Road Numbering Changes

[Jhoan Seb]

I don't know much about road numbering in Libya (in fact, I thought it didn't exist). The Route A1 connects Libya with Egypt, specifically with Highway 10 (International Coastal Road). Even so, the labels are a mess, sometimes appearing in Arabic, without an abbreviation, or appearing as NR (similar to Tunisia and Algeria) on Bing Maps.

[Jhoan Seb]

What caught my attention is the following road numbering:
- Highway 33 = Assyut - Al Kharga (Both Bing Maps and DigitalEgypt have it, but Road Numbering Systems does not)
- Highway 19 = Cairo - Burumbul - Abnub (Not marked in any mapping service but Road Numbering Systems has it)
(It should be the Eastern section of the Aswan - Cairo Desert Road, since the Western section is marked as Highway 25)
- Highway 18 = Qena - Safaga (Road Numbering Systems) (Using a Panoramio Image) but according to DigitalEgypt (OSM) and TomTom (Bing) its Highway 224 (Marcel was wrong but I don't understand because I can't found another signposted)
Hwy 18 is interesting because I'm not about sure it's alignment.

[Jhoan Seb]

After doing quite a bit of digging, I found some discrepancies with certain datasets.

TomTom/Bing:
- Highway 11 only goes from Suez to Hurghada (when the DigitalEgypt team in OSM stated that Highway 11 goes to the Sudanese border in the disputed Halaib triangle).
- Wahat Road (https://www.flickr.com/photos/netranusa/5243283563/), which connects Giza with Bahariya, was marked as Highway 221 (The DigitalEgypt team for OSM did in fact correctly assign the ref number, but TomTom unfortunately marked it as part of Highway 192, which makes me a little skeptical about the accuracy of some desert roads).
OSM:
- Although OSM is editable and can be edited at any time, unfortunately the refs in certain parts of the map were misplaced, for example using the refs from the Mashreq routes for routes in the Sinai instead of the refs used by the Egyptian government and tagging the Mashreq routes as int_ref
- Routes around Marsa Matruh use road numbering (unfortunately, the DigitalEgypt team did not update all routes in Egypt in their edit-a-thon).
Road Numbering Systems:
- A really good website that has cataloged large parts of the main routes, although the only error I have noticed is that Marcel cataloged Highway 18 as the Qena-Safaga Road (when it is actually Highway 244)

- Highway 18 is the El Geesh - Hurghada Rd (El Geesh means "Army" in Arabic). Routes 11 to 19 start in Suez or Cairo, so it would not make sense for the highway to start in Qena instead of the capital, so Highway 18 is in fact the highway that runs from Helwan (Southern Cairo) to Safaga. Additionally, the alignment matches that of Highway 19, which runs from Cairo to Abnub, so logically Highway 18 would run parallel to it, similar to how Highways 14 and 15 are parallel and connect with governorates around the Suez Canal. Therefore, following this logic, Hwy 18 and 19 would be parallel to each other and would connect governorates in the east of the Nile.

https://wiki.aaroads.com/wiki/Draft:List_of_highways_in_Egypt <- You can check the route log here.

[Jhoan Seb]

After three decades, the Kyrgyz Ministry of Transport has finally been placing road numbers on road signs.
https://24.kg/obschestvo/351478_mintrans_pokazal_obnovlennyiy_uchastok_dorogi_balyikchi_bokonbaevo_karakol/
https://wiki.aaroads.com/wiki/EM-10_(Kyrgyzstan)

[Jhoan Seb]

Apparently, the Kazakh Ministry of Transport has already begun replacing some signs in Karaganda, where KAZ01 is now displayed. They are also using Arial more than GOST at present to differentiate themselves from Russia.
The image is from October 2025: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQO3mmgCLcv/

[Jhoan Seb]

https://wiki.aaroads.com/wiki/Highway_15_(Egypt)
It seems some parts of Highway 15 in Egypt still signed.
Photo is from December 2025 (https://www.facebook.com/ABUALFHDSROUR/posts/pfbid037BaBFWorErNhqNqK86ChrvuKMDf96uvDLhC9Uxcok472w8gNifLBkFmMFzKezWXml)

[Jhoan Seb]

After months of research, I was able to create a proper route log for AARW: https://wiki.aaroads.com/wiki/List_of_highways_in_Egypt (It's not perfect, but it finally combines different sources to identify certain routes)

I am currently researching road numbering in Yemen. Google Maps and OSM already have road numbering for the mainland, but with Socotra, Google Maps classifies the routes as S1, S2, and S3, and the primary road is RR-01.

