Divided Highway and Interstate Crossovers

Couple items -

What do you call a crossover? Are you referring to a connector on the same grade level as the divided highway or an over/underpass?

While the information would be available from the state highway engineer, the biggest question would be why do you need it? Bridges and overpasses are considered as critical infrastructure on our highways and as such they are potential targets for nefarious activities so the reason for requesting the location data of them would result in a report to various authorities and a possible investigation.

Other than requesting the data, you could spend some time on Google/Bing maps and find them that way.

I mean the areas that you can make a U-turn from northbound to southbound (or any other combination of 180 degree directions).

I'm using it for the purpose of emergency response. I'm a member of a volunteer fire department (two actually) and the software we use for mapping is great as a static map but terrible in terms of routing (non-existent for one software, and zoomed so far out and without turn-by-turn directions so you only get a general idea of where you are going). Most members bring their own GPS with them, but for those extra tone-outs when you're calling for more people from home because you're getting more runs than you can handle, setting up a GPS is not practical.

I'm sure we already have all of the information in our mapping software as the county engineers and state engineers transmit new data to us all the time, so I'm sure I have the info, but it's given in terms of GIS and not GPS coordinates (or so I am told).

The turnarounds are important as the interstate is long and we aren't out there all that often (maybe once a week?) so you can be here for 10 years and still not know of them. I wanted to flag them in the GPS so you could get some sort of warning (say 0.5 miles) that one is coming up to give you time to slow the truck down and flip around. Right now, the only way we know where these are are using the GIS software (which doesn't show where we are in relation to the turnaround) or the map book (which only shows us "mile marker 20" and doesn't tell us where exactly it is) which leads to us missing them sometimes.

The type would just be a nice touch. Our trucks can't use the dirt ones in the rain (they get stuck) and can't use the gravel ones in the snow (they get stuck/the state plows don't plow gravel turnarounds). So if it's raining, or I know it's wet, it would be nice to know that the turnaround coming up isn't one I can use so I need to keep going.

Removed after having second thoughts

I think you are specifically wanting to know those places where one can reverse direction on Interstates between "exits". As I recall, most of these places here in Tennessee are "posted" with a sign indicating that they are for "Emergency Use Only" - which seems to fit what you want to do.

I think you indicate that you know where most of these locations around you are. And, you indicate that you want to have some quick info as to what type of turnaround it is - ie. asphalt, gravel, dirt, etc.

If you were to use the Rest Areas file as a model, what MrKenFL does is give mile marker and direction info that will pop up if you have "alerts" set.

So, let's start with Googlemaps (which you can put into "Earth" mode to look at the actual ground). Zoom in and scroll to your possible crossing. Find the coordinates by double clicking on the exact spot.

I'll give you some examples.
35.0043655,-85.2195888
35.0044187,-85.2201774
35.00652,-85.2056545

All of these are paved places where one could "U-turn"

If you were to put these into EPE, I think it would be possible to create a proximity alert with a specific .wav file for each location if saved as a .gpx file. Maybe there would be a small number of .wav files for specific types.

What do you think?

With the explanation you have given, a call or letter from your Chief would probably get the information in the format you need. Your GIS people responsible for your CAD would also be able to extract the info from your CAD system. Homeland Security takes requests for detailed information very seriously and would be the ones that would be raising questions if an individual were asking,

As far as being to route using these crossovers with a GPS, the answer will probably be no. If the data regarding the crossover isn't in the unit's map data it doesn't know it exists. the best you could hope for would be to set alert just as you would for any POI but remember the issues with using numbers in a name. It could set a speed alert.

The GIS coordinates are most likely "UTM or State Plane" coordinates in meters (different DATUMS and PROJECTIONS would have different coordinate values). GIS software (expensive) could convert the GIS coordinates to WGS84 coordinates with information about the datum and projection. Most likely the coordinates are embedded in an "ESRI" shapefile (which is actually a set of files) which requires GIS software to open.

I noticed with the current Garmin map version that some (maybe all) of the crossovers are visible on my 3597 and in BaseCamp. For an example, look along I95 in Maryland south of the interchange with MD32 (Columbia/Ft Meade area). The short lines between the northbound and southbound lanes are the crossovers. It would be easy to pull the coordinates from BaseCamp and put them in a csv file to create a set of pois.

