OpenGeofiction
I am thinking about removing motorway exit numbers; so
- should I number motorway exits or name them (like in Scandinavian countries?)
- what are the pros and cons of numbering, and naming, motorway exits?
Thanks!
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Discussion
Comment from Sarepava on 13 April 2017 at 11:38
In many countries it is common to have both, but numbers are more useful - in the UK only the number is shown on signs, but on OSM every junction has a name. Drivers going along at 70, 80, 100 mph can read a number much more easily than something like ‘Langensfeld Ost (Messe, Kreiswaldensdorf & Flughafen T2)’ or ‘Booker T. Washington Memorial Parkway’
In some countries the junction is numbered according to distance (either in miles or km) so the first exit might be 5, the second 12, the third 23, right up to the hundreds if the road is that long.
Fun trivia: The motorway that passes my home city jumps straight from junction 5 (airport) to 7 (eastern suburbs and supermarkets). There is no junction 6, and it’s not obvious where it would have been built if it existed.
Comment from histor on 13 April 2017 at 13:03
The number - I think - is more omportant as the name. In Germany motorway-exits in formerly time (1960) only have names - that can be unclear at knotpoints. Since years there now are running numbers and the name.
But at running numbers you have a problem: If a new exit is opened, you must change all numbers or give a number like “7 a”. Or you let free a number for e never opened exit, as Sarapeva wrote. Therefore I think, the system in Austria and Poland is better, to number the exits with the kilometers.
Comment from martinum4 on 13 April 2017 at 20:24
I think the system with numbers is more “organic” than the kilometer-based system, it clearer shows additions or disused exits. it depends on your personal style if you’d rather go for something like 8.2 or 5a. If you’d really want to confuse people you can combine both (e.g. 154.44; [kilometer.exitnumber]) and reverse the order in the other direction ( 44.154 [exitnumber.kilometer])…
Comment from BelpheniaProject on 14 April 2017 at 21:43
In the United States, Interstate highway exits are numbered, as well as some U.S. Routes, and since then, they use miles for exit numbering, except on a stretch along Interstate 19 in Arizona, that expressway between Tucson and Nogales only uses kilometers for their exit numbering system.
Exit numbers are also shown on freeway road signs throughout the United States.
If a new exit is opened, you may want to consider making new adjustments such as renumbering existing exits, according to what Histor wrote if you run into a problem.
I would also like to write my trivia down, so I would say I have a motorway passes beside my hometown jump straight from exit 71 to 73 . There is no exit 72 due to the expressway only have an overpass because of a city road and a former railway passes underneath the expressway, and doesn’t have any on or off ramps.