Proposal:Tag:footway=link

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footway=link
Proposal status: Proposed (under way)
Proposed by: SelfishSeahorse
Tagging: footway=link
Applies to: way
Definition: To link steps or a sidewalk with a road
Statistics:

Draft started: 2018-01-18
RFC start: 2018-11-18

Proposal

The tag footway=link can be used together with highway=footway to connect steps (highway=steps) or a sidewalk (highway=footway + footway=sidewalk) with a road.

As an extension of the now de-facto use of footway=link, cycleway=link proves to have the same use-cases and value, as might *=link.

Rationale

When a sidewalk (highway=footway, footway=sidewalk) ends, if one tried to represent the geometry as accurately as possible, then the sidewalk way in OSM should also just end. This method is not ideal for routing, as there is no connection between the sidewalk and the street, even though it is perfectly fine to walk there. A common solution is to add a connection tagged highway=footway between the end of the sidewalk and the street. This is better, but a bit misleading, since there exists no physical feature other than the sidewalk and the street. This tag aims to solve this, by letting routers know that it is indeed possible to walk between the end of the sidewalk and onto the street, but still letting renderers treat this way differently than just a normal highway=footway. Using footway=link, the length and geometry of the steps or sidewalk is preserved.

Tagging

Steps

           ---
           ---            <- highway=steps
           ---
===========---=========== <- (lateral limit of carriageway)
            |             <- highway=footway + footway=link
------------------------- <- highway=* (e.g. highway=residential)

========================= <- (lateral limit of carriageway)

Ending sidewalk

========================= <- (lateral limit of carriageway)

------------------------- <- highway=* (e.g. highway=residential)
              |           <- highway=footway + footway=link
==============|========== <- (lateral limit of carriageway)
...............           <- highway=footway + footway=sidewalk

Examples

Steps
Ending sidewalk

Current usage


Comments

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