Author Topic: How to get involved with data/highway system creation/maintenance?  (Read 11144 times)

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Offline cl94

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I've been using TM for a couple of years now and, as someone who does a lot of data work, I was wondering how I could get involved with drafting some of the missing highway systems and maintaining the database. I don't have a ton of free time, but I figured I could try and get involved here during the free time I have.

I work with data as a grad student at RPI, so I'm quite familiar with text files of the sort used on the backend. In off-site discussions, I have learned most of the conventions used here (signed routes only, etc.) and, having looked at some of the waypoint files, I'm roughly familiar with the coding scheme.

I have noticed that we are missing all of the state routes in AL, AR, MS and most of LA at this point. I'd be more than willing to work on drafting one of these. AR definitely has some fine points we may need to come to a consensus on (like how we model concurrencies if ArDOT doesn't officially recognize said concurrency in the logs), but the others seem to be relatively cut and dry.

Offline mapcat

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Re: How to get involved with data/highway system creation/maintenance?
« Reply #1 on: February 02, 2018, 07:44:08 pm »
Thanks for the offer. I'm working on usaar right now and hope to have the set in preview by summer.

Froggie is working on usams, and someone may still be working on usala (nothing has been added to that set since it was moved here from CHM, AFAIK).

Rather than starting out drafting a new set, maybe you'd want to look first at some of the sets that haven't been updated regularly, like the Mexico Federal Expressways, or do some review of a system in preview.
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Offline Jim

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Re: How to get involved with data/highway system creation/maintenance?
« Reply #2 on: February 02, 2018, 07:53:16 pm »
I hope you decide to contribute.  As mapcat suggested, the best way to start is likely by participating in peer review of one of the "preview" systems, then help update a system or two that don't have an active maintainer.  Once you've got the procedures and guidelines for the routes down, you could pick a system to work on developing.

Offline mapmikey

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Re: How to get involved with data/highway system creation/maintenance?
« Reply #3 on: February 03, 2018, 11:06:22 am »
The person who was going to peer review the South Carolina State set hasn't posted on here in a really long time now, so there's a system that could use somebody to look at the files.

Otherwise I will have to eventually do it but it would be better if someone who didn't draft it went through it instead...

Offline ntallyn

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Re: How to get involved with data/highway system creation/maintenance?
« Reply #4 on: February 03, 2018, 10:01:29 pm »
I might be able to take some time to review SC, but I won't be able to do it until mid-March. And considering I offered to help very early with the back end, and never ended up doing anything, it might be a way to get back involved. :)

Nick

Offline Jim

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Re: How to get involved with data/highway system creation/maintenance?
« Reply #5 on: February 03, 2018, 10:21:44 pm »
@cl94 I also welcome feedback and improvements on the data processing side, which at this point involves a messy python program that takes highway data and user lists and generates a huge SQL file to populate the DB used by the web front end.  I am no database expert so I don't claim what's there is great.

Offline cl94

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Re: How to get involved with data/highway system creation/maintenance?
« Reply #6 on: February 04, 2018, 12:04:56 am »
Thanks for the input. I'll start by looking over SC and the other previews. Is there a protocol by which reviewed routes are recorded?

As far as the more back end stuff, I'm actually taking some classes and a crash course on that right now, as I'll be spending quite a bit of time with advanced data processing. I probably can't help now, but I should be able to in a few months. At least I hope I can, because I'm expected to be able to debug a program we're writing for the EPA...

Offline mapcat

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Re: How to get involved with data/highway system creation/maintenance?
« Reply #7 on: February 04, 2018, 12:23:44 am »
Thanks for the input. I'll start by looking over SC and the other previews. Is there a protocol by which reviewed routes are recorded?
The topic for usasc is here: http://tm.teresco.org/forum/index.php?topic=104.0

Other systems in development have their own topics in the same forum.
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Offline Duke87

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Re: How to get involved with data/highway system creation/maintenance?
« Reply #8 on: February 05, 2018, 07:59:04 pm »
Thanks for the input. I'll start by looking over SC and the other previews. Is there a protocol by which reviewed routes are recorded?

Just go through the system route by route and post comments in the thread as you review them. See my review of usamts as an example.

Offline michih

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Re: How to get involved with data/highway system creation/maintenance?
« Reply #9 on: February 06, 2018, 01:03:52 pm »
I do reviews as follows:

1. Check the sources for a list of routes and compare it with HB (if sources are specified or look for additional sources)

2. Load region graph in HDX, zoom-in and check that
 - concurrencies are OK
 - no routes are missing
 - waypoints have matching waypoints on neighboring routes (also higher level systems)

3. Check data errors to avoid losing time with weird things later

4. Go through the routes in HB:
 - Click on all waypoints with names of routes from the same or higher systems and check that the info window shows links to these routes (e.g. SC10 wp "SC28" should show link "SC SC28", if not, check position on HDX, there might be a near-miss-point (NMP))
 - Check if "relevant" waypoints are missing
 - Check on GSV if route is really signed (if available or if there are doubts only)

5. Open Waypoint Editor
 - Open wpt files in GitHub, load each file to wpt editor (copy & paste)
 - Check if red limits are exceeded
 - Zoom-in, click on all waypoints and check that position and label names are correct

I have a text file on my PC (template below) and enter all comments by route. When the first bunch of files is done, e.g. SC2 to SC49, I copy the comments to the thread.