Mark

If I was doing it as an emergency responder I would first figure out the area I would be covering. I then would open up notepad/excel or other and Google Earth. With Google Earth I would follow each road that has crossovers and mark the spot and note the type. With Notepad/Excel I would save as CSV file named Crossovers TourGuide. I then would make 3 wav files ,one, Cement crossover coming up TourGuide and the other for the other types.
I then would open the CSV file with EPE and with each entry edit them and figure out the distance you would need to stop and put a proximity point/circle that covers the lanes in the direction you will be traveling at that distance. Each crossover will have two circles, one for each direction. Then in Link copy in the WAV files location listing which type it is.
Then with POI-LOADER I would load it into the Garmin or the micro card. You then have all crossovers listed and types.
I am doing it this way for my historical markers TourGuide for the states I will be visiting. It works.
Just remember to make the WAV file loud enough so that you can hear it over the road noise.
If the Garmin is your personal one and you are going on a trip you can copy that TourGuide GPI to your computer and erase it from your GPS device and it will be silent. When you return just copy it back or if it is on a card just buy another card and switch.
For an example, I will use Vail Pass in Colorado. During WWII US soldiers trained there for mountain fighting and there is a historical marker there telling about it.
I put at position -106.220088, 39.547244 a proximity circle of 35 feet for Eastbound travelers and -106.212063, 39.520302 35 feet proximity circle for westbound travelers. This way the message will only be heard once and I have time to stop if I want to.

yes, chief is already telling all the right people to expect contact from me. He's not very technically savvy so he'd rather just delegate this task to me.

kurzemnieks, not exactly sure what you are trying to say, but it looks useful. I've never made my own POI file so I'm bookmarking that response for the time when it becomes useful!

And yes, I am trying this out on my personal GPS first and if it works we might migrate to getting units for all of our trucks. Our MDT (mobile dispatch terminal) is awful to look at for directions and even though it's a 12 inch screen, the graphics are smaller than what's on my 5 inch Garmin and there have been too many close calls with drivers trying to look down at the MDT. Ideally we could just have a second monitor output to something like a heads up display, but since the mapping software is awful and doesn't have turn-by-turn it wouldn't be very useful right now.

As your Chief is already involved, MDSHA should be able to give you coordinates in decimal notation. As you probably only need it for one county, it would fall to the District Engineer for that county to provide the info. This is where a phone call would provide a quicker response. The District Engineers are usually great to work with and will bend over backwards to fill a request such as yours when explained to them.

Now, as far as usage, your Garmin will not route using the crossovers as they are not encoded into the map as usable roads. After all, they are reserved for "Authorized Vehicles Only" and your personal vehicle wouldn't be authorized. The best you can hope for is a POI file with an alert. As has been suggested, a TourGuide alert would be simpler with about a 5300 foot radius.

This is also a situation where you would want to run POI Loader to create a GPI file with only the one file. The GPI could then be copied and installed on all the units within the department without having to run POI Loader once for each unit. I would also suggest a custom icon, such as a big red X for the file. It is unique and could not be confused with anything else.

Actually, MapSource will route over a crossover if the vehicle selected on the Preferences/Routing dialog box is "Emergency". Couldn't find "Emergency" vehicle or equivalent in BaseCamp or in my 3597, so there is probably no way to load a route utilizing a crossover into a nuvi. Does demonstrate that the crossovers are encoded into the map as usable roads under emergency circumstances.
Mark

Very interesting. I see it now and never knew it was there. I also see bus, delivery, taxi and truck. Very nice.

I've noted in the past the highway Mile Markers also appear in Mapsource and are therefore built into map updates. Maybe trucker GPS devices can use the MMs.

I'll leave it to another to confirm your finding that BaseCamp doesn't offer the same. I agree that I've never seen (but I've also never looked) on my nuvis for a vehicle setting other than auto, bike, or pedestrian.

