[Talk-us] Fwd: trail tagging

[Paul Johnson]

Accidentally sent this as a private reply but did so unintentionally.

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Paul Johnson <baloo at ursamundi.org>
Date: Fri, Apr 19, 2019 at 7:54 PM
Subject: Re: [Talk-us] trail tagging
To: Tod Fitch <tod at fitchdesign.com>




On Fri, Apr 19, 2019 at 10:26 AM Tod Fitch <tod at fitchdesign.com> wrote:

> On Apr 19, 2019, at 7:28 AM, brad <bradhaack at fastmail.com> wrote:
>
> Everywhere I've been in the US or Canada a dirt 'way' too narrow for a 4
> wheel vehicle is called a trail, path, or single track.   For the most part
> they are appropriately (IMO) tagged as path.   Unfortunately the wiki says
> this for highway:path (the highlighting is mine):
>
> *A non-specific path. **Use highway=footway
> <https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:highway%3Dfootway> for paths
> mainly for walkers, highway=cycleway
> <https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:highway%3Dcycleway> for one also
> usable by cyclists, highway=bridleway
> <https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:highway%3Dbridleway> for ones
> available to horse riders as well as walkers **and **highway=track
> <https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:highway%3Dtrack>** for ones
> which is passable by agriculture or similar vehicles.*
>
> I think it makes no sense to call a dirt path, open to more than 1 user
> group, anything other than a path.    Since about 98% of the trail tagging
> that I've seen seems to agree, Is there consensus on this?   Perhaps if the
> international group likes the description as is, a clarification on the US
> road tagging wiki page?
> https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/United_States_roads_tagging
>
>
> From my experience in the western US, I concur with you.
>
> I personally use footway if it is a hard surfaced way that is restricted
> to foot traffic. One of my mental check points is: can it be used by a
> person in a wheelchair or pushing a stroller? In practice I usually only
> see those in suburban and urban environments though there are a few “nature
> trails” or “discovery trails” specifically designed for handicapped access
> I’ve come across that I’ve tagged as footways.
>

Most sidewalks in America are informal dirt trails next to a paved street.
I wouldn't call those "paths" at all.  They're not suitable (or legal) for
cycles to use, and definitely not suitable for other wheeled travel
(motorized or not).  That would definitely be a footway.  Your average
concrete sidewalk (in the relatively rare places these exist) would also be
footway (but additionally, footway=sidewalk).

Once away from town the ways are almost always too rough or narrow for a
> stroller/wheelchair and they are almost always multiple use with some
> combination of walking, equestrian and/or bicycling use allowed. Those I
> tag as paths.
>

That's (mostly) fair.  Be sure to explicitly tag at least foot and bicycle
values, as path implicitly allows both in most areas (even though this
isn't normally or always the case).  Highway values I definitely support
explicit tagging for foot and bicycle at a minimum are pedestrian, footway,
path, cycleway, trunk and motorway, because at least in North America, all
bets are off on those.
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