue on the highway on which one is driving. Usually this is a keep instruction, but sometimes, as explained [[#Continue instruction|below]], it should be a continue instruction. A wayfinder is warranted in the following cases:
*The continuation path on a controlled-access highway or freeway, when an exit is present on the right side, has at least two fewer ''travel lanes'' after the exit than before it;
*The continuation path on a controlled-access highway or freeway has fewer lanes than, the exit path after the fork;
*The continuation path on a controlled-access highway or freeway has the same number of lanes as the exit path after the fork, and the continuation path is unclear;
*The continuation path on an uncontrolled highway, or when an exit is present on the left side of a controlled-access highway or freeway, has at least one fewer ''travel lane'' after the exit than before it;
*The continuation path consists of a single lane; or
*Other conditions exist that may suggest a fork, rather than an exit (use your better judgement, and discretion) -- for example:
**The physical roadway itself forks or diverges with no clear straight-ahead direction;
**The road which appears to be straight ahead is not the actual continuation;
**Signage and striping do not clearly provide all expected "exit" indications, or do so inconsistently; or
**Signs are present with arrows pointing left and right but no sign clearly establishes the continuation.
In these cases, we need to use a wayfinder configuration.

==== Configuration ====
Multiple methods exist for forcing instructions on highway continuations, such as matching the road type of both outgoing segments even where it creates a discontinuity or falsely using an alternate name on the non-continuation side to match the continuation side. Since Waze editors have the ability to create turn instruction overrides, the preferred approach is to use correct road types and alternate names, stubs named to match signage and turn instruction overrides where necessary. This includes preserving name continuity by adding route designations as alt names on continuation stubs. Name and road type continuity through wayfinders allows [[Detour_Prevention_Mechanisms#Big_detours|big detour prevention (BDP)]] to work properly, where applicable, and improves the overall appearance of the map.

[[File:s-in-s-out.png|300px|right]]Each wayfinder configuration will have one ''in'' segment and (usually) two stub or continuous ''out'' segments.
* Each stub segment should be {{:Segment length/Minimum}} long. This is long enough so it will not cause routing problems, but it is short enough to suppress display of the names.
* Unless a [[#Continue instruction|continue instruction]] is given the ''out'' segments should have a turn angle of 20° off of the mid-line on opposite sides of each other, consistent with [[Junction_Style_Guide/Interchange#Freeway_split_geometry|the geometry for freeway forks]]. This will allow for easy identification in WME, but still look seamless in the client app.


To configure the wayfinder, 
* If the numbered/signed exit is on the '''right''': 
** For an [[Junction Style Guide/Interchange#Exits|exit]], on the continuation side use a keep left TIO into a named highway stub of the same type as the ''in'' segment and with ''in'' segment name as an alt name, and on the exit side use a standard ramp.
** For a [[Junction Style Guide/Interchange#Freeway.2Fhighway fork|fork]], on the continuation side use a keep left TIO into a named highway stub of the same type as the ''in'' segment and with ''in'' segment name as an alt name, and use an exit right TIO on the right side into a named highway stub, unless "keep right" seems more appropriate for the exit.
* If the numbered/signed exit is on the '''left''':
** For an [[Junction Style Guide/Interchange#Exits|exit]], on the continuation side use a keep right TIO into a named highway stub of the same type as the ''in'' segment and with ''in'' segment name as an alt name, and on the exit side use an exit left TIO into a ramp.
** For a [[Junction Style Guide/Interchange#Freeway.2Fhighway fork|fork]], on the continuation side use a keep right TIO into a named highway stub of the same type as the ''in'' segment and with ''in'' segment name as an alt name, and use an exit left TIO on the right side into a named highway stub, unless "keep right" seems more appropriate for the exit.


The following table assumes that the highway is a freeway:
<div style="font-size:smaller">
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Exit direction
! Type
! Left OUT configuration
! Right OUT configuration
! Example
|-
| Right
|Exit
| '''Continuation side'''<br/>"keep left" TIO → {{Freeway|stub with alt name}} → {{Freeway|fwy}}
| '''Exit side'''<br/>{{Ramp|ramp}}
| [[File:WFexitright.png|300px]]
|-
| Right
| Fwy fork
| '''Continuation side'''<br/>"keep left" TIO → {{Freeway|stub with alt name}} → {{Freeway|fwy}}
| '''Exit side'''<br/>"exit right" TIO (where appropriate) → {{Freeway|stub}} → {{Freeway|fwy}}
| [[File:WFforkright.png|300px]]
|-
| Left
| Exit
| '''Exit side'''<br/>"exit left" TIO → {{Ramp|ramp}}
| '''Continuation side'''<br/>"keep right" TIO → {{Freeway|stub with alt name}} → {{Freeway|fwy}}
| [[File:WFexitleft.png|300px]]
|-
| Left
| Fwy fork
| '''Exit side'''<br/>"exit left" TIO (where appropriate) → {{Freeway|stub}} → {{Freeway|fwy}}
| '''Continuation side'''<br/>"keep right" TIO → {{Freeway|stub with alt name}} → {{Freeway|fwy}}
| [[File:WFforkleft.png|300px]]
|}
</div>

=== Continue instruction ===
[[File:WF3waysplit.png|right|300px]]With the creation of turn instruction overrides, continue instructions can be given. Where a keep or exit instruction would be misleading, a continue instruction can be given, as explained [[Turn_instruction_override#Supplement_a_wayfinder|here]]. The [[turn instruction override]] page also has other use cases for the continue instruction on highways, most of which are not wayfinders (i.e. it is clear how to continue on the highway, but an instruction is nonetheless useful). Where a continue instruction is used to supplement a wayfinder, the geometry should match the instruction, so the departure angle of the continuing ''out'' segment should be close to 0°. To facilitate in-app closure reporting, the departure angle of any right or left ''out'' segments should also be increased with an extra geometry node to at least 20°.

