[Talk-us] Ref values on unusual highway networks

[Shawn K. Quinn]

On 2/10/22 06:32, Brian M. Sperlongano wrote:
> I've begun the following wiki page to compile a listing of this rogues
> gallery of road networks which do not have a clear translation between
> signage and ref values:
> 
> https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/United_States/Unusual_highway_networks
> <https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/United_States/Unusual_highway_networks>
[...]
> There have generally been two approaches to assigning ref values for
> these cases:
> 1. Omit the ref value entirely
> 2. Create the ref value from an initialism of the route's name (for
> example, Sam Houston Tollway is tagged ref=SHT and I am not making this up)

I think a lot of #2 (such as your example) comes because some validators
at least used to flag #1 as an error (Keep Right flagged and probably
still flags motorway without ref=*, there may have been others).

> Community input is requested on the question of where we should draw the
> line between what is properly tagged as a ref and and what should be
> omitted in these cases.

As a Houstonian and likely the most active mapper for the greater
Houston area, I am perfectly okay with finding another ref for the Sam
Houston Tollway or omitting it entirely. However, I am open to other
options if a majority of OSM users in/near Houston feel differently.

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