Waze Adds ‘Avoid Takoma Park’ Option Following City’s Stop Sign Camera Expansion

TAKOMA PARK, MD — Following the city’s decision to double the number of AI-powered stop sign cameras, navigation app Waze announced this week that it has added a new routing option allowing drivers to avoid Takoma Park entirely.

The new feature, listed alongside familiar options such as “Avoid Tolls,” “Avoid Freeways,” and “Avoid Ferries,” is simply labeled “Avoid Takoma Park.”

“We noticed a significant increase in drivers saying things like, ‘I’m never driving through Takoma Park again,’” said a Waze spokesperson. “So we decided to make that an actual button.”

The feature reportedly works by calculating the shortest route around the city, regardless of how much longer it makes the trip.

“Normally, Waze tries to save you time,” the spokesperson explained. “But in this case, we’ve determined that some users would willingly add 15 minutes to their trip just to avoid the possibility of accidentally rolling through a stop sign at 0.7 miles per hour and getting another $40 ticket in the mail.”

Under the city’s expanded camera program, additional intersections are now equipped with AI technology capable of determining whether a vehicle has come to a complete stop. The technology has already generated widespread concern among residents who fear that merely approaching a stop sign without putting the car in park and turning off the engine could result in a citation.

“I used to use Waze to avoid traffic,” said longtime Takoma Park resident Greg Henderson. “Now I use it to avoid Takoma Park. Honestly, it’s become less of a navigation app and more of an escape plan.”

Waze engineers say they are also considering several additional routing options specifically for Takoma Park residents, including “Avoid Takoma Junction,” “Avoid New Hampshire Avenue,” and “Avoid Wards 3 Through 6.”

While many residents expressed anger over what they called “nanny state” regulations, city officials defended the cameras, saying the goal is to make intersections safer for pedestrians and encourage drivers to follow traffic laws.

“We understand that many people are upset, and some have threatened to refuse to drive on Takoma Park roads ever again,” said one official. “To those folks, we say: thank you for proving the new system is working exactly as intended.”