== Segment naming ==
''Out'' segments should be named with the information displayed on the roadway signs. All road segments that continue an existing route must have the route name as either a primary or alternate name.

If the continuation is '''signed''', and a wayfinder is warranted,
* If the continuation sign is exactly the same as the name or shield of the continuing road with no other information (e.g. the ''in'' segment is I-40 W and the continuation sign says "I-40 WEST" and nothing else), use a continuous road segment with the normal name of the road, rather than making a stub.
* If the continuation sign contains the name or shield of the continuing road along with other information, do '''not''' use "to" at the beginning of the name of the ''out'' stub segment. e.g., a freeway fork where one side is the continuation of the same freeway (the user is already on the road, not going "to" it). Most wayfinders will fit this criterion. Add the continuing road as an alt name on the stub to preserve name continuity.
**If the name of the continuation is included but is not listed first on the sign, move the name of the continuing road to the beginning of the segment name.  (e.g. In this wayfinder the highway you are on now, and continuing on is I-275, so the segment name should be "I-275 N / I-74 E / US-52 E / Cincinnati".)
* If the continuation sign '''does not contain''' the name or shield of the continuing road, then the road name should begin with "to".

If the word "TO" is explicitly included on the continuation sign,
* [[File:Wayfinder To BGS.png|300px|thumbnail|right]]Move the shields or names affected by the "TO" to the end of the segment name after a slash (/). (The example BGS shown is for the continuation of I-80, which leads to I-280, with a control city Morristown.)
** If any included control cities or road names correlate only to the roads affected by the "TO", then those control cities or road names should be moved after the "/ to [road(s)] /" on the segment name.
*** [[File:Wayfinder To WME.png|300px|thumbnail|right]] If Morristown is served by I-280 and ''not'' by I-80, the continuation segment should be '''"I-80 / to I-280 / Morristown"'''.
** If any included control cities or road names correlate to the roads '''not''' affected by the "TO", then those control cities or road names should remain in place before "/ to [road(s)]".
*** If Morristown is served by I-80, the continuation segment should be named '''"I-80 / Morristown / to I-280"'''.{{clear}}

If the continuation is '''not signed''', and a wayfinder is warranted,
* If the ''out'' segment is a continuation of the same road, use a continuous road segment rather than making a stub.
* If the ''out'' segment is an exit, it should be named following the guidelines for an unsigned exit.
* If the ''out'' segment is a short continuation of the same road leading to another road, name the segment starting with "to" followed by the name of the road to which the continuation leads, following these guidelines:
** {{anchor|no BGS to}}[[File:No BGS To exit.PNG|300px|thumbnail|right]]Where the wayfinder is just before, but not at, the termination of a road, so the continuation ''out'' segment is named for the road that the continuation leads to at the termination. However you still must travel for a short distance on the continuation of this road until those exits/termination. [[File:No BGS To exit zoom out.PNG|300px|thumbnail|right]]Our example here is a wayfinder on US-1-9 N (Truck), the left ''out ''is the continuation, however the right ''out ''also continues on the same road until it intersects with SR-440, with an exit to SR-440 S along this short segment. There are no roadway signs for any of these forks, or exits/terminations. The ''out ''segment here would be named '''"to SR-440 S / Communipaw Ave"''', and the SR-440 exit will be named following the [[Road_names#Exit_ramps_and_entrance_ramps_.28on-ramps.29|unsigned exit guidelines]]. However it may be appropriate (if there are no House Numbers, or other on ramps past this wayfinder before it reaches the exit, to leave this entire portion with no name, and the instruction will inherit the name of the next road to which you are going.{{clear}}

=== Examples ===
<div style="font-size:smaller">
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! #
! Continuation sign
! Continuing road name
! Rule
! Waze road name
|-
| colspan="3" | [[File:Wayfinder I-10 BGS.png|225px|thumbnail|center]]
| [[File:Wayfinder I-10 WME.png|225px|thumbnail|center]]
| context image
|-
| 1
| I-10 E / New Orleans Business District
| I-10 E
| Matches - do not use "to"
| '''I-10 E / New Orleans Business District'''
|-
! #
! Continuation sign
! Continuing road name
! Rule
! Waze road name
|-
| colspan="3" | [[File:Wayfinder continuation TO I-71.png|225px|thumbnail|center]]
| [[File:Wayfinder 471 close.png|225px|thumbnail|center]]
| [[File:Wayfinder 471 context.png|225px|thumbnail|center]]
|-
| 2
| I-71 N / Columbus
| I-471 N
| Does not match – use "to"
| '''to I-71 N / Columbus'''
|-
! #
! Continuation sign
! Continuing road name
! Rule
! Waze road name
|-
| colspan="3" | [[File:Wayfinder continue last BGS.png|225px|thumbnail|center]]
| [[File:Wayfinder 275 closeup.png|225px|thumbnail|center]]
| [[File:Wayfinder continue last WME.png|225px|thumbnail|center]]
|-
| 3
| I-74 E / US-52 E / I-275 N / Cincinnati
| I-275 N
| Included but not first – move to beginning
| '''I-275 N / I-74 E / US-52 E / Cincinnati'''
|-
! #
! Continuation sign
! Continuing road name
! Rule
! Waze road name
|-
| colspan="3" | BGS image
| WME image
| context image
|-
| 4
|
|
|
| '''name'''
|-
! #
! Continuation sign
! Continuing road name
! Rule
! Waze road name
|-
| colspan="3" | image
| image
| image
|-
| 5
|
|
|
| '''name'''
|}
</div>

== See also ==
* [[How Waze determines turn / keep / exit maneuvers]]