[Talk-us] "highway" tags in the US

[Dave Hansen]

On Mon, 2008-03-03 at 19:36 -0600, Alex Mauer wrote:
> Dave Hansen wrote:
> > I'm pretty sure I know one when I see one these days.
> >
> > http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/index.php/Map_Features
> >> A restricted access major divided highway, normally with 2 or more
> >> running lanes plus emergency hard shoulder. Equivalent to the Freeway,
> >> Autobahn etc..
> >
> > Bingo.  It's truly restricted access.  No access except from onramps.
> > It's divided.  It also has emergency shoulders.  Is is effectively an
> > interstate.
> 
> There are many roads that fit those definitions, but have, for example, 
> too-sharp curves, too-low bridges, perhaps too-narrow shoulders, etc. to 
> meet the legal definition of an interstate.
> 
> Of course, it's very possible that they've simply not been designated as 
> Interstate, but my point is that it's not easy to tell at a glance.

Yep, you're probably right.  So, go submit a proposal and get the
motorway definition changed.  Right now, I'm following it to the letter.
It doesn't matter that motorway!=interstate.  It's easy to tell an
interstate from its name anyway.

-- Dave