[Jhoan Seb]

I found a route log published by UNESCO to identify the routes of Socotra. Unfortunately, the island is not very well mapped. According to that document, the island's road network is 430 kilometers long.

https://whc.unesco.org/document/123001

I am conflicted because I don't know if it's a good idea to use a route log published by the UN for these countries. Wikis such as SABRE and WegenWiki use the Interstate system published by the UN for South Sudan, but the DOT of that country uses a system of N and A roads.

[Jhoan Seb]

I have been working with Rschen to create a proper route log for the Faroe Islands. (https://wiki.aaroads.com/wiki/Draft:Roads_in_the_Faroe_Islands) Something I noticed recently is that the DOT of the islands has finally demarcated the first ring road of Streymoy Island.

Under Danish signage rules, they use an O to indicate the presence of a ring road. The road was inaugurated and marked as such in 2025. The road is officially called "Havnarvegurin," and here are more photos of it: https://in.fo/news-detail/innkomuvegurin-eitur-nu-havnarvegurin

[english si]

The dashed lines around the cartouches mean 'To'. This new road is not the O1.

The O1 is going to be a new number for Eystari Ringvegur, Vestari Ringvegur (there's a clue in those road names), Marknagilsvegur and possibly something taking it further along into the southern suburb of Argir, possibly something along Torshavn's coast line making it a loop.

It is not this new bypass further out, which by Danish principles would probably have been called O2 even if the O1 wasn't signed or even designated, just in case it might be in the future (especially as the other proposal for the road's name translates as 'Outer Ring Road').

[Jhoan Seb]

I see. I am looking into the matter. I generally assumed that this new bypass was Ring 01. This is because one of the local politicians suggested calling it "Ytri Ringvegur".

The authority responsible for administering this is Landsverk.fo, but I cannot find an official route log.

[english si]

I see. I am looking into the matter. I generally assumed that this new bypass was Ring 01. This is because one of the local politicians suggested calling it "Ytri Ringvegur".

"Outer Ring Road" doesn't suggest Ring 1...

The Faroe GIS doesn't have either road numbered https://kort.foroyakort.fo/kort/ but that could be because it hasn't been updated yet.

[Jhoan Seb]

Looking at the road maps of Aarhus and Odense in Mainland Denmark, I can see that the O1 Ring Road is generally quite close to the city center, and the O2 Ring Road functions as a bypass.



https://maps.app.goo.gl/LN6uyj76t94kWqGN8 <- The original sign with the O1 Dashed Cartouche is around this sport venue.


Looking at the photos published by the municipality of Tórshavn showing the new tunnel, there is a sign showing the dashed cartouche of Route 50 and Ring Road O1.

Street View hasn't been very helpful because the road was opened in 2025 and the images they have are from 2024, but you can see the construction of the bypass here. (https://maps.app.goo.gl/C2zpvddibffmH6E56)

[Jhoan Seb]

It appears that the Department of Cundinamarca has partially changed its signage between 2021 and 2024.

https://mapas.cundinamarca.gov.co/datasets/cundinamarca-map::mapa-infraestructura-vial/explore?location=4.707918%2C-73.602236%2C10
The Cundinamarca departmental route system is governed by departmental decree 171 of 2003. But I guess they tried to update after the region got better infraestructure over time.

Departmental route 21 becomes departmental route 47. The change in signals apparently began in 2021.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/FLDTT1Ey8gDuqJDn6
https://maps.app.goo.gl/2zJ5GRhdC6RJmQ1Q9

[ClassicHasClass]

Interesting that Google still seems to call it 21 on the map.

[Jhoan Seb]

It seems that Sarawak in Malaysian Borneo has changed their state numbering. Google Maps still displaying the old numbers.

[Jhoan Seb]

https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/17714678#map=9/25.808/-111.950

Baja California Sur does not label its state routes, but in 2024, as part of promoting tourism in the state, they gave the route a number.
(https://www.facebook.com/noticiasconstitucion/posts/atenci%C3%B3n-nuevo-letrero-para-tomarse-la-foto-del-recuerdo-%EF%B8%8F/842226381272103/)

In OSM, it appears as State Highway BCS 53, although theoretically it is MEX 1-53 according to the shield.

[kphoger]

Baja California Sur does not label its state routes

They don't label most of their state routes, true.  However, may I present to you a route shield for BCS-286:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/7UJKhPf6Vk4fUHJE7

Interestingly, this road appears as BCS-246, not BCS-286, in the SCT logs since at least as far back as 2004.

