Wikipedia:WikiProject U.S. Roads/Maps task force

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Maps
A department of the U.S. Roads WikiProject
The U.S. Roads WikiProject
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related changesv · d · e

The Maps Department creates and maintains system and route maps for use on road-transportation-related articles. The department is responsible for creating and maintaining a standard appearance for road-related maps. Any state is welcome here.

The department is also tasked with creating Keyhole Markup Language (KML) files for articles. The KML file specifies a set of features (place marks, images, polygons, textual descriptions, etc.) for display in Google Earth, online mapping services, or any other geospatial software. On Wikipedia, these files are used in two places. By converting KML to the GeoJSON format, we are able to create interactive maps for the infobox. The file also draws these lines on the popup WikiMiniAtlas that appears through the -icon in the top right corner of articles once a KML file is created and added using {{Attached KML}}.

A tutorial on how to make maps or KML files can be found here.

Participants[edit]

{{Wikipedia:WikiProject U.S. Roads/MTF Userbox}}
This user is a member of the Maps Department for the U.S. Roads WikiProject.
  1. 25or6to4 (talk · contribs) - Experience with ArcGIS.
  2. NE2 (talk · contribs) - I've made a few historical maps for Virginia, though right now I'm concentrating on writing articles.
  3. O (talk · contribs) - Mostly maps for Pennsylvania.
  4. Scott5114 (talk · contribs) - Making Oklahoma maps with Quantum GIS.
  5. KelleyCook (talk · contribs) - Michigan Maps using Quantum GIS and Inkscape.
  6. Fredddie (talk · contribs) - Iowa maps using Quantum GIS, but could go elsewhere.
  7. otr500 (talk · contribs) Stepping up to another level starting with identifying articles needing maps.
  8. Rschen7754 (talk · contribs) - working on backlogs with Quantum GIS.
  9. TCN7JM (talk · contribs) - I create KML files with Google Earth.
  10. Mr. Matté (talk · contribs) - Able to do KMLs nationwide and currently working on maps in nowhere particular.
  11. Nova Crystallis (talk · contribs) - KMLs and maplink maps.
  12. Guerillero (talk · contribs) - Experienced ArcMap user. I currently have data for Utah and Maryland but can branch out from there.
  13. Thewombatguru (talk · contribs) - KML files.
  14. Philroc (talk · contribs) - KML files with Google.
  15. Elvatomasvato (talk · contribs) - Making California maps using Google My Maps.
  16. 420Traveler (talk · contribs) - KMLs and maplink maps.
  17. PaulWebbtheTechExpert (talk · contribs) - KMLs via Google Earth Pro
  18. Sandy14156 (talk · contribs) - Making KMLs using Google My Maps and working on KML maps.

To do[edit]

708
road articles need maps (update).
760
road articles need KML files (update).
  • Identify articles about routes that lack maps
  • Identify articles that need updated maps or maps more specific to a previous time period
  • Identify and categorize existing historical road maps
  • Tag existing maps to state they were created using open-source GIS data. (Important as copyright issues have been raised at image reviews)
  • Identify articles about routes that lack KML

Standards[edit]

Try to stick to the following standards when creating maps:

Type Stroke Colorimetry
Road highlighted 3
#cc0000
R:204 G:0 B:0
Toll highways
Business routes
3
#008000
R:0 G:160 B:0
Legacy standards for static maps
Format
  • Upload all maps in PNG or SVG format. Preference is given to SVGs as they are easier to update when conditions change.
Fonts
  • Use of the existing Interstate SVG shields (as well as state highway SVG shields, if available) is highly advised.
  • If you choose to use other shields, use the Roadgeek 2005 Fonts.
Roads
Type Stroke Colorimetry
Road highlighted 2x solid
3x solid for limited access
#ff0000
R:255 G:0 B:0
Limited-access highways 3x solid
#77AAFF
R:119 G:170 B:255
Toll highways (optional) 3x solid
#38A800
R:56 G:168 B:0
U.S. Routes 2x solid
#FFAA00
R:250 G:170 B:0
State highways 1x solid
#FFAA00
R:250 G:170 B:0
All other roads 1x solid
#9C9C9C
R:156 G:156 B:156
Background Shading
Map Scale Type Fill Colorimetry
Continental /
Regional
Land Solid
#F7F7ED
R:247 G:247 B:237
Water Solid
#FFFFFF
R:255 G:255 B:255
Parks and forests Solid
#A0F090
R:160 G:240 B:144
Local Rural Solid
#F7F7ED
R:247 G:247 B:237
Urban area Solid
#FFFFD0
R:255 G:255 B:208
Water Solid
#BEE8FF
R:190 G:232 B:255
Borders
Importance Type Stroke Colorimetry
Mandatory State (local) 1.5x solid
#9C9C9C
R:156 G:156 B:156
State (regional) 1x solid
#9C9C9C
R:156 G:156 B:156
Optional County 0.5x dotted
#828282
R:130 G:130 B:130
Map size
  • Maps for infoboxes should be with a ratio of around 1.7:1 though a few pixels off isn't a big deal. PNG bitmaps should be about 290x172. SVG vector files should be set with a size of around 1450x860. Wikimedia is able to scale them down automatically and clicking on it will expand it to the nominal size.
  • Maps outside the infobox are fair game as far as size would be concerned.
Legends
  • Maps will use an implied legend of the above; if there is any deviation, a legend should be included on the map to prevent confusion.

