[OSM-talk] Newbie - questions I didn't find definate answers in the wiki or list archives

[Timothy C Litwiller]

On 9/20/2009 3:52 PM, Richard Weait wrote:
> On Sun, Sep 20, 2009 at 3:27 PM, Timothy C Litwiller<tim at litwiller.net>  wrote:
>    
>> I didn't find a newbie list so I've been reading the wiki and this list
>> for the last week.
>>      
> Welcome, Tim.
>
> http://lists.openstreetmap.org/listinfo/newbies
> ;-)
>
> I don't know how busy that list is, so I signed up too.
>
>    

Thanks - I don't know how I missed that.

>>   I've been working on streets in and around Wichita and Newton, Kansas
>> for the last week, it seems there has been little done since the tiger
>> data import, as most freeway(motorway) intersections also connect
>> directly to the crossing street. I've been disconnecting and making sure
>> that the entrance and exit ramps match the yahoo image. and adding
>> bridges to the appropriate way.
>>      
> Excellent start.  Changing arterial streets to highway=secondary will
> help give the city some context.
> Lots of the streets have abbreviated types.  OSM wants Road instead of
> Rd, and Avenue instead of Ave.  That's tedious work though. Change
> them as you touch them, I guess.
>
> Add parks and rivers to give the city some warmth.  Add points of
> interest like businesses to get other locals interested in helping.
>
>    
>> But before I do to much damage it would be nice if someone could give me
>> "constructive criticism" if and what I am missing and if I am doing
>> things correctly.
>>      
> Wow.  Okay.
>
>    
>> see this area
>> http://www.openstreetmap.org/?lat=37.6777&lon=-97.3922&zoom=14&layers=B000FTF
>> and
>> http://www.openstreetmap.org/?lat=38.0556&lon=-97.3127&zoom=14&layers=B000FTF
>>      
> I don't see glaring errors in my quick glance.  If I was really picky
> I'd say this
>
> http://www.openstreetmap.org/browse/way/13092530
>
> should have a node intersecting with the railway marked as
> highway=level_crossing.  The node is currently beside the railway.
>
>    
>> I haven't even started describing lanes etc. You current discussion of
>> lanes on bridges is very interesting and I am assuming some of it also
>> pertains to lanes in a city setting.
>>      
> Consider that thread an arcane discussion of edge cases that will
> likely not enter your world.  You'll see similar threads on other
> topics.
>
>    
>> also - more questions about roads in a rural setting.
>>
>> we have dirt and/or sand or gravel roads every mile - I think I'll put
>> surface=unpaved and surface=dirt,  is there a preferred way to designate
>> , like the UPS and Fedex men have maps,  of which roads are not passable
>> when wet?
>> then about about every 5 - 10 miles there will be a county road that is
>> very rough pavement and between towns or out to the state or US highways
>> there will be a better paved road,  then the US or state highway will
>> lead out to the interstate freeway
>>
>> so help me make sure I understand these levels
>> interstate freeway = motorway
>> US highway = primary
>> state highway = secondary
>> good county highway = terterary
>> or
>> county highway = residential surface=paved smoothness=good
>> poor county highway = residential surface=paved smoothness=bad
>>      
> The exact correlation between tags and legal designation only exists
> in England.  The rest of us have to wing it.
> See a full discussion here
> http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/United_States_roads_tagging
>
> Use the wiki for guidance, use your judgment to adapt for local
> conditions.  Tag more carefully when changing the work of another
> editor than when changing the work of a robot (or adding new
> material).
>
>    
>> graveled&  sand road highway= track? surface=unpaved
>> dirt road = highway= track? surface=dirt
>>      
> Sure.
>
>    
>> if it is not passable when wet is there something else to add or will
>> surface=dirt be the key
>> then of course once in a while there are roads that have signs "minimum
>> maintenance" they aren't even good for bicycle travel - tractors and
>> 4wheel drives are all that go there.
>>      
> Take your best guess.  Signed "minimum maintenance" sounds like it
> needs to get tagged.  I'm not sure how.
>
>    
>> nearing a destination you might want a gps device to use the county
>> highways in a route but certainly not route thru them unless you had to
>> use them to get to a particular stop. and the gravel or dirt roads you'd
>> want to not route at all unless there was no other way to get to that
>> stop - ie the stop was not on a paved road. Is there something that
>> would key that.
>>      
> That is up to the routing engines.  Tag what you can see and others
> can verify.  Highway= is a good start.  Surface= adds some important
> cues.  One man's "bad route for travel" may be another man's "scenic
> drive", so creating access=destination where no legal restriction
> exists seems mean.
>
> Welcome to OSM.  Looks like you are already having fun.  ;-)
>
> Best regards,
> Richard
>    
Thanks, I am