[Tagging] Mapping cycle tracks as separate geometries, but still know they are tracks?

[Jens Glad Balchen]

Hi everyone.

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: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sevJH7AXxU

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.

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.

Cycle tracks can be mapped with the carriageway on a single line, or as 
a separate line.

As a single line, a normal scenario will be this:

highway=* + cycleway:*=lane + sidewalk=* for the parts around junctions
highway=* + cycleway:*=track + sidewalk=*  for the middle parts
highway=* + cycleway:left/right=track + sidewalk:left/right for the 
non-bus stop-side andhighway=cycleway + sidewalk=* for the bus stop-side

As a separate line, you'd potentially have this:

highway=* + cycleway:*=lane + sidewalk=* for the parts around junctions
(2x) highway=cycleway + sidewalk=* for the middle parts

Either scheme is fine, depending on what mappers want to do, so that is 
NOT what this question is about :)

The downside of the second approach is we are not "allowed" to tag the 
highway=cycleway as a track.

The reason it would be valuable to tag highway=cycleway 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.

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.

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.

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.

So, my question is:

How could we tag separately drawn cycleway tracks so that we know they 
are tracks?

Cheers,

Jens
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