Shields

[AlanOfTheBerg]

It seems also that, with divided roads, when we put the N, S, E, or W suffix in the name to indicate direction, the iPhone client does not produce a shield. Also, dual-signed roads: "I-95 / NJ Turnpike" does not produce a shield in the iPhone client as well.

The Rte issue is known. They've not fixed it in a long time. Around me, all hwy-named roads have received their shields again recently. The interstates are less consistent.

Roads should not be named with more than one name in the primary name field. That is against the guidelines.

[txemt]

I was noticing, the other day, that the route shields are wrong, in the State of Texas. I know it's been said that the shields are FUBAR, but will they be fixed in the not so distance future? If that's the case, will they be set to their respective states? For instance:

State highways in Texas are marked with a white square and the number.
State highways in Louisiana are marked with the shape of Louisiana and the number inside the state.
Farm to market (FM) or Ranch to market (RM) roads in Texas are marked in the shape of Texas with the number inside of the state.

I understand the interstates and US highways don't change, but shields do vary from state to state.

[AlanOfTheBerg]

I was noticing, the other day, that the route shields are wrong, in the State of Texas. I know it's been said that the shields are FUBAR, but will they be fixed in the not so distance future? If that's the case, will they be set to their respective states?

Yes. I was expecting it to be in the next editor release, but it will not be. Waze has said they are planning to give direct control over what exactly appears in the shield. How this works and how this affects the Primary Name, we do not yet know.

It is unlikely we will get state-specific shields any time soon or at all. The method used now is the same as most other online map providers such as gmaps or bing, where all states get the same shield style.

[AndyPoms]

It is unlikely we will get state-specific shields any time soon or at all. The method used now is the same as most other online map providers such as gmaps or bing, where all states get the same shield style.

While I'd love to see state-specific shields, at the minimum, I'd like to use the square/rectangular shield for State Routes. If you look at the list linked to below, most of them are rectangular (with California being the only exception) - and none are oval. The oval can be used for Country Routes or something else...

http://www.routemarkers.com/states/

[jasonh300]

State route shields are typically a white circle (oval) with a black number in it. That's a mapping standard. Unless you have a specialized state map, you're not going to see the shields that states with specialized shields use. I've never seen a Louisiana map with the state shields.

[crazycomputingdotnet]

I have noticed that shields are showing up on ramps still. Ramps need to be exempt from shield generation, it looks like the shield is out of place on the client.

[txemt]

State route shields are typically a white circle (oval) with a black number in it. That's a mapping standard. Unless you have a specialized state map, you're not going to see the shields that states with specialized shields use. I've never seen a Louisiana map with the state shields.

I have. It's the map that had the black cover. Came out in...2003-2004 timeframe. I'm looking around my apt for that map as we speak.

[PhantomSoul]

You know, the infamously decrepit Apple maps have state-specific shields. Also, internationally, they show route symbols that reflect the look of the actual marker used along the roadway. Just sayin'...

Traditional US cartography conventions suggest that the Interstate and US Highway shields are used for those routes, circle/oval shields are used for state routes, and rectangular shields are used for secondary local routes, such as county routes. In most places, this won't match up directly with the shape of the shields actually used by states on route markers, but the point is to make it clear that its a state route or local route.

[WeeeZer14]

From the MUTCD:

10 State Route signs shall be designed by the individual State highway agencies.
Guidance:
11 State Route signs (see Figure 2D-3) should be rectangular and should be approximately the same size as the U.S. Route sign. State Route signs should also be similar to the U.S. Route sign by containing approximately the same size black numerals on a white area surrounded by a rectangular black background without a border. The shape of the white area should be circular in the absence of any determination to the contrary by the individual State concerned.

And from wikipedia:

The United States' Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) gives standard designs for highways in the Interstate Highway System and U.S. route system (see U.S. Route shield). The MUTCD also provides default designs for state highways (the circular highway shield) and county highways (a blue pentagon with yellow text).[1] However, states are free to use any design for their numbered routes; as of 2007 only five states (Delaware, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, and New Jersey) use the default shield on their primary systems, with all others using a custom design.

All that said, I'd love state specific shields. But if we can't have that, the circle/oval is the best bet.

And honestly we shouldn't get specific US shields until other countries get shields that match their national networks (at least this used to be a big deficiency).