[talk-au] Operator/informal tags for tracks

[Andrew Harvey]

Good to see more data consumers using the tags we have to improve the map
representation. I agree we should try to tag operator and informal tags
more.

I'd also like to see the highway tag value set based on:

* highway=footway for constructed walking tracks (you may find things like
surface levelling, drainage channels, timber sleepers for erosion control)
or formally signposted tracks.
* highway=path for natural walking tracks formed by use without being
formally constructed and no signage

moving away from the traditional practice of exclusively using highway=path
for bush tracks and highway=footway for urban footpaths.

This could also be used as an indicator for map display, in a similar way
to highway classifications.

On Mon, 21 Oct 2024 at 08:47, Tom Brennan <website at ozultimate.com> wrote:

> Hi all
>
> Back in April I did some tagging tests on foot tracks (highway=path) at
> Kanangra that showed that Gaia GPS (possibly amongst other downstream
> applications) renders formal tracks - tagged with "operator=*" - more
> prominently than those tagged as "informal=yes".
>
> So I'd encourage anyone updating tracks on the map in future to fill in
> those fields where appropriate. While it's only a small thing from a
> rendering point of view, it will help deter users of those applications
> from thinking that all paths are equal.
>
> It's not always easy to determine what is formal vs informal,
> particularly in areas where the national park service or local council
> does minimal maintenance. There are some guidelines on the Australian
> Tagging Page:
>
>
> https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Australian_Tagging_Guidelines/Cycling_and_Foot_Paths
>
> I tend to try and look at the following:
> * maintenance - if a track is being maintained by council/NPWS then it
> should be tagged
> * signposting - if a track is signposted by council/NPWS then it's tacit
> approval, and should also be tagged
> * mapping - if a track appears on council/NPWS's own maps (not obviously
> reproduced from OSM) then it's tacit approval, and should also be tagged
>
> Any other thoughts welcome.
>
> cheers
> Tom
> ----
> Canyoning? try http://ozultimate.com/canyoning
> Bushwalking? try http://bushwalkingnsw.com
>
>
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