Path controversy

highway=path has varied interpretation.

Short background

There are different customs, rules and signs in use in different countries for several kinds of ways available to pedestrian, bicycle and horse users. Tagging them has been varying, even before the introduction of highway=path in 2008 and has led to different conceptions of what the tags

• highway=footway
• highway=cycleway
• highway=path
• foot=designated
• bicycle=designated

imply.

Many of the detailed discussions about these choices have taken little heed of their relative ease of use for data consumers. Richard Fairhurst, author of the cycle routing application cycle.travel wrote a fierce critique of the general use of highway=path pointing out how much extra information is needed for such tagging to be usable for routers.

This page aims to gather the current conceptions and use needs. As the Key:highway claims to be "a very general and sometimes vague description of the importance of the highway" (until a vote in 2009, it was a description "of the physical structure of the highway"), it should convey something; be it that it's only "something not for motorcars" or "for specific transport mode only" - that is yet unclear. The following is as of 2024 of historic value; however highway=path is still quite a bit controversial.

Things that all agree on

• highway=footway
  • Something, where walking is allowed and possible for someone. (walking might be and is allowed and possible elsewhere, too)

• highway=cycleway:
  • Something, where cycling is allowed and possible
  • Pedestrian access undefined - might be country dependent but not supported (yet), so there has about always been a suggestion in the wiki to always tag it with foot=no/yes/designated.

• highway=path:
  1. Something not wide enough for four wheeled vehicles
  2. OR where motorvehicles are forbidden (unless otherwise indicated by snowmobile/agricultural=designated or similar).
  3. May be paved or unpaved

• Anything with wheelchair=no:
  • Unsuitable for wheelchair users or other mobility impaired

• Anything with highway=footway + foot=no (+ snowmobile=yes) would be silly

• highway=track
  • Implies that it's wide enough for a small motorcar to drive on, even if it's illegal.

Different types of ways

Kinds of paths

Description	wheelchair	foot	bicycle	horse	Tagging before path
Unmaintained trail	no	yes	country	country	highway=footway
Signposted/implied foot access only	yes	yes	no	no	highway=footway
Signposted as being for cycles only	no	no	yes	no	highway=cycleway + foot=no
Signposted for mixed use Signposted "no motor vehicles" No sign but local law allows foot and bicycle	yes	yes	yes	sign	highway=cycleway + foot=yes
For horses	no	country	country	yes	highway=bridleway
For snowmobiles/whatever	no	no	no	no	highway=footway + foot=no

•      Sign Must be tagged depending on the sign used.
•      Country Depends on country specific defaults and rights and exceptions are tagged.

By access

Example (signposted ways)	Pedestrian in UK	Continental pedestrian	Scandinavian pedestrian	Hiker	Cyclist	Mountain- bike	Horse	Wheelchair
"Way for pedestrians"	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no	yes
"Way for cycling only"	yes	no	no	no	yes	yes	no	no
"Combined cycling and pedestrian way"	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	yes
"No motor vehicles"	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	yes
Built, even way with no signs at all	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no?	yes
Example (not signposted)	Pedestrian in UK	Continental pedestrian	Scandinavian pedestrian	Hiker	Cyclist	Mountain- bike	Horse	Wheelchair
Even unbuilt trail Could be wear marks on a park grass or a solid forest trail; people will consider it suitable if not in high heels	permissive	permissive	yes	yes	yes	yes	permissive/yes per country	no
Narrow unbuilt trail Where a urban person wouldn't wan't to be routed over	permissive	permissive	yes	yes	no	yes/permissive	yes/permissive per country	no
Signposted for horses	yes	no	no	no	no (UK, yes)	no	no	yes
Signposted for snowmobiles	n/a	n/a	no	no	no	no	no	no

Nine kinds of ways and four highway classes.

• Bridleway hasn't been contented - legally allowed/reserved for equestrian use.
• Is a cycleway only for bicycles or is combined way also a cycleway? Do they need different rendering?

  In the past both were highway=cycleway, now opinions differ.

  It varies with country which type is more common, if not equally common.

  IMO: it's a rendering issue.

• Is a way for both cyclists and pedestrians any different from a way signposted as "no motor vehicles"?

  IMO: no, and their highway classification should be the same. Alv 15:35, 12 August 2009 (UTC)

• Is a narrow uneven trail different enough from a paved sidewalk or other signposted and modern built footway? (Where foot access on both is legal).

  IMO: yes, their highway classification should be different. Alv 15:35, 12 August 2009 (UTC)

  If yes, where to draw the line?

• Should snowmobile ways even be highways? They're legally binding and defined in the same law as other traffic regulations.

With images

Example	Description	Global implications	UK use rights	"European" use rights	Scandinavian use rights
	A signposted footway/footpath.	Pedestrians can use, cyclists not.		Pedestrians should use this (and not the primary road nearby) if in their direction.
	A signposted way for cycling.	Cyclists can use.	N/A or the definition of the next sign is closer to UK cycleway signs(?)	Group 1 Group 2 Pedestrians never. Pedestrians too.	Pedestrians allowed only in exceptional cases.
"Cycleway" sign in UK	A path designated for pedestrians and cyclists equally. Likely horse access is not allowed. Sign implications are equal to UK "cycleway", apparently.	Pedestrians and cyclists can use.	Horses not allowed	Obligation to use if in their direction. Horses not allowed.	Obligation to use if in their direction. Horses not allowed.
	An urban path on which motorized vehicle access is forbidden.	Pedestrians, cyclists and horses allowed. Motorcycles allowed, if engine turned off.			No authority claims it's usable.
Example	Description	Global implications	UK use rights	"European" use rights	Scandinavian use rights
	A (semi urban) path suitable for walking but without any signs posted. Access depends on local law and possibly on whether it passes though someones yard. Physically suitable for pedestrians, horses and all terrain bikes but no guarantees of passability by any means.	Way appears "suitable for walking" and "suitable for mtb" but no claims by the authorities/owner.	Permissive access for pedestrians, cyclists and horses.	Permissive access for pedestrians, cyclists and horses.	Access is legal for pedestrians, cyclists and horses.
	A path without any signs posted through an (urban) forest as in "there is something used for transport"; walking is possible on dry and non-winter days with a sure foot, but you'd be mistaken to route anyone there.	Way appears "suitable for hiking" and "suitable for mtb" but no claims by the authorities/owner.	Permissive access for pedestrians, cyclists and horses.	Permissive access for pedestrians, cyclists and horses.	Access is legal for pedestrians, cyclists and horses.
	Bridleway	Horses allowed, surface likely not paved if not given.	Pedestrians and cyclists allowed, too.	Pedestrians and cyclists not allowed.	Pedestrians and cyclists not allowed.
Example	Description	Global implications	UK use rights	"European" use rights	Scandinavian use rights