New York/UR Project

Every UR is a golden nugget of information for improving the map, and every UR reporter is a partner in map editing. There are more open URs in New York City than in most of the rest of the USA combined. These URs are a gold mine of information about things that need to be fixed on the map. The streets are complicated and ever-changing in New York City, the number of wazers is high, and the percentage of wazers editing the map is not quite high enough. The New York City UR Project aims to bring together a few editors with a variety of experiences to mine that gold, improve the map, and learn from each other.

This project will work on one borough at a time, spending several weeks in each. The project team will individually analyze, answer, and act on every UR in the borough. More experienced editors will teach newer editors how to confidently follow guidance and etiquette to get the most of URs. New and visiting editors will experience editing some of the most interesting street systems in the US. Editors of all ranks will learn from those who are familiar with the streets.

Goals

1. Use URs to find problems and fix the map
2. Analyze, answer, and act on every open UR in NYC
3. Learn, practice, and teach NY state guidelines and best practices for working URs
4. Look for and fix other issues in the general vicinity of the URs
5. If all the URs are currently dealt with (closed, or in a "waiting period"), address PURs and MPs in the current borough.

What is NOT a Goal of this Project

• Any edits not required to solve URs, such as parking lots or other basic edits.
• Speed Limits (except if required to solve a UR or to bring the segment you are working on up to NY state standards).
• Locking standards (except if required to bring the segment you are working on up to NY state standards).

Hosts

In no specific order:

• OrbitC

• PhantomSoul
• Joyriding
• JDelosa
• Rfrsw101
• Whoaitspete
• Johnsninja
• Voludu2
• Dude495

Communication

• We will communicate primarily using the Northeast Region Waze Editors Discord Server. Special channels will be reserved for this project.
• We may also use Waze's official but limited chat within WME
• Please set yourself visible in WME chat and turn on the Users layer

Borough Sub-Projects

• Bronx - Active from April 14, 2018 through May 31, 2018. Now in maintenance phase.
• Manhattan - June 11, 2018 through July 31, 2018. Now in maintenance phase.
• Brooklyn - August 11, 2018 through October 6, 2018. Now in maintenance phase.
• Queens - June 23, 2019 through August 17, 2019.

Guidance

URs

Generally, we follow the Northeast Update Request Guidelines. We will use a 0-4-4 timing system for all URs which require User Input. This means that any UR which is closed as "Not Identified" will be open for at least 8 days after the first comment from an editor (if the first comment is on Jan 20, the earliest it should be closed is Jan 28). If you need to ask more questions, you need to wait up to 8 days for a response to each question, so the UR might be open much longer. If you understand the solution for a UR immediately and do not need to ask questions, you may be able to close the UR the first time you look at it.

• We work as a team. Anyone may send a first response or reminder notice. If the problem is not identified and the reminder time has expired, anyone may close it. If we have a new idea, we discuss it with the other editor(s) working the UR.
• No automated responses. We prefer targeted, customized responses and questions.
• We always analyze a UR and all available clues before making our first response
• If editors need to discuss the analysis or appropriate response to the reporter, we contact each other directly. We do not discuss in the UR.
• UR reporters and other editors are all respected members of the community and partners in closing URs. We treat everyone with respect and courtesy. Even when they are wrong or make an unpleasant response. :)
• Always close with an appropriate, targeted comment thanking the UR reporter for helping with the map.
• What's the difference between a Solved UR and a Not Identified UR? If there was an issue that was figured out and/or corrected, and if that fix involved a change to the map, then all the URS related to that issue can be closed as "solved". Otherwise, the UR should be closed "Not Identified". So if you solved the reporter's problem by helping them to use waze better, without getting changes made to the map, that UR should be closed as Not Identified. If you come across an old UR related to a problem that has since been fixed, then the UR should be closed "Not Identified" with an explanation to the reporter.

