Key:highway

+/- highway Description The highway tag is the primary tag used for any kind of street or way. Group Highway Element help Useful combination abutters=* access=* maxheight=* maxspeed=* maxweight=* oneway=* Implies access=yes Used combinations in World Australia/Oceania Europe (list) Asia (list) Central America (list) South America (list) Africa (list)

Usage

See also: Highways

The highway tag is the primary tag used for highways. It is often the only tag. It is a very general and sometimes vague description of the importance of the highway for the road grid.

Values

See below for details of commonly used tag values:

Key	Value	Element	Comment	Rendering	Photo
Roads and paths
highway	bridleway		For horses, (in the UK, these are rights of way for pedestrians, horse-riders and cyclists). Equivalent to highway=path + horse=designated.
highway	bus_guideway		A busway where the vehicle guided by the way (though not a railway) and is not suitable for other traffic. Please note: this is not a normal bus lane, use access=no, psv=yes instead!
highway	byway		An UK-only unmade path/track which usually allows vehicles as well as foot, horse and cycle traffic. There are byways which allow motor vehicles and restricted byways which allow non-mechanically propelled vehicles. See designation=*=*
highway	construction		For roads under construction. Use construction=* to hold the value for the completed road.
highway	cycleway		For designated cycleways; i.e., mainly/exclusively for bicycles. Add foot=* only if default-access-restrictions do not apply.
highway	footway		For designated footpaths; i.e., mainly/exclusively for pedestrians. This includes walking tracks and gravel paths. If bicycles are allowed as well, you can indicate this by adding a bicycle=yes tag. Should not be used for paths where the primary or intended usage is unknown.
highway	living_street		A street where pedestrians have priority over cars, children can play on the street, maximum speed is low. In the UK this is called "Home Zone".
highway	motorway		A restricted access major divided highway, normally with 2 or more running lanes plus emergency hard shoulder. Equivalent to the Freeway, Autobahn, etc..
highway	motorway_link		The link roads (sliproads/ramps) leading to/from a motorway from/to a motorway or lower class highway. Normally with the same motorway restrictions.
highway	path		A non-specific or shared-use path
highway	pedestrian		For roads used mainly/exclusively for pedestrians/shopping areas. Also for tagging squares and plazas (in which case, add area=yes.
highway	primary		Administrative classification in the UK, generally linking larger towns.
highway	primary_link		The link roads (sliproads/ramps) leading to/from a primary road from/to a primary road or lower class highway.
highway	proposed		For planned roads, use with proposed=* and also proposed=* with a value of the proposed highway value.
highway	raceway		A course or track for (motor) racing
highway	residential		Roads accessing or around residential areas but which are not a classified or unclassified highway.
highway	road		A road of unknown classification. This is intended as a temporary tag to mark a road until it has been properly surveyed. Once it has been surveyed, the classification should be updated to the appropriate value.
highway	secondary		Administrative classification in the UK, generally linking smaller towns and villages
highway	secondary_link		The link roads (sliproads/ramps) leading to/from a secondary road from/to a secondary road or lower class highway.
highway	service		Generally within or for access to a building, motorway service station, beach, campsite, industrial estate, business park, etc.. This is also commonly used for access to parking and trash collection and alleys. Use with service=*, e.g. service=parking_aisle to mark specific usage.
highway	steps		For flights of steps (stairs) on footways. Use with step_count=* to indicate the number of steps
highway	tertiary		A "C" road in the UK. Generally for use on roads wider than 4 metres (13') in width, and for faster/wider minor roads that aren't A or B roads. In the UK, they tend to have dashed lines down the middle, whereas unclassified roads don't.
highway	tertiary_link		The link roads (sliproads/ramps) leading to/from a tertiary road from/to a tertiary road or lower class highway.
highway	track		Roads for agricultural use, gravel roads in the forest etc.; usually unpaved/unsealed but may occasionally apply to paved tracks as well, see tracktype=* for more guidance.
highway	trunk		Important roads that aren't motorways. Typically maintained by central, not local government. Need not necessarily be a divided highway. In the UK, all green signed A roads are, in OSM, classed as 'trunk'.
highway	trunk_link		The link roads (sliproads/ramps) leading to/from a trunk road from/to a trunk road or lower class highway.
highway	unclassified		No administrative classification. Unclassified roads typically form the lowest form of the interconnecting grid network. Note: This is not a marker for roads where we still need to choose a highway tag (see highway=road for roads that require classification).
