Key:tracktype

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Public-images-osm logo.svg tracktype
Tracktype-collage.jpg
Description
Provides a classification of tracks. Show/edit corresponding data item.
Group: Properties
Used on these elements
should not be used on nodesmay be used on waysshould not be used on areasshould not be used on relations
Requires
Useful combination
Status: de factoPage for proposal

Tracktype is a measure of how well-maintained a track or other road is, particularly regarding surface firmness. It usually applies to highway=track but is often used for non-tracks too, especially in less-developed places where many main roads are unpaved. The proposal from which this key originates may be found at Proposed features/grade1-5. The proposal was voted on, but was standardised primarily because of its widespread use.

tracktype=* is rendered on the Standard tile layer on the main OpenStreetMap site, as an elaboration on just highway=track.

surface=* refers to surface material and sometimes to material structure. It may suggest a track type sometimes, but because the same surface material/structure can exhibit various degrees of firmness, it is still advisable to add tracktype=*.

smoothness=* in addition provides a classification scheme regarding the physical usability of a way for wheeled vehicles.

Values

Key Value Element Comment Rendering Photo
tracktype grade1 way Solid[1].
Usually a paved surface (called also  Sealed road).
Mapnik-tracktype-grade1.png
Cesta od Leštiny do Lipnice nad Sázavou (2).jpg
tracktype grade2 way Mostly solid.
Usually an unpaved track with surface of gravel mixed with a varying amount of sand, silt, and clay. See Gravel road on Wikipedia.
May be applicable to heavily degraded and crumbled roads which was paved in past.
Mapnik-tracktype-grade2.png
Tracktype grade2.jpg
tracktype grade3 way Even mixture of hard and soft materials.
An unpaved track.
Mapnik-tracktype-grade3.png
Tracktype grade3.jpg
tracktype grade4 way Mostly soft.
An unpaved track prominently with soil/sand/grass, but with some hard or compacted materials mixed in.
Mapnik-tracktype-grade4.png
Grade4.jpg
tracktype grade5 way Soft.
An unimproved track lacking hard materials, uncompacted, with surface of soil/sand/grass.
Mapnik-tracktype-grade5.png
Tracktype grade5.jpg
tracktype <no value> way If no tracktype tag is present, the track is rendered with a dot-dash line style (as shown right).
Mapnik-tracktype-not-set.png
Photo not applicable

This table is a wiki template with a default description in English. Editable here.

Additional set of example pictures, from initial proposal

Tracktype.jpg

Applied to

It is primarily used in combination with highway=track (around 96% of uses) but it has also noticeable usage on highway=service, highway=path, highway=unclassified. This tag is useful to provide info about road quality, especially for unpaved roads.

Possible tagging mistakes

  • grade=* ‒ less commonly used as a mistake for grades=*
If you know places with this tag, verify if it could be tagged with another tag.
Automated edits are strongly discouraged unless you really know what you are doing!

See also

  • mtb:scale=* - A classification scheme for the difficulty of trails for mountainbiking
  • sac_scale=* - A difficulty rating scheme for hiking trails
  • horse_scale=* - A rating scheme for the difficulty of trails for trail riding