... but in 2024, as part of promoting tourism in the state, they gave the route a number.
(https://www.facebook.com/noticiasconstitucion/posts/atenci%C3%B3n-nuevo-letrero-para-tomarse-la-foto-del-recuerdo-%EF%B8%8F/842226381272103/)

In OSM, it appears as State Highway BCS 53, although theoretically it is MEX 1-53 according to the shield.

The location of that sign is on BCS-001 according to SCT logs—again, at least as far back as 2004.

2024 shown below:

[ClassicHasClass]

I'm not disputing the assertion, I'm just surprised that (unless he traducido el señal incorrectamente) the longest straight line road in "America" (North? South?) is only 168km.

[kphoger]

I'm not disputing the assertion, I'm just surprised that the longest straight line road in "America" (North? South?) is only 168km.

See the pertinent bolded part below.  It's much easier to find (a) a long stretch of highway that appears very straight at first glance than (b) one that doesn't have slight changes in direction that aren't immediately obvious.  For example, US-54 has a slight curve at Hooker and Conlen, and a much more obvious one at Texhoma.

Found a list: https://www.dangerousroads.org/around-the-world/our-lists/3759-the-10-longest-straight-roads-in-the-world.html

1.  Saudi highway 85: 693mi
2.  Saudi highway 10: 158mi
3.  Ruta Ciduad Mariscal Estigambia - Mayor Pablo Lagerenza in Paraguay: 128mi
4.  ND 46: 121mi
5.  Mitchell Highway (B71), NSW Australia: 118mi
6.  US 54 Seward, TX - Dalhart, KS: 108mi
7.  Carretera Federal 1, BCS, Mexico: 105mi
8.  US 136, Illinois: 102mi
9.  Saudi highway 50: 95mi
10. US 83, North Dakota: 92mi
11. Eyre Highway, Australia: 91mi
12. SK 33, Stoughton-Regina: 87 mi
13. Ruta Procincal 26, La Pampa, Argentina: 82mi
14. I-10, western Arizona: 82mi
15. SL10/SK52:  81mi

BTW, the Dangerousroads website is an interesting one, for those who haven't discovered it yet.

Edit: Looking at a few of the roads, it looks like Dangerousroads is tolerating a few minor changes in heading that might not be tolerated within the precision desired by the OP.  For example, ND46 has a few minor jogs at a couple of river crossings

[Chris]

R2 in Belarus runs almost dead straight for 111 kilometers. Which is something you'd not expect to see in Europe, where road networks developed from winding country roads.

Also: a blast from the past: this is what Google Maps looked like in 2014.

[Jhoan Seb]

https://maps.app.goo.gl/TaS51McGdwdNvVVu9

Baja California State Highway 1 is signed. For some reason, Google Maps thinks it's part of the Federal Highway 1.

[kphoger]

Google Maps is kind of correct.  That highway number, according to SCT logs, is MEX-001-BCS.  It is an integrated federal/state highway, of which there are four in Baja California Sur.  These are highways that have some federal segments and some state segments.

Here is a km-marker on the same highway, which shows a federal shield:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/3QZmYh82wc4BEwJN9

https://maps.app.goo.gl/TaS51McGdwdNvVVu9

Baja California State Highway 1 is signed. For some reason, Google Maps thinks it's part of the Federal Highway 1.

[Jhoan Seb]

https://maps.app.goo.gl/bv5rD8A7FbYztJSM8

https://maps.app.goo.gl/UU8GY9pVgVH1j7dX9

Weird, the signs around Bahía Tortuga only show BCS Shields

https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/17714677#map=10/27.5793/-114.1412 OSM calls "BCS 1"

[kphoger]

... but in 2024, as part of promoting tourism in the state, they gave the route a number.
(https://www.facebook.com/noticiasconstitucion/posts/atenci%C3%B3n-nuevo-letrero-para-tomarse-la-foto-del-recuerdo-%EF%B8%8F/842226381272103/)

In OSM, it appears as State Highway BCS 53, although theoretically it is MEX 1-53 according to the shield.

The location of that sign is on BCS-001 according to SCT logs—again, at least as far back as 2004.

2024 shown below:

So, the number 53 is obviously coming from somewhere.  I just checked my 2011 Guía Roji atlas, which admittedly isn't 100% reliable for numbering, and it labels the road as BCS-53.  And I can find multiple websites labeling it as BCS-53 as well.  However, I am still unable to find any SCT documentation of its being anything other than BCS-001.