Mapcat's got it right the way most of the Area Managers prefer it. Splitting the road into two 1-way segments should only be done for VERY wide roadways (6+ lanes), or where a fairly wide (20ft+) non-driveable median separates traffic. These standards are due to 1) inaccuracy of many smartphone GPS units, 2) increased complexity of the road layer without much benefit. We prefer 2-way roads unless a wide separation exists.

Another vote for single two-way roads here!

IMHO the only separate one-way roads should be the freeways and similar roads where you have no option of turning off/around until the next intersection.

I just don't get what's wrong with separated roads... It works perfectly, so what's your problem?

4\/3!!

freddiechopin wrote:I just don't get what's wrong with separated roads...

When it is appropriate, nothing is wrong with them. The other 95% of the time they are created , they unnecessarily complicate the roadway, for both the driver and the Area Manager.

Consider three roads that meet at an intersection. Using two-way roads, this is represented by three two-way road segments, with a junction at the center of the intersection. Depending on the angles of the roads and the size of the intersection, you might use one or two "right-turn" roads/ramps.

Using separated roads, there are six one-way road segments approaching the intersection, and at least four segments in the intersection. Not only do all those segments need to have their geometry adjusted (and alternate names pasted back in) and connectivity set correctly, they do little to improve the experience of the Wazer, and often make it worse.

Depending on geometry, those internal segments can generate audible turn instructions of their own, sometimes confusing (e.g., "turn right" onto the middle segment immediately before the "turn left" onto the main road). Or, for larger intersections, you may need left-turn lanes as well as right, so that drivers get turn alerts before they are too deep into the intersection. In any case, the result is a visually-cluttered client map.

Other than that, I have no opinion on the subject.

It looks fine the way it is, in the permalink frame at least. "Separating line" is what you think it's for: some sort of barrier preventing drivers from crossing the center line. A center turn only lane is the exact opposite of that.

If you look a little farther south, the road has been twinned and that should be undone. Even though there is a block of median further down (south of Maysfield Dr), IMO it's not enough to warrant splitting the road for any length.

superslacker87 wrote:But to clarify with MapCat, are you saying that I should take the road from where it begins at Gordon Highway to where it hits Interstate 20 and merge it together as a two way road with the separator checked or leave it as is there?

Definitely from Powell Rd northward it should be a single 2-way road. I hadn't looked farther south earlier, but from Powell Rd to Gordon Hwy splitting it makes more sense, and I wouldn't change that part.

Alan is a little more conservative than I am regarding the split roads; I'm ok splitting them if there's a significant barrier in the centerline, regardless of its width. It looks more logical on the map that way and reflects how drivers see their position. He's correct that splitting roads unnecessarily may cause problems with phone GPS signals, so there isn't a perfect solution to this. Perhaps a "multilane undivided highway" road classification would be a useful additional option.

I would say not to separate the roads because if one wants to turn into the Burger King or the Taco Bell on the left headed from I-20, the driving directions would be inaccurate, telling one to drive down to to the Wheeler Rd/Old Belair Rd intersection and perform a legal U-Turn in order to go back. It would be an inaccuracy.

But to clarify with MapCat, are you saying that I should take the road from where it begins at Gordon Highway to where it hits Interstate 20 and merge it together as a two way road with the separator checked or leave it as is there?

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