[OSM-talk] World wide coverage?

[Interlug]

Oops.  Meant to send this to the list, not just the original poster.
Trying again.

> ===
> Without really knowing the extent of what is currently accepted, I would
> comment in regards to the tertiary road discussion that I think OSM
> should accept number of lanes and lane width as well as road surface
> material. Lane width is more important than the width of the road in my
> estimation, but the width of the road can be derived from the number of
> lanes and the lane width. It is the lane width that would best predict
> safe travel speeds.

You may use k="lanes", v="3" in your highway ways to indicate number
of diving lanes in aech direction.

You may use k="surface", v="gravel" in your highway ways to indicate
surface composition.

Lots of other features here
http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/index.php/Map_features

> There should also be designations for whether hazardous cargo is allowed
> on the road,

Interesting.  Perhaps use the note field until you can add this to
proposed features.

> hurricane evacuation routes,

Like contraflow?  Interesting again, but emergency crews will be
over-riding many normal navigation cues anyway.  Best to watch the
folks with the flashlights and vests, rather than the gps system.
Useful as a note.

> and all kinds of other things
> like seasonal roads (the Dalton Hwy in Alaska comes to mind--one needs a
> permit from the Governor's office to drive the road in winter).

Other "timely" routes are included in OSM.  Best not try to use a
ferry route without the ferry.  A seasonal ice-road would qualify as
time-dependent.  Sounds like the Dalton Highway is a special case of a
Toll Road.

> If
> private roads are mapped, then they need to be designated as such. I've
> seen roads that are originally cut by governments for utility lines, but
> are maintained by the local land owner and have padlocks on access
> gates. I'm thinking here of very large cattle ranches.

There is a "gate" tag.  Perhaps add a note and mention that it is
normally locked.  Perhaps these private roads should also render
differently?  (Or not at all?)  Good topic for a wiki-discussion.

And welcome, Robert.