I chose the USA community rather than just one state because I think we need to try to find a better overall solution. I looked at a couple of threads that the forum software found are similar to my topic and it seems that the approach being used by most people is to just set roads on military installations to “private.”
To me that seems like a stopgap rather than a solution, but I’m a noob here and maybe that is all that the available tools will let us do. If so, maybe we need better tools? Or maybe the possibilities are just too complicated.
The military installation where I see the issue is Fort Knox in Kentucky but I know that other military installations have similar situations.
Fort Knox currently has two entrances. The main entrance (called “Chaffee Gate” on Bullion Blvd) is normally in operation 24/7. The other entrance is on Brandenburg Station Road and is only in operation during specific hours on weekdays.
Entry is controlled, Exit is normally uncontrolled (but you can only exit through Brandenburg Station Road while it is staffed)
To enter the installation, military personnel, civilian employees, and visitors who have already registered drive up to the gate at the entrance and show their ID.
Visitors who have not already registered have to stop at the Visitor Center which is located by the main entrance to show Real ID and register, then drive to the gate and show their ID to enter.
It took a while for me to realize that the routing used by Waze isn’t really correct. Based on where I live Waze will route me in through the entrance on Brandenburg Station Road. This is fine for me because I am normally entering while that entrance is staffed and I am a registered visitor. But Waze doesn’t know I am authorized to use that entrance and I don’t think Waze knows the hours that this entrance is available.
I suppose I could mark the Brandenburg Station Road entrance as “Private” which I guess would cause Waze to route everyone to the main entrance, but I’m wondering if there is some better way.
Do you have a specific example of when a drive wasn’t correct based on posted gate hours? Have you looked closely at how the base access is set up?
Brandenburg gate is here. The restrictions set on it allow traffic M-F 6a-1p.
You’re correct that routing in assumes you have access.
To help visitors out, the Visitor Center at the Chaffee gate is mapped and should be the destination for any visitor. At that point, gate access doesn’t matter. They will only be routed to the visitor center from outside the base.
Here is some literature on how we map all DoD Installations
I’m wondering if we have some gate times incorrect. I know Directorate of Emergency Services Fort Knox has done lots of gate change hours ( mostly Wilson Gate) over the last 8 months.
https://www.waze.com/discuss/t/military-bases/378311
As I mentioned, I’m a noob to Waze map editing and I haven’t even tried to touch this one because I knew it was beyond my skill level. If Waze is only using the Brandenburg gate M-F 6a-1p that should usually be correct, for people who do have access.
Having the Visitor Center mapped should help visitors, but it only helps if the visitor knows they need to go to the visitor center.
It sounds like the current solution isn’t completely perfect, but it is probably as close as is reasonable. I can’t think of any reasonable way for Waze to know whether or not each user has an ID that will get them in without stopping at the Visitor Center first.
It is certainly a lot better than my old Garmin GPS that still wanted to use the “Louisville-Nashville Turnpike” from West Point to Wilson Road as recently as three years ago.
The good news is Fort Knox has two pages that are tailored to the visitor.
Visitor Information and Access control. The Access control page includes information on the visitor’s center.
Anyone who has business on base will know if they have access or will be told where to go and how to gain access. Anyone who wants to visit will hopefully Google it first, where they will get the Visitor information page that leads to the Access control page. The few that don’t will be given directions by the gate guards at the ECP.