Attributes
abutters	commercial/ industrial/ mixed/ residential/ retail etc.		See Key:abutters for more details.
cycleway	lane / opposite / opposite_lane / opposite_track / shared / share_busway / shared_lane / sharrow / track		See Key:cycleway for more details.
ice_road	yes		A highway is laid upon frozen water basin, definitely doesn't exist in summer.
incline	Number %/°		Incline steepness as percents ("5%") or degrees ("20°"). Positive/negative values indicate movement upward/downwards in the direction of the way.
junction	roundabout		This automatically implies oneway=yes, the oneway direction is defined by the sequential ordering of nodes within the Way. This applies on a way, tagged with highway=* already.
lanes	number		The number of traffic lanes for general purpose traffic, also for buses and other specific classes of vehicle.
lit	yes/no		Street lighting
motorroad	yes / no		The motorroad tag is used to describe highways that have motorway-like access restrictions but that are not a motorway.
mountain_pass	yes		The highest point of a mountain pass.
mtb:scale	0-5		Applies to highway=path and highway=track. A classification scheme for mtb trails (few inclination and downhill).
mtb:scale:uphill	0-5		A classification scheme for mtb trails for going uphill if there is significant inclination.
mtb:scale:imba	0-4		The IMBA Trail Difficulty Rating System shall be used for bikeparks. It is adapted to mtb trails with artificial obstacles.
mtb:description	Text		Applies to highway=path and highway=track. A key to input variable infos related to mtbiking on a way with human words
overtaking	yes/ no/ both/ forward/ backward		Specifying sections of roads where overtaking is legally forbidden.
passing_places	yes		A way which has frequent passing places
sac_scale	hiking / mountain_hiking / demanding_mountain_hiking / alpine_hiking / demanding_alpine_hiking / difficult_alpine_hiking		Applies to highway=path and highway=footway. A classification scheme for hiking trails.
service	alley/ driveway/ parking_aisle etc.		See Key:service for more details.
surface	paved / unpaved / asphalt / concrete / paving_stones / cobblestone / metal / wood / grass_paver / gravel / pebblestone / grass / ground / earth / dirt / mud / sand		See Key:surface for more details.
tactile_paving	yes / no		A paving in the ground to be followed with a blindman's stick.	Not to be rendered on standard maps.
tracktype	grades 1-5		To describe the quality of the surface. See Key:tracktype and Key:surface for more information.
traffic_calming	yes/ bump/ hump/ cushion/ table etc.		See Key:traffic_calming for more details.
trail_visibility	excellent / good / intermediate / bad / horrible / no		Applies to highway=path, highway=footway, highway=cycleway and highway=bridleway. A classification for hiking trails visibility
winter_road	yes		A highway functions during winter, probably can't be driven in summer.		[[Image:Anuisk bilibino sever66.
Other features
highway	bus_stop		A small bus stop. Can be mapped more rigorously using public_transport=stop_position for the position where the vehicle stops and public_transport=platform for the place where passengers wait. See public_transport=* for more details.
highway	crossing		Pedestrians can cross a street here; e.g., zebra crossing
highway	emergency_access_point		Sign number which can be used to define your current position in case of an emergency. Use with ref=NUMBER_ON_THE_SIGN
highway	ford		The road crosses through stream or river, vehicles must enter any water. See also ford=*.
highway	give_way		A give way sign
emergency	phone		A calling device can be used to tell on your current position in case of an emergency. Use with ref=NUMBER_ON_THE_SIGN
highway	mini_roundabout		Very small roundabouts only, larger ones should be junction=roundabout. Rendered as anti-clockwise by default. To render clockwise add the tag direction=clockwise.
highway	motorway_junction		Indicates a junction (UK) or exit (US). ref=* should be set to the exit number or junction identifier. (Some roads - e.g., the A14 - also carry junction numbers, so the tag may be encountered elsewhere despite its name)
highway	passing_place		The location of a passing space
highway	rest_area		Place where drivers can leave the road to rest, but not refuel.
highway	speed_camera		A fixed road-side or overhead speed camera.
highway	street_lamp		A street light, lamppost, street lamp, light standard, or lamp standard is a raised source of light on the edge of a road, which is turned on or lit at a certain time every night
highway	services		A service station to get food and eat something, often found at motorways
highway	stop		A stop sign
highway	traffic_signals		Lights that control the traffic
highway	turning_circle		A turning circle is a rounded, widened area usually, but not necessarily, at the end of a road to facilitate easier turning of a vehicle.
barrier	bollard/ cattle-grid/ gate/ lift_gate/ stile toll_booth etc		Used to describe various barriers on the route - normally defined as nodes at the appropriate location.
highway	User Defined		All commonly used values according to Taginfo

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