[Tagging] "Feature Proposal - RFC - Sidewalk

[M∡rtin Koppenhoefer]

2011/3/22 Peter Wendorff <wendorff at uni-paderborn.de>:
>> ...it is a tag that you use
>> only on independent ways. The sidewalk is already comprised in the
>> main road according to our data model,
>
> Where is this data model? I would say: nobody thought about sidewalks at
> creating the data model - it's not defined.
> If you claim that highway=residential includes sidewalks, that's new to me -
> and neither proofed nor (well) documented


http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Editing_Standards_and_Conventions#Divided_highways
"A divided highway (also separated highway) is any highway where
traffic flows are physically separated by a barrier (e.g., grass,
concrete, steel), which prevents movements between said flows. "

While in the case of sidewalks there is indeed a physical separation
(the kerb), it still doesn't quality because that kerb doesn't prevent
movements between said flows.


>> and adding a separate highway=footway indicates that there is a barrier
>> between the footway
>> and the road.
>
> There is! Ask the next wheelchair user or old man/woman with a walking frame
> about the barrier a curb of normal height is for him.


I agree that this part of our model is not very mature, and that it is
always relative to the means of transportation if a barrier is
preventing movement or not. Also in the case of dual carriageways you
might physically be able in some cases / with some vehicles to change
to the other way, even if not legally permitted.

Still I keep the idea that sidewalks should be mapped in another way
then independent footways, and this other way should not redefine
highway=footway (i.e. use another tag). Any tagging of them with
highway=footway is tagging for the routers/renders.

cheers,
Martin