Let us know where you live (state) and the local community will be glad to help you out.

The new Costco in Ankeny, Iowa- exit 94 is correct but NE 36th Street going east is closed due to road construction.  Please mark - exit 94 is the only way to get there at this time.
 

I need to speak to an Area Manager for Iowa, in the Coralville/Iowa City area.

I managed to get most of the map edits done by using the chat function inside the map editor. But this was very difficult. The Level 5 users did not believe me when I told them the roads were closed. They looked online and quoted me City Road Crew reports that the road would be finished in September. I sent them back newspaper website stories that the road construction was not finished, it is a public works disaster, it is months behind schedule. They still didn't believe me. So I went out of my house and drove down to the road closures and personally verified each closed intersection, so they could watch me live on Waze as I drove around. I got out of my car and took photos for proof.. and I fell over some construction debris into an open pit and was injured. This is too high a burden of proof. Do I have to die in order to convince someone of the "ground truth?"

There is still one major intersection not marked as closed. The map editor said it could not be marked as a road closure because it was recently edited. This is my fault, I accidentally edited that road while trying to mark it closed. Now it will take even higher levels of permission to fix it and mark the road closure.

The editors in Map Chat said they contacted the Area Managers, asking them to contact me. I have no idea if they will respond. If you have alternate means to connect me with a Waze manager, please do it. At least now I have photos with GPS coordinates so I do not have to risk further injury, if they need further proof.

Machete808 wrote:It's surprising that nobody has used the Closure tool in the Reports menu of the app to set at least part of the closure. Or have they done so, but the setting expires?

Yeah, I was marking it as a closure every time I drive by, but the closure is always gone the next day, so I stopped reporting it, there was no point. Someone did manage to mark the closure but it expired after a couple of weeks. That's the problem with major construction projects, they are always behind schedule so if you post a closure with the official estimate, it is sure to expire before the project is completed.

Anyway, I communicated via PM with GrimesGuy and I'll keep an eye on the map for the closure of the final segment. I am sure a lot of local drivers will be relieved to see this closure so they don't get routed down this road.

Hi Gearjammer2

I'm one of the State Managers for Iowa. I can help with the issues on getting 5th St marked correctly.

Please see my PM.

Hi! You might have better luck posting in the state forum:

viewforum.php?f=632

Also, it would help if you would create a permalink to the roads that should be closed and put them in what you post. Click on the road segment(s) and then click the little link icon on the lower right corner of the map. The page will refresh and the URL in the browser window is the permalink (PL).

Yes, it is hard to get editors unfamiliar with an area to set a closure without official confirmation from county/state sources. Waze is crowdsourced, but nobody wants to be responsible for doing something incorrect that has consequences. It's always better to get the help from someone closer to the area

I see that the State Managers for Iowa are GrimesGuy, dangottschalk and fermentedfungus1. You might want to send them a PM. Up toward the upper left corner of this page, click where it says (0 new messages) to get to your inbox and create a new personal message to them. They are Rank 4 editors, which is what you need to set a closure.

It's surprising that nobody has used the Closure tool in the Reports menu of the app to set at least part of the closure. Or have they done so, but the setting expires?

Finally: Don't give up on advancing in rank, if you're interested in doing so. Trust me, I'm from a teensy state where everything SEEMED done already (it isn't). On top of what there is to do near home or wherever you Waze, there are Map Raids that are open to all editors -- and those are great for gaining access to areas temporarily, learning and earning editing points there.

Hope this helps, and hang in there! This is how I got started, too!