Code: [Select]
[b]SC:[/b]


[b]SC:[/b]


However, you could also find your own way :)
« Last Edit: November 20, 2018, 01:20:37 pm by michih »

Offline yakra

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Re: How to get involved with data/highway system creation/maintenance?
« Reply #10 on: February 06, 2018, 03:13:12 pm »
Just go through the system route by route and post comments in the thread as you review them. See my review of usamts as an example.
michih also did a good thorough review of the canmb system, starting here.

1. Check the sources for a list of routes and compare it with HB (if sources are specified or look for additional sources)
Sources are often (but not always) listed in the OP of a system's forum thread. They should also be included on the credits and sources page, but sometimes that doesn't get updated quickly.

4. Go through the routes in HB:
...
 - Check if "relevant" waypoints are missing
To expand on this a bit:
 - Does the route have the proper extent and termini; is the whole thing drafted?
 - Does it follow the correct routing along the way?
 - Are the waypoints listed in the correct order? (In North America, this will usually be south-to-north or west-to-east.)
Instruction Manual: Waypoints to include describes required intersections & shaping points that should be included. It addresses another point to add here, that of waypoint density: Extraneous points should be avoided, such as minor roads serving local (not regional) traffic. Hidden shaping points should generally be just enough to keep the road centerline within the red limit lines in the waypoint editor, but not more, save for rare exceptions such as sharp turns or switchbacks.

5. Open Waypoint Editor
 - Open wpt files in GitHub, load each file to wpt editor (copy & paste)
 - Check if red limits are exceeded
 - Zoom-in, click on all waypoints and check that position and label names are correct
Instruction Manual: Labeling waypoints. Pretty involved, with many examples of how the different rules governing labeling work. Might be a bit overwhelming for new folks to get introduced to all at once, but there it is.
Instruction Manual: Waypoint positioning. This used to include some good visual examples, but unfortunately they were linked using the Google Staticmap API, which has been discontinued. If you're feeling adventurous, you can right-click on an image and select "View Image" or "Copy Image Location"; the center of the interchange will be the coordinates listed after the center= argument in the URL. I guess that will have to do until we make a new manual, with the images included again. (Making an updated manual has received some discussion from time to time, but has remained a low enough priority for none of us to actually do it yet.)
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Offline the_spui_ninja

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Re: How to get involved with data/highway system creation/maintenance?
« Reply #11 on: February 07, 2018, 03:44:52 pm »
1. Check the sources for a list of routes and compare it with HB (if sources are specified or look for additional sources)
Sources are often (but not always) listed in the OP of a system's forum thread. They should also be included on the credits and sources page, but sometimes that doesn't get updated quickly.

When I reviewed usawy (here), I would always double-check with each county's GIS/equivalent map just to make sure all the waypoint labels were right; this led to Wyoming having the most sources of any system. Now, since WY only has 22 counties, this wasn't too much of a pain, but for other states it could expand into an uncontrollable boondoggle. Also, I would check the DOT website to find some sort of route log; that was incredibly helpful for me with WY. As a non-computer nerd, I didn't use any of those fancy waypoint editors/HDX stuff but just eyeballed multiple tabs in Google Chrome to make sure everything lined up; I would not recommend doing that if you don't have to.
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Offline michih

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Re: How to get involved with data/highway system creation/maintenance?
« Reply #12 on: February 08, 2018, 12:51:37 pm »
I'm not sure if the list is correct but I think the subsequent preview systems in CDN/USA require peer-reviews (sorted by date):

  2015-11-27 usaak Alaska State Highways --- peer-review done; should be activated "soon"
  2016-02-23 usasc South Carolina State Highways
  2017-01-20 usaga Georgia State Highways --- peer-review completed March 2017 but not yet revised
  2017-05-05 usapr Puerto Rico Territorial Highways --- peer-review started in 2017
  2017-05-06 usaca California State Highways --- not yet ready for peer review
  2017-08-15 usanp United States Select National Park Highways
  2017-08-23 usafl Florida State Highways
  2017-09-06 usaush United States Historic Highways

  2017-02-03 cannl Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Highways --- peer review started in 2017
  2017-05-29 canqc Québec Provincial Routes
  2017-12-24 canmbw Winnipeg City Routes

There are also systems on other continents...
« Last Edit: February 08, 2018, 03:32:53 pm by michih »

Offline oscar

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Re: How to get involved with data/highway system creation/maintenance?
« Reply #13 on: February 08, 2018, 03:00:54 pm »
I think cannl has peer review in progress.

usaca is not quite ready for peer review, while I work out how to handle route segments relinquished by the state to local governments.

Offline yakra

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Re: How to get involved with data/highway system creation/maintenance?
« Reply #14 on: February 08, 2018, 11:58:28 pm »
I've been slacking on the USA AK peer review :(
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