[Talk-us] Network edge cases

[Minh Nguyen]

Vào lúc 19:41 2022-01-26, Paul Johnson đã viết:
> Some difficult edge cases I foresee will be in the US:TX:* network 
> space, since they have a /ton/ of secondary networks.  The Ranch and 
> Farm to Market networks are also a fairly unreal mess, since Texas signs 
> the two interchangeably even though in reality, all the ranch to market 
> routes are in the farm to market network (except for the one lone member 
> of the ranch road system that passes in front of LBJ's ranch).  Not sure 
> how much of a practical difference this will make for Americana, but 
> definitely a tripping point.

Fortunately, the various statewide networks in Texas have distinct 
network=* values, even the one-off numbered networks US:TX:Beltway, 
US:TX:NASA, US:TX:PA, and US:TX:RM (the one in front of LBJ's ranch).

(State Highway OSR is tagged network=US:TX ref=OSR, which I think is 
fine because it's supposed to be just like an ordinary state highway, 
just with an alphabetic route number.)

The hard part will be designing legible shields for Texas, especially 
the FM/RM shield that leaves hardly any room for a sometimes four-digit 
route number. Based on the maps I've seen from Texas-based publishers, 
the guide sign-style markers (simple rectangle with a legend above) work 
better than any attempt at reproducing the reassurance markers, 
especially the new Business FM shield.

The Texas toll roads pose another set of challenges. Should we bother 
reproducing the special IH/US/SH TOLL shields if all toll roads will be 
drawn in a different line color like green anyways? If so, how important 
is it to preserve the Texas flag (TxTag) or NTTA logo at such a small 
size? It would be straightforward to just nix the road name from Harris 
County's toll road shields, but should it feature an acronym of the road 
name instead of the double arrow, for wayfinding purposes? Needless to 
say, if anyone has graphic design skills, we're waiting for you.

> And US:MO:Branson (or is it US:MO:Taney:Branson?) will have colors 
> instead of ref if those city-level routes are mapped...these color coded 
> routes have examples in the MUTCD, so this might not be unique to Branson.

Ah, another city route system. (I'll be sure to add the Fremont, Ohio, 
city route shields once I've gotten through the litany of that state's 
county and township shields.) The color belt routes around Pittsburgh 
are already supported, so I don't think Branson's color routes will be a 
problem once they're in relations.

-- 
minh at nguyen.cincinnati.oh.us