[OSM-talk] question for folks working on routing engines

[Richard Welty]

this occurred to me while surveying speed limits in a somewhat rural
part of the US.

are any of the routing engines looking at the surface tag as part of
their decision making?

i ask this because in NY, the default speed limit in rural areas is 55
on all roads. there are numerous unpaved roads (dirt, gravel) which
do not have posted speed limits, but where driving at 55 is not
reasonable unless you're a rally driver and the road is closed.

i want to tag these accurately, and am doing so, but i should think
that the routing engines ought to avoid, when possible, this combination
or others like it:

highway=unclassified
name=Mead Road
maxspeed=55 mph
surface=dirt

richard