Information related to using Waze in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
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There are many active PA editors working on this page to keep it accurate and up to date. Before making any changes to this page, please post your proposed changes to this forum first for discussion. |
Mapping resources
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Cities and towns
In WME, every segment of every Minor Highway, Primary Street, Street, Private Road, Parking Lot Road, and Dirt Road/4x4 Trail should have a city name applied to it. Major Highways should have a city name applied to all segments that also have street addresses.
City names are not required on Freeways and Ramps and may interfere with navigation instructions at ramp interchanges on all highway types. Set city names on highway segments which junction with ramps or on ramps, only if you know how to avoid the navigation problems.
The only city name that should be applied to a segment is the incorporated municipal name or the official 2010 Census Designated Place (CDP) name. Do not use other unincorporated names such as villages or neighborhoods. Do not use postal names or areas.
See PennDOT's municipal maps for incorporated city borders and proper naming information. For city maps that are missing from this list, you might be able to get the information you need from PennDOT's County Maps or by visiting that city's GIS website. CDP outlines and names for Pennsylvania are found here.
If a road runs on a border, according to Waze statements, the other city should be in the alternate name field to support future address searches.
If a road segment runs across a border, it should be split with a junction on the border if there should be house numbers applied within each city. This supports future address search. Otherwise apply the city name that makes the most sense, or none at all for highways.
See Duplicate Cities for information on resolving the numerous conflicting city names in Pennsylvania. When a municipality has the same name and city type (i.e. Borough, Township, City), append the county after the city name in the format Cityname, Countyname. This is based on a recommendation by Waze for future database organization.
Standard abbreviations
When naming roads or Ramps, use Penna as the abbreviation for Pennsylvania. Penn causes text-to-speech conflicts with the numerous items named after William Penn. PA should not be used except as shown below.
Penna Tpk is the proper abbreviation for naming ramps, and for alternate names for the Turnpike.
Shortened state route names
The format SR-xxx (State Route) should be used when naming ramps (e.g., to SR-28 S / Pittsburgh). See also: Ramps. To maintain uniformity across the state, the PA-xxx format should not be used unless it is on the road signs that drivers would see.
Major roads
SEE: Highway naming by state, Road names/USA, Road types/USA
Freeways
Interstates, US Highways, and State Routes that meet the general standards for Interstates should have the Freeway Road Type applied to them in the editor. Some of these roads may have rest areas.
US routes
US Highways that don't meet interstate standards should have the Major or Minor road type applied to them.
US Highway names should use the following format:
- Keep local names as primary (e.g. Wyoming Ave).
- Put the route number in the alternate name field.
- US-22 W (divided one-way segments).
- US-11 (undivided two-way segments).
State routes with 2 or 3 digit route numbers
In Pennsylvania all State Routes with 2 or 3 digit route numbers (e.g. State Rte 28 or State Rte 315) should be Minor Highways or higher. State Routes should have any common name as displayed on street signs as the primary name in WME, and the route number in the alternate name field. The city name should be the same for both the common name and route number. State Rte 111 is the current acceptable format. The use of State Hwy or PA-xxx and other variations should not be used unless it is on the road signs that drivers would see. Please note, that despite the designation of a "Minor Highway" these road types do not necessarily need high speed limits along their entire route.
State Route naming should follow the following format:
- State Rte 28 S (divided one-way segments).
- State Rte 309 (undivided two-way segments).
Note: Some state routes have mixed signage, with route numbers at major intersections and road names at minor intersections. Until Waze gets state shields working completely, the best practice is to name the segments according the the signage that the motorist will see as he approaches the state route, with priority given to the major intersections.
State routes with 4 digit route numbers
Most State Routes with 4 digits (e.g. State Rte 3001) should have the road type set as a Primary Street. Some 4-digit State Routes are numbered for legacy or maintenance reasons, but they do not serve as primary thoroughfares for the area and should be classified as Streets.
County or township roads
County (Co) and Township (T) roads need no special designation or road type. Road number info is not needed in the alternate name field.
Primary streets
With rare exceptions, the Primary Street classification should be applied to the following roads when requirements for a higher classification are not met:
- Main road that connects two State Routes, Major Highways, or Freeways.
- Most State Routes with 4 digit route numbers. (See above for exceptions.)
- Main urban thoroughfares.
- When it is obvious that a city street department wants you to follow the route.
- Primary route connecting two towns.
- Main route to a key tourist or business destination.
- Multi-lane roads not otherwise classified as highways.
Other criteria for Primary Street:
- An improved road with smooth grading and a yellow center line painted throughout.
- No dead-ends
- Each segment should connect to a Primary Street or higher classification road at each end. There are rare exceptions to this.
A primary street designation is relative to population and traffic densities. In the smallest rural town, a primary street may be a narrow two-lane. In dense urban areas primary streets may be a divided road with multiple lanes in each direction.
Note: Local knowledge should always be applied when designating Primary Streets. If you are not sure, drive it to see if it should be classified above a regular street. You may check the GPS point density in the WME Map Layers to see which streets might be Primary.
Primary Streets should have the name on the street signs as the primary name in WME.
Ramps
When naming a Ramp to a State Route, use the SR-111 format. PA-111 format should not be used unless it matches exactly what is on the big green sign directing you to the ramp. It is best to reference Google Street View in WME, where available.
Adhere to national standards for Exit ramps and Entrance ramps (on-ramps). Ramp names should use these formats:
Off-ramps:
- Numbered exit: (Exit 16: SR-15 / Scranton)
- Numbered exit with multiple Cities or Routes: (Exit 16: SR-15 N / SR-86 E / Wilkes / Scranton)
- Numbered exit with multiple exits: (Exit 16A-B: SR-15 N / SR-86 E / Scranton)
- Non-numbered exit: (to SR-15 / Scranton)
Splitting and un-splitting roads
Splitting and un-splitting roads should follow the national guidelines on the When to Split a Two-Way Road page. Also see: How to Un-Split a Road
Special roads
Alleys
- An alley should be mapped if it is named.
