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Hi everyone.<br>
<br>
I'm currently preparing to map a new cycle track that was recently
completed. We're lucky enough that someone has filmed this with a
drone: <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sevJH7AXxU">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sevJH7AXxU</a><br>
<br>
The design manual for cycle tracks states they must be elevated from
the carriageway, and optionally with a sidewalk that is even more
elevated, and must be ramped down to the carriageway level at every
junction and be marked as a cycle lane. Also, the design manual
states that it must be placed behind bus stops.<br>
<br>
What this video shows is going to be a typical setup in Norway in
the time to come, so I thought I'd prepare a mapping guide for
OSM-NO.<br>
<br>
Cycle tracks can be mapped with the carriageway on a single line, or
as a separate line.<br>
<br>
As a single line, a normal scenario will be this:<br>
<br>
<font size="2" face="Courier New, Courier, monospace">highway=* +
cycleway:*=lane + sidewalk=* </font> for the parts around
junctions<br>
<font size="2" face="Courier New, Courier, monospace">highway=* +
cycleway:*=track + sidewalk=*</font> for the middle parts<br>
<font face="Courier New, Courier, monospace"><font size="2">highway=*
+ cycleway:left/right=track + sidewalk:left/right</font> </font>for
the non-bus stop-side and<font face="Courier New, Courier,
monospace"> <font size="2">highway=cycleway + sidewalk=*</font></font>
for the bus stop-side<br>
<br>
As a separate line, you'd potentially have this:<br>
<br>
<font size="2" face="Courier New, Courier, monospace"><font
face="Courier New, Courier, monospace">highway=* +
cycleway:*=lane + sidewalk=*</font></font> for the parts around
junctions<font face="Courier New, Courier, monospace"><br>
<font size="2">(2x) highway=cycleway + sidewalk=*</font></font>
for the middle parts<br>
<br>
Either scheme is fine, depending on what mappers want to do, so that
is NOT what this question is about :)<br>
<br>
The downside of the second approach is we are not "allowed" to tag
the <font size="2" face="Courier New, Courier, monospace">highway=cycleway</font>
as a track.<br>
<br>
The reason it would be valuable to tag <font face="Courier New,
Courier, monospace">highway=cycleway</font> as a track in this
instance is that a track has requirements for separation from other
mode types that are more similar to a cycle lane than to an actual
bike path (at least in Norway). So you'll be significantly safer on
a bike path than you will be on a cycle track, and marginally safer
on a cycle track than in a cycle lane. For that reason, it'd be nice
to know if what we have is a track or a path.<br>
<br>
For those who are interested, the requirement is 3 m separation
between bike path and carriageway when the speed limit is > 50
kph, 1.5 m separation when the speed limit is <= 50 kph, and
optionally separation can be achieved with a ~1 m proper fence if
there isn't enough room for those separation distances.<br>
<br>
Compared to a cycle track, where the separation requirement is a 10
cm kerb (which is only an obstacle from the carriageway
perspective), regardless of speed limit. <br>
<br>
I would be much more comfortable sending my kids out on a bike path
than on a cycle track, and I'd rate the track and the lane as
practically the same when it comes to my kids. Obviously the 3 m/1.5
m/fence will keep them out of danger even if they veer or fall, but
the 10 cm drop down the kerb won't.<br>
<br>
So, my question is:<br>
<br>
How could we tag separately drawn cycleway tracks so that we know
they are tracks?<br>
<br>
Cheers,<br>
<br>
Jens<br>
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