[Talk-us] Mass Pike naming convention

[Greg Troxel]

Paul Johnson <baloo at ursamundi.org> writes:

> For what it's worth, seconded.
>
> On Sat, Jul 2, 2022 at 5:00 PM Mike Thompson <miketho16 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> According to the wiki, the name should not contain abbreviations[0], and
>> "Mass" is an abbreviation for "Massachusetts." I suggest short_name=Mass
>> Pike.  Data consumers can look to this key, or can perform their own
>> abbreviation/shortening.
>>
>> Just my 2 cents, and I am not from Mass.
>>
>> Mike

My reaction on reading is that the actual official name belongs in name,
and I concur with Mike and Paul.  And I am in MA.  ~Everybody knows that
the formal name is Massachusetts Turnpike (note that a fair number of
people are clear on approximately nothing :-).  Random link that
confirms that:
  https://www.mass.gov/service-details/massachusetts-turnpike-fuels-excise-refund-program

There are roads where the name in OpenStreetMap is "Massachusetts
Avenue", the legal name of the road, but I think signs usually say MASS
AVE.  Definitely RD and ST appear on signs, and we don't change name= to
match.

So, I think it's clear that signs are often abbreviations of the actual
names.  I know we have a long history of talking about "verifiability",
but it's trivial to verify the official name by consulting the public
records of the entity that is authorized to name it; their statements
make it so.  And nobody is actually confused about the facts; the
present question is whether name= is the actual name or the abbreviation
used on signs.  I suepect Brian didn't realize that esentially all
street signs are abbreviations.  I'll keep my eye open for a
non-abreviated one, which I bet exists but I would find it novel.
(Found it: Way has no abbreviation, but I meant a name which could be
abbreviated and isn't.)

Greg
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