- An alley should be mapped if it is the address of a home or business.
- An alley should always be set to type "Private Road".
- An alley is normally mapped if it is acknowledged by the municipality.
If an alley does not meet the above criteria, mapping is optional. Check the "No name" box in WME.
Non-driveable roads
Because of the way the routing engine works, Waze will route users to drive onto "non-drivable" road types. Generally, if a path can't be driven on (e.g. Walking Trail, Pedestrian Boardwalk, Stairway, Runway/Taxiway) then it is not normally mapped. If it is mapped, it should not be connected to any roads. "Emergency and Authorized Vehicles Only" and PennDOT Service Roads are to be treated as non-driveable roads as well. You primarily see these between interstate roads and on the Turnpike. If mapped, they should not be connected to any drivable road, the road type should be set as Private Road and locked at the highest rank of the editor.
Railroads may be mapped since some people use Waze while on the train, contributing false traffic data to the system. This false data has been known to affect drivers on adjacent roads. Railroads should be elevation -5 and locked at the highest rank of the editor, up to 5. Railroads should not be connected to any drivable road.
Airport taxiways should never be mapped.
Time restricted turns
The Waze Map Editor and routing engine supports scheduled restrictions (time of day, day of week, turns, traffic flow direction, vehicle type, etc.).
Please see the Scheduled Restrictions page for full documentation on this feature.
Road closures and construction projects
For Road Closures or Major Construction please see the Pennsylvania forum for a list of long term road closures and changes to traffic flow that impact the Waze Map.
Be sure to read Road closures before making changes to the map. When editing closed roads, in most cases, you should disconnect these segments to prevent Waze from routing on them. You should never delete a road simply because of construction or a closure. Please add (closed) to the end of the Street Name, and document the closure in the forum so the roads can be reconnected at the appropriate time.
- When creating a new forum post, please note start and anticipated end dates, and a link to information about the project if available. Include: a Permalink to the road, and change the name of the permalink to reflect the Road Name / Cross Streets.
- You may also list them in the PA Road Closures / Construction Wiki. (May be out of date.)
Landmarks
Landmarks in Pennsylvania should follow the guidelines for Connecticut until the national standard is complete.
Speed / red light cameras
Limited Red Light Cameras are legal in Pennsylvania.
Red light cameras
Philadelphia is currently the only city with red light cameras. Red light cameras are legal in a few cites and suburban towns. Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and municipalities in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties with a population greater than 20,000, and police department accredited by the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association are the only municipalities that are allowed to install the cameras. At this time, none of the others have installed cameras. See Red Light Camera Laws in Pennsylvania
Speed cameras
Not legal in Pennsylvania and should not be approved in WME.
Other camera types
These are cameras or signs that either provide driver feedback or are used for traffic control. These devices CANNOT issue tickets and should not be approved in WME. See How to Identify Cameras.
To do list
Want to help out with the map in Pennsylvania? Check out the To Do List. (Might be out of date.)
- NOTE: You should always finish any work you start... Please do not leave it incomplete.
Area Managers
| Username | Area Managed | Comments | Forum PM |
|---|---|---|---|
| orbitc | Northeast Region Coordinator | Rank 6 | PM |
| Rank 6 - Country Managers | |||
| jondrush | Pennsylvania | PM | |
| Rank 5 - Country Managers (Pennsylvania-based) | |||
| attheyard | Chester County | mainly in Maryland | PM |
| mpawlicki | T.B.D. | T.B.D | PM |
| svance92 | T.B.D. | T.B.D | PM
|
| Rank 5 - Area Managers | |||
| MGODLEW | All of Pennsylvania | Coverage extends into borders of DE, MD, NJ, NY, OH, & WV | PM |
| Rank 4 - Area Managers | |||
| Kodi75 | Indiana County | PM | |
| no1uknow | All of Pennsylvania | PM | |
| PhantomSoul | Bucks & Northampton counties | Primarily Central New Jersey | PM |
| rleejr79 | Southwestern PA | Current project: Fayette and Greene counties. | PM |
| tibble | Southeastern PA | T.B.D. | PM
|
| Rank 3 - Area Managers | |||
| CptCranky | T.B.D. | T.B.D. | PM |
| Dogshrink | Lehigh Valley, Hazleton | T.B.D | PM |
| hickpop | T.B.D. | T.B.D. | PM |
| KMart27 | Dauphin & Lancaster counties | T.B.D. | PM |
| LeoKantus | T.B.D. | T.B.D. | PM |
| letukka | T.B.D. | T.B.D. | PM |
| MarkInMd | T.B.D. | T.B.D. | PM |
| mreich00 | T.B.D. | T.B.D. | PM |
| nepahxc | Wayne & Lackawanna County | T.B.D. | PM |
| NevynPA | T.B.D. | T.B.D. | PM |
| PhillyRace | T.B.D. | T.B.D. | PM |
| Odessit68 | Central Bucks County | I often travel to and very familiar with NE Philly | PM |
| regsv | T.B.D. | T.B.D. | PM |
| steelsandals | T.B.D. | T.B.D. | PM |
| steinbdj | Philadelphia area, primarily Philadelphia, Delaware, Montgomery, and Bucks counties | PM | |
| yrrabsille | T.B.D. | T.B.D. | PM |
If you are an Area Manager that covers Pennsylvania, or a USA Country Manager that does a lot of work in Pennsylvania, please add yourself to this list (alphabetical by username within rank section).