Mapsource doesn't do you any good as it doesn't create a route that would be usable on a unit in this case. Emergency responders aren't going tho play with Mapsource when they are trying to help someone.
The other issue with Mapsource is it won't transfer a route to a unit as it will only transfer the start and end points and any hard placed waypoints. The unit then builds a route based on the waypoints transferred. BaseCamp appears to transfer route segments in that all turns are sent along with additional shaping points you may have entered,

First, the person is asking the question is a responder and will not have time to program a route so Basecamp or Mapsource would not work.
He/she wants to know where all crossovers and what types are on the Interstate or freeways that he/she may be traveling at all times.
The only program that does this is TourGuide for once in your Garmin it will keep telling you the crossover spots irregardless of whether you are or are not on a route.
A 5000 foot plus circle would have the message repeated over and over until you left that circle. I tried that on my visit to England and warnings about approaching castles and the repetitiveness was irritating since I had already passed the place.
My way with a 35 foot circle on each direction, Interstate lanes are at least that far separated, about a half mile from the crossover would let me know about it whether I had programed a route or not. It would only say it once.
If entered, I could drive I 80 from ocean to ocean and know each crossover without having a route entered.

I agree that it is not practical to use software to create a route for every call.

In a perfect world there would be an "Emergency" vehicle that could be selected and the Garmin would route over the crossover as necessary. We know the map data contains the required information to do that, since we can do it with MapSource.

There are several alternatives:
GPX files allow setting a proximity alert for each individual POI. Each POI can have a different alert distance...like a greater distance for higher speed limits, etc. The alert would sound for each crossover.

Create a POI file with an appropriate naming convention (like road name and mile marker)to allow rapid and accurate selection of the desired crossover. You could even create a separate folder for each road. select the desired crossover POI and "navigate" to the crossover.

Mark

I have never experienced a TourGuide to repeat an announcement. Once you enter the radius around the point, it will announce it ONCE. A standard "along-the-route" announcement will repeat each and every time you stop and start. Your problem may have been due to a speed being associated with your file as these will irritatingly repeat until you drop below the speed set.

I have TourGuide alerts set for a couple of fast food restaurants as my wife and I often use them for the restroom facilities as we know they generally will be better maintained than gas stations. No issues at all with repeats even when there are multiples within a radius.

I have been thinking about this request since it was first posted months ago. Only recently have I been able to think through a way to make a POI file that might work for an Emergency Responder.

But, I would like to know more about how such a file would be used in practice and if it matches my thinking. If I were trying to do this and using one of my devices, here is what I would do. I would enter the location to which the Volunteer Fire Department needed to go. I would look at the turn by turn instructions to see whether the "route" required me to get on I-71 and travel until I was able to exit, turn left (usually), cross over the freeway, turn left (usually) and then later exit I-71 and proceed to the location of the fire. Obviously, the return direction exit exists only on the other side of I-71 or the device would just directly go to that exit.

One could follow the "route" and get to the location eventually, but there might be the opportunity to use an "Emergency Use Only" crossover and shorten the travel time by multiples of miles. Using the example of a crossover noted above, I used the "Earth" version of GoogleMaps and came up with the following 4 points.

-84.914045,38.701276,I-71 mm 57 exit NB,
-84.923075,38.697891,I-71 mm 55.5 paved crossover,
-84.849322,38.730925,I-71 mm 61 paved crossover,
-84.834904,38.739180,I-71 MM 62 exit NB,

I have determined that, by using a .gpx file, you are able to attach a unique .wav file to every point. So, for example, the "Alert" might say "Paved crossover ahead on left" or "Gravel crossover ahead on left", or "take next exit on right and do a u-turn", etc. Likely the "Proximity" would be something like 2600 feet for each but, then again, every proximity entry could be unique.

@ WuLabsWuTecH, is this any where close to what you were wanting?

I didn't give a real clear answer in my last reply so I will give an example. Using GOOGLE EARTH.
Leaving Wichita, KS to DSM on tollway I 35 at location -97.187294, 37.682646 is a crossover.
You would enter this into your GPX program (I use EPE). I would then go North on the south bound lane figuring how much space it takes to stop your vehicle and add several feet for response time and place a proximity circle there. For example I used -97.184728, 37.684567. In the Tourguide proximity space I would put in 23 feet and then move the circle so it does not cross into North bound lane. I then would grab this site. Then in Link enter the wave/MP3 file describing the crossover. Then save it as Concrete crossover. I then do the North bound where I used the example -97.188982, 37.681038. Make a proximity circle there and make sure it does not cover the Southbound lane and then save it as above. This way it would only tell you on one side of the road.
Since emergency vehicles cover a certain area, this would not be that big of an area for it only would do good in the country and only interstates.
If saved as a TourGuide this would always be on all the time. I did it as an emergency tourguide and not a daily event.