[Discussion] Real Time Closure (HOV Box)

[whoaitspete]

I propose the addition of a HOV/Service Road adjacent checkbox section to be added after the How to add a real time closure section of the RTC page. I know the question mark next to the box provides a bit of description, but I have recently worked with several editors who did not know the actual purpose of the box and its uses beyond the name/description.

HOV/Service Road adjacent checkbox

When checked, the HOV/Service Road adjacent checkbox will prevent the segment from being temporarily reopened by traffic detection. This includes situations where Waze may mistakenly believe that drivers on adjacent lane segments (e.g. HOV, express/local), service roads or other parallel roads, or stacked roads at varying elevations are instead driving on a closed segment, triggering traffic detection to reopen the road. The box may also be used in other circumstances where traffic detection is undesired before the set end time, such as closures where local traffic may be allowed to utilize the closed segment.

[dfortney]

Thanks for bringing this issue up, and I agree it deserves clarification on the RTC page. The initial screenshot in that section also needs to be updated to show the checkbox

The option used to be called “Ignore Traffic” and was changed in 2017 as Waze felt most closures should be set to be traffic-aware in case of early opening (or a scheduled closure that was delayed).

[whoaitspete]

I thought about including the old label, but I didn’t want to add any extra confusion. I do have a new screenshot ready to go as well.

Does this go against what Waze’s desire for specific/reduced use? I could word it more strongly/clearly that this is the exception vs the norm (e.g. “do not use the checkbox except in situations such as the following:”). I don’t think it’s readily advocating more frequent use, but my experience is that it’s being slightly underutilized due to confusion with the name.

[turbomkt]

Here’s my two cents.

When checked, the HOV/Service Road adjacent checkbox will prevent the segment from being temporarily reopened by traffic detection. This includes situations where Waze may mistakenly believe that drivers on adjacent lane segments are driving on the closed segment. It is intended to mitigate nearby HOV or Express lane traffic, but may also apply to service roads, other parallel roads, or stacked roads at varying elevations that could trigger traffic detection. This could cause Waze to “reopen” the road and include it in calculated routes. The HOV/Service Road adjacent checkbox may also be used in other circumstances where traffic detection is undesired before the set end time, such as closures where local traffic is still allowed.

[whoaitspete]

Since service road is in the name, I think we need to include that with HOV. I threw vice versa in there too, because we have several situations where we’re using RTCs on the HOV lane overnight and don’t want the local/main traffic lanes to reopen it.

When checked, the HOV/Service Road adjacent checkbox will prevent the segment from being temporarily reopened by traffic detection. This includes situations where Waze might mistakenly believe that drivers on adjacent segments are driving on the closed segment, causing Waze to temporarily “reopen” the road and include it in calculated routes. The HOV/Service Road adjacent checkbox is intended to mitigate nearby HOV/Express lane and service road traffic from a closed main road segment (or vice versa), but may also apply to adjacent parallel roads or other elevations of multi-level stacked roads that could trigger traffic detection. The checkbox may also be used in other circumstances where traffic detection is undesired before the set closure end time, such as closures where local traffic is still allowed.

[dfortney]

Good improvements to the wording!

[whoaitspete]

Since there haven’t been any other comments, I have dropped the latest iteration into the wiki