KML files[edit]

In addition to maps, road articles can also contain a link to a KML file. KML files provide a series of coordinates that help locate the absolute position of the road in question. KML data can be reused outside of Wikipedia; it can be imported to geographic software, including GIS programs, and overlaid onto mapping services like Google Maps and Bing Maps.

Because KML files can be generated by the same data that is used when making maps, the Maps Task Force is also responsible for maintenance of the KML data that is attached to articles. For a tutorial on how to create KML files, see the /Tutorial.

KML data should be pasted into a subpage of Template:Attached KML that is named identically to the article. For example, the KML of Oklahoma State Highway 82 is located at Template:Attached KML/Oklahoma State Highway 82. The article should then have {{Attached KML}} added to the external links section of the article, which provides links to both the raw KML data and also Google Maps and Bing Maps with the KML file overlaid.

GeoJSON[edit]

Wikipedia utilizes the Kartographer extension to display interactive maps using OpenStreetMap as a background. We can display map data on these maps by converting KML data to the GeoJSON format using User:Evad37/kmlToJson.js to do the conversion. Converted code can be used locally on pages such as Wikipedia:Map data/Wikipedia KML/Oklahoma State Highway 82 or at Commons at Data:Oklahoma State Highway 82.map.

Commons maps[edit]

Here is how to create a GeoJSON map on Commons. In the edit notice on any KML page, there is a link to the GeoJSON page here on enwiki and also the corresponding map page at Commons (Wikipedia:Map data/Wikipedia KML/Oklahoma State Highway 82 and Data:Oklahoma State Highway 82.map). When you click on the Commons link for the first time, you should be presented with content like this in the edit window. Edit the description, sources (optional), license (just remove // before your option), zoom, and coordinates accordingly. Then copy the GeoJSON code from the KML page (after conversion, of course) or the Map data page like Wikipedia:Map data/Wikipedia KML/Oklahoma State Highway 82. Then you can simply paste everything in the data field and overwrite { ... GeoJSON ... }. When you click save, an error will pop up, but that will only clear if you remove of the commented-out lines (those starting with //) in the code.

{
    // !!!!! All comments will be automatically deleted on save !!!!!

    // Optional "description" field to describe this map
    "description": {"en": "map description"},

    // Optional "sources" field to describe the sources of the map.  Can use Wiki Markup
    "sources": "Copied from [http://example.com Example Map Source]",

    // Mandatory "license" field.
	// Recommended license: CC0-1.0.
	// Please uncomment one of the licenses:
	// "license": "CC0-1.0", // Creative Commons Zero
	// "license": "CC-BY-1.0", // Creative Commons Attribution 1.0
	// "license": "CC-BY-2.0", // Creative Commons Attribution 2.0
	// "license": "CC-BY-2.5", // Creative Commons Attribution 2.5
	// "license": "CC-BY-3.0", // Creative Commons Attribution 3.0
	// "license": "CC-BY-4.0", // Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
	// "license": "CC-BY-4.0+", // Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 or later version
	// "license": "CC-BY-SA-1.0", // Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 1.0
	// "license": "CC-BY-SA-2.0", // Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0
	// "license": "CC-BY-SA-2.5", // Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5
	// "license": "CC-BY-SA-3.0", // Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
	// "license": "CC-BY-SA-4.0", // Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0
	// "license": "CC-BY-SA-4.0+", // Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 or later version
	// "license": "ODbL-1.0", // ODC Open Database License v1.0
	// "license": "dl-de-zero-2.0", // Data licence Germany - Zero - Version 2.0
	// "license": "dl-de-by-1.0", // Data licence Germany – attribution – Version 1.0
	// "license": "dl-de-by-2.0", // Data licence Germany – attribution – version 2.0
	// "license": "GeoNutzV", // Geo Data license Germany


    "zoom": 3,
    "latitude": 0,
    "longitude": 0,
    "data": {

        ... GeoJSON ...

    }
}

Resources[edit]

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