[Talk-us-massachusetts] road closure edit timing

[Bill Ricker]

I agree with Greg throughout. The ease of pulling new data into devices has
continued to increase since 2009, so the wiki advice is surely out-dated.
(That my Garmin using OSM-derived routable maps is that old doesn't change
this conclusion; other devices can refresh earlhy and often, and I _can_
refresh the Garmin anytime i want to move the microSD into the laptop.)  A
few refinements: Unmentioned presumably as obvious is indeterminate closure
is a hard YES for updating. In the (30d,60d) discussion window, I'd suggest
considering how inconvenient the detour will be (which includes poorly
signed, way out of the way, obscene congestion) and danger of driver not
noticing detour if routed thru and getting in trouble (solid barrier hard
to ignore).

On Thu, Feb 20, 2025, 09:15 Greg Troxel <gdt at lexort.com> wrote:

> (This note is about norms in MA.  I realize there are other parts of the
> world where getting fresh bits is harder.)
>
>
> The idea of how short a closure should be mapped recently came up in a
> note about a road in Berlin.
>
> https://www.openstreetmap.org/note/4631995
>
> In this case, the road is closed and will be for 4 months.  I've been,
> when I get to it, marking bridges impassable when it's been that length
> of time or more.  I have not been doing it for 2-week closures.
>
> I have always viewed "don't map short closures" as being "don't map
> closures that are shorter or the same order of time as the update
> interval of typical data users", and thus changing over time.
> The wiki text about 6-9 months seems to date from 2009.
>
> Currently, I see OsmAnd having an update interval of 1 month, and
> Organic Maps of 1-2 months.  (One can use OsmAnd Live, but that's for
> mapper nerds, not normies.)  MA has good networking; even people with
> wifi only devices and no cell service can update maps on public wifi
> quite easily.  (I don't tend to, but find myself having access to public
> wifi at least weekly, without even trying.)
>
> I really don't know of ways to use OSM data for routing that end up with
> data less fresh than 1-2 months, unless someone chooses to build for
> Garmin and not update.
>
>
> I think it's more important for closed roads to show closed than open
> roads to show open; navigating to a closure is worse than avoiding a
> usable road.  This is especially true as roads get sparser.
>
>
> Philosophically, I think it's better to optimize for data users that are
> holding up their half of the bargain, rather than theoretical users that
> might not exist.
>
> So personally (today) I would draw the line at <30 days, don't edit, >60
> days, edit, and in between it's an interesting discussion.
>
>
> A question:
>
>   Do you know of situations where people will be using OSM data for
>   routing, such that they will be using data older than 1-2 months,
>   assuming that they are making some small effort to have fresh data?
>   (I don't.)
>
> And opinions:
>
>   What do you see as the expected length of time to decide yes/no on
>   changing the map?   I suspect we all agree that 1 year, yes, and 1
>   week, no, but where do you draw the line?
>
> Greg
>
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>
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