Find yourself first
The first step in paper map navigation is locating your current position. Use road signs, mile markers, intersections, highway numbers, or visible landmarks (rivers, mountains, water towers) to find where you are on the map.
If you are on a numbered highway, find that highway on the map and narrow your position using cross streets or mile markers. Without knowing where you are, you cannot plot a route.
What the lines and colors mean
Red or thick lines typically indicate interstate highways and major US routes. Medium lines indicate state highways. Thin lines indicate county and local roads. These are highway classification markers, not evacuation routes.
The map legend (usually in a corner) defines all symbols. Check it once to understand the map's conventions. Scale bars tell you how far distances actually are; a finger-width on the map might be 5 miles or 50 depending on scale.
Primary and alternate
Trace your route before driving. Identify your path, note the key turn points (highway numbers, town names), and write them down in order. Identify at least one alternate route in case your primary is blocked.
In evacuation situations, avoid routes that everyone else will take. Secondary state highways often move faster than clogged interstates.
- Step 1: locate your current position using road signs and landmarks
- Red/thick lines = major highways. Thin lines = local roads
- These are classifications, not evacuation routes
- Write turn-by-turn directions before driving
- Plan at least one alternate route
- Evacuation — FEMA evacuation route planning.