[Talk-us] Name tag on unnamed, but numbered routes

[Shawn K. Quinn]

On 11/16/21 08:44, Brian M. Sperlongano wrote:
> Hello all,
> 
> There was a discussion on Slack this morning that could use a wider
> perspective.  The question is what, if anything, should go in the "name"
> tag for numbered routes in the US that don't have any other name.
> 
> One convention is to make a "constructed" name from the route number,
> for example, "VT Route 17" or "Highway 12" or something along those
> lines to put in the name tag.  Arguments for this usage include signage
> that contains these constructed names, for example at intersections with
> other roads.
> 
> Another convention is to have the name tag be omitted, perhaps also with
> noname=yes for unnamed numbered routes.  The argument for this usage is
> that name is only used for names, and ref is only used for route
> numbers, and that constructed names are "mistagging for the renderer". 
> For transparency, this approach (no name tag) is my preference, however,
> in my area, unnamed numbered routes are rare with the exception of
> Interstate highways.

Those highways, especially in the cases of non-motorways, almost always
have some kind of a name used for addressing, and that name is used to
decide on a color by the Coloured Streets map style. If name=* shouldn't
be used for these names, then they need to go somewhere, with the style
as well as JOSM's validator and presets updated to use/look for, say,
addr_name=* (when name=* is missing).

-- 
Shawn K. Quinn <skquinn at rushpost.com>
http://www.rantroulette.com
http://www.skqrecordquest.com