The 1-4-4 system for working on URs

When you can solve a UR without additional user input

• You OPEN a UR.
• You IDENTIFY the problem
• You are able to SOLVE it by fixing the map
• LEAVE A COMMENT and click MARK as SOLVED and SAVE IT

URs that are not clear and you need information from the reporter

• Day 0:
  • You OPEN a UR.
  • You DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION to solve the problem,
  • ASK user for clarification
    • IF YOU GET AN ANSWER and need more information, return to the beginning of Day 0
    • IF YOU DO NOT GET AN ANSWER, wait until the 4th day and Go to Day 4
    • IF YOU CAN NOW SOLVE THE UR return to When you can solve a UR without additional user input
• Day 4:
  • IF it has been 4 DAYS SINCE THE REQUEST (the most recent comment will be from an editor)
  • SEND a REMINDER note to the user and wait for up to 10 more days
    • IF YOU GET AN ANSWER and need more information, return to the beginning of Day 0
    • IF YOU DO NOT GET AN ANSWER, Go to Day 8
    • IF YOU CAN NOW SOLVE THE UR return to When you can solve a UR without additional user input
• Day 8:
  • IF it has been 4 DAYS SINCE THE REMINDER (there was no response to the most recent request and reminder)
    • IF YOU CANNOT SOLVE THE UR then LEAVE A COMMENT and click MARK as NOT IDENTIFIED and CLOSE IT
    • IF YOU ARE VERY SURE YOU HAVE SOLVED THE UR but were simply waiting for confirmation from the reporter LEAVE A COMMENT and click MARK as SOLVED and SAVE IT

Places

Adding places will be required to solve some of the URs. When you approve or reject a PUR or edit a place directly, always check that the place details are as complete as possible, and that the completed place follows guidance. New York follows USA guidance on places. The WMEPH tool for place harmonization is a useful way to check that you have followed guidance on completing places.

Update pending places

You can proceed with places that are pending updates (enable the "Places" checkbox in Issues layer of WME).

• Please wisely approve new photos of places. Check the place exterior with StreetView if possible.
• New parking lots should only be area places.

Locking Standard

Follow the New York City Locking Standard

Settings

Waze settings

• Use the settings tab (gear icon on the right).
• Advanced Preferences: Check all boxes
• Units: Imperial
• Environment: North America
• Language: Choose your language

Project Tools

Editing Resources

Allowed sources:

• WME Satellite Imagery and WME Street View (do not copy street names from WME Street View)
• Websites from businesses
• New York State sources
• New York State scripts

NOT allowed sources:

• Google Maps
• Google Street View within Google Maps
• Street names which appear in WME street view images (these come from Google Maps, and are sometimes wrong)
• Other external sources, such as OpenStreetMaps, Bing, etc.

Warning: If you copy information from unauthorized sources, you may be removed from this project team. Also, every segment you edited may be removed from the map. Copying information from copyrighted sources is illegal!

Highly recommended scripts

These tools are all scripts that will help you make better use of the information available to you in WME. For this Project, the following are highly recommended. You are responsible for learning what they do and using them appropriately.

WME Buttons and Validator Localization for New York

• This script adds buttons near the PL in WME for access to state and other resources for researching map issues. etc. Please be careful and respect copyrights, do not copy from copyrighted sourced into WME.

This script also localized WME Validator for New York. You must also have the main Validator package installed for this to work.

GIS Layers

• Can load address points and parcel boundaries
• Select the GIS-L tab, then under the GIS Layers Settings, check NY state and under Layers choose "State - Adress points" and "State - Parcels"
• Requires Tampermonkey

WME Magic

• A powerful script that will help you spot map problems more quickly. Ask group leaders for the best settings for the types of problems you are working on
  • Install for Chrome only (Requires Tampermonkey).

WME PL Cleaner

• An extension that removes the layer settings and insert the "missing" / in URLs
  • Install for Chrome (Chrome Webstore)
  • Install for Firefox (direct download link)

WME Toolbox

• Helps you spot 2-segment loops, segments with undefined direction, and "soft nodes" with unconfirmed turns, and has other tools available for higher-ranked editors.
  • Install for Chrome.
  • Install for Firefox.

Junction Angle Info

• An extension that shows junction's angles. Essential for knowing what the default Waze turn instructions will be.
  • Install for Chrome or Firefox
    • (Requires Tampermonkey for Chrome or Greasemonkey for Firefox)

Street View Availability

• A script that shows where Street View imagery is available in WME segments and places.
  • Install for Chrome or Firefox
    • (Requires Tampermonkey for Chrome or Greasemonkey for Firefox)

NY UR Project Countdown Timer

• During a phase of the project the timer will show how much time is left for the current phase. After the current phase ends, the timer will show how long until the next phase begins.

Please remember that you are responsible for edits made through the use of scripts. Always understand what the script does before using it! There are a wiki page and a forum with more information.

Learning Materials