[Talk-us] directions of ways in MassGIS data

[Greg Troxel]

(replying to Zeke and Chris both)

I agree that if there is only 1 mile of motorway class road among
trunk-class road that tagging it motorway isn't useful.

The parts of Route 2 that I was thinking of tagging as motorway are
physically indistinguishable from an interstate, and at least 10 miles
long.  I am not 100% clear that pedestrians/bicycles are banned, but I
think someone would call the police if either were on the road - I never
see them when driving on 2.`

As for the trunk designation, I find that a bit ocnfusing, but my
impression is that it is a road that is somewhat more than a regular US
highway physically, but not all the way to interstate.  An example would
be a road with 2 lanes in each direction and jersey barriers, but
same-grade junctions with lights every few miles.  Rt 2 is like this
between 128 and Tracey's corner (1st intersection west) and really all
the way to South Acton where it is motorway again until about 7 miles E
of Orange and then it's back to trunk (1 lane each way only, but with
exits).  Further west it is just a primary road, but gradually being
made more like trunk.

I don't think being the only main road should qualify a way as trunk; it
seems being important is only enough to get a road to primary.  But some
degree of limited access and being divided would be enough for trunk.
So I'd leave rt 2 as motorway/trunk mixed.  I've driven rt 7 from
Bennington to Burlington, and it didn't in general feel like "almost an
interstate but not quite" - it felt on balance more like primary.



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