[Talk-us] proposed first principles for United States road tagging

[Richard Weait]

On Sat, Mar 6, 2010 at 3:28 AM, Paul Johnson <baloo at ursamundi.org> wrote:
> I think it would be better if greater weight were given to what
> network a particular road belongs to.
>
> Freeway expressway = motorway or trunk, otherwise...
> US highway = primary
> State highway = secondary
> City/county/Forest route = tertiary

Whoa!  There are too many places, in my experience, where those
network memberships do not line up with expectation of physical
characteristics.

Yes, network is important, absolutely, and while there are cases when
network approximates physical characteristics, "it ain't always so."

> In many cases, observed characteristics are better handled with
> other tags anyway.

Exactly.  When the characteristics can be tagged factually, they
should be tagged factually.  If it is a US route tag it as a US route.
 And if is one lane each way, with a traffic signal at each
intersection in town and you still think it deserves primary, then go
to it.  But let yourself change that if the local conditions warrant
it.

I don't know of a US route that is unpaved, but I suppose it could
exist.  I'd be sure to add surface=unpaved, rather than suggest that
all US routes are now unpaved. ;-)