[Openstreetmap] RE: [Openstreetmap-dev] OSM Schema discussions - Linear Map Features

[Andy Robinson]

Sent this to both mailing lists.

I'm slowly working through some logical map feature lists. It takes a while
to simplify it to core basics and I'm busy at the mo on other stuff so bear
with me. However since at the moment its "street, track, path, line, edge,
way etc" that's the flavour of the discussion, i.e. linear map features, I
thought I would at least share the current list of "ways" that I have in my
core list:

Definition of Way (Concise Oxford Dictionary):
way 1. n road, track, path (lit. or fig.) providing for passage along; place
of passage through door etc,; (in pl.) structure of timber etc. down which
new ship is slid when launched, parallel rails etc. as track movement of
machine; (as name of road or street, ancient: Appian Way, Icknield Way, or
modern)......

Suggested list of <way>'s including other linear map features for OSM:

RoadWAY	ie Suitable for vehicles	Includes MotorWAY/HighWAY/TrackWAY 
CycleWAY	ie Cycle routes	
BridleWAY	ie Suitable for horses		Might also include Canal
towpaths
FootWAY	ie Pedestrian ways		=PathWAY	
RailWAY	ie Ways with rails		Includes TramWAY and Monorails
WaterWAY	ie Navigable/non-navigable	Rivers and Canals
SeaWAY	ie Ferry and shipping routes	

Other linear features
911		ie Emergency routes		eg Fire access routes
Overhead	eg Cable cars, ski lifts and power lines (something bolted
down)
Boundaries	eg Political (where they are not created as <area> features)

Envisaged Exclusions:
AirWAY	ie any air route. Only excluded because of the conflict with land
mapping while the system is single layered. Though presumably no reason that
a subset of OSM could not be used for Air routes in the future.
Also Ways that form an attribute of another primary way. eg SubWAY (tunnels)
and BusWAY (Bus/coach/taxi routes).

....and finally one for further evaluation, PubWAY - ie meandering
curvilinear routes leaving hostelries.

This will all eventually get itself on the wiki so you can edit and play
around, but hold fire doing so if you can until I have the lists in a user
oriented format.

Andy Robinson