[Talk-us] Mass Change of Highway Classification in Larimer County Colorado

[Clifford Snow]

On Tue, May 4, 2021 at 11:19 AM Mike Thompson <miketho16 at gmail.com> wrote:

> Thanks Clifford.
>
> On Tue, May 4, 2021 at 12:13 PM Clifford Snow <clifford at snowandsnow.us>
> wrote:
>
>> The user, https://www.openstreetmap.org/user/Oregonian3, has made
>> similar edits in other parts of the west. I looked at one in Tucson where
>> they changed a tertiary to a secondary road. While I've been on the road I
>> couldn't say if it should be one or the other.
>>
> In the case I cited, I can't say whether the classifications are right or
> wrong, it just seems that adequate documentation was provided.
>

>
>> I would recommend leaving a friendly message asking how they arrived at
>> the new classification. If they don't respond then ask the DWG to place a
>> 0-hour block on the user to get them to respond.
>>
> I can do that, but I first wanted to make sure I wasn't way off base on
> this, and to see if the community had any additional input/observations.
>

I agree. I just did that with a new user that was modifying state routes.
Their changeset comment was just split-road. I asked for more information.
When they didn't respond, dwg added a 0-hour block which worked. They did
start explaining what they were doing.

>
>
>> From looking at their comment history, Oregonian3 has responded to other
>> inquiries on highway classification with indication they are using state
>> highway traffic counts.
>>
> Is that a legitimate way to determine highway classification? Wouldn't we
> have to make sure that the traffic count data license is compatible with
> OSM?
>
>>
>> I was asking myself that very question. In basic terms I don't think
traffic count shouldn't be the only determination. Road width, lanes, state
classification, shoulder size, markings, etc. could all help determine
classification. Personally I tend to pay a lot of attention to how the
state/county classifies the road. Typically higher classification roads are
better than their lower classification counterparts. And yes they may have
higher traffic counts but there are other reasons why the state may build a
higher classification road, such as its importance to commerce.

Best,
Clifford


-- 
@osm_washington
www.snowandsnow.us
OpenStreetMap: Maps with a human touch
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