Junctions and Roundabouts

Introduction

This forms part of UK Editing Best Practice. Editors are encouraged to follow these guidelines.

• Please also read the Junction Style Guide for best practice when editing junctions.

Junctions

Junctions should generally be drawn as simply as possible. T-junctions and cross roads are usually best as single 2-way roads that are connected with a single node. Only when there are large turning lanes and restrictions should a more complicated layout be considered.

The UK basemap has a lot of junctions that have been split into 1-way roads just because there's some painted chevrons in the middle of the road. This is completely unnecessary, and should be removed where they can.

Roundabouts

Roundabouts should also be drawn as simply as possible, with single 2-way segments for each connecting road. Much of the UK basemap has pairs of 1-way entry and exit segments which are not really necessary. If you have an opportunity to remove these when rebuilding a roundabout, please do so. They will look much better on the client.

Steps for redoing a roundabout:

• Delete roundabout and 1-way "V"s
• Drag main 2-way segments to the centre
• Draw new roundabout

Small and mini-roundabouts should be drawn as large as possible. Any with a radius much less than 10m will not be visible on the client, so aim to get them close to this size if you can.

• See Creating and Editing a roundabout for detailed instructions.

Naming Roundabouts

After drawing a new roundabout, it is important to change the road type to that of highest connecting road (except Freeway), and set the address. If the address is not set correctly, the new segments will be drawn in red and will not be visible in the client.

To aid navigation instructions, roundabouts should typically remain unnamed. If the roundabout does have a proper, signposted name, then for this can be labelled using a 'Junction/Intersection' type landmark that fills the centre of the roundabout.

• For further advice, see How to label and name Landmarks (United Kingdom)

Common Issues With Roundabouts

• If a roundabout doesn't have a central node or === symbols around the edge, then it is not a proper roundabout. The client will give 'keep left' and 'keep right' instructions instead of 'take the nth exit'. These junctions need to be deleted and redrawn.
• If two entry and exit segments share the same junction on the roundabout, the exit will not be counted when entering at that junction. Entry and exit segments should always be connected via separate junctions.
• Sometimes the client will say "Take the 0th exit" for a roundabout. This is often caused by an invisible node on or within the junction, and can only be repaired by deleting and rebuilding the entire roundabout.

Special Roundabouts

Sometimes a roundabout will get modified to change its shape and function, such that it is no longer a simple a roundabout.

One such example is the "Hamburger Roundabout", where the main carriageway goes straight through the middle of the junction. This should be drawn as if the main road was an over pass, with short ramps connecting it to the roundabout. The example here is near M62 Junction 27 (Leeds).

Some roundabouts get modified so much that they can no longer be considered roundabouts at all. Here are some examples:

• M62 Junction 31 (Castleford)