[Talk-GB] New Mapper freestyling

[Stephen Colebourne]

Mapping sidewalks can be very useful - if done correctly. By
correctly, I specifically mean that
- the sidewalks have to be routable (join to roads at suitable points)
- they should be marked with footway=sidewalk
- all associated road crossings need to be present and marked with
footway=crossing

My personal rule of thumb is based objectively on highway type and
subjectively on volume of traffic. IMO, all dual carriageways should
have separate sidewalks, as the routes that pedestrians are supposed
to take at junctions are often complex. Town centres also often
benefit from separate sidewalks.
In general, I have tried to add sidewalks to primary roads. For other
street types I think use of sidewalk=both is generally sufficient.

Here is an example around the A3 where drawing separate sidewalks is essential
https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=18/51.40365/-0.23792

Where an artificial link needs to be added to join a sidewalk to the
regular highway, I like to add footway=link even though it isn't yet
officially supported.

Sidewalks often work well with proper representation of traffic lights
(separating the lights from the crossing) and adding traffic islands,

In summary, the changeset is fine, but incomplete (as it doesn't route
properly or include crossings)

Stephen


On Thu, 21 Oct 2021 at 01:38, Steven Hirschorn
<steven.hirschorn at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Hi All,
>
> A quick check again, a new mapper has been adding pavements in West London. I think they feel they are improving the map, but it feels like it's deviating from common practice and adding clutter to the map. What do you think?
>
> This is the user:
> https://www.openstreetmap.org/user/corbanwolf
>
> And an example changeset:
> https://www.openstreetmap.org/changeset/112630151
>
> Time to intervene with an email? I'm trying to think of a time when it would be appropriate to map pavements separately? I'm thinking the main times I've seen it is where the pedestrian bit is separated from the road by some distance, but even then it's arguable.
>
> Steven
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