Key:highway

Key Name: highway

Applying to Map Features type: Physical

Core values

1. motorway
2. motorway_link
3. trunk
4. primary
5. secondary
6. tertiary
7. unclassified
8. residential
9. bridleway
10. cycleway
11. footway
12. steps

User Defined values

Any valid syntax value other than a core value

Examples:

Key	Value	Element	Comment	Example
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..	File:Motorway-photo.jpg
highway	motorway_link		The link roads (sliproads / ramps) leading to and from a motorway. Normally with the same motorway restrictions. ..
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, many 2digit "A" roads (eg A34) were formally designated Trunk roads although that definition is no longer absolute...
highway	trunk_link		The link roads (sliproads / ramps) leading to and from a trunk road. ..
highway	primary		Administrative classification in the UK, generally linking larger towns.
highway	primary_link		The link roads (sliproads / ramps) leading to and from a primary road.
highway	secondary		Administrative classification in the UK, generally linking smaller towns and villages
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	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.
highway	track		unpaved/unsealed roads for agricultural use; gravel roads in the forest etc.
highway	residential		roads accessing or around residential areas but which are not a classified or unclassified highway.
highway	service		generally 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. Sometimes called an alley, particularly in the US.
highway	bridleway		For horses, (in the UK, generally footpaths on which horses are also permitted)
highway	cycleway		For designated cycleways, i.e. mainly/exclusively for bicycles. If pedestrians are allowed as well, you can indicate this by adding a foot=yes tag. Note: names are not rendered currently.
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. Note: names are not rendered currently.
highway	pedestrian		For Roads , i.e. mainly/exclusively for pedestrians /Shopping Areas
highway	steps		For flights of steps on footways
highway	mini_roundabout		Very small roundabouts only, larger ones should be junction=roundabout. In the UK, mini-roundabouts have a circular sign with a blue background, instead of the usual triangular sign
highway	stop		A stop sign
highway	traffic_signals		Lights that control the traffic
highway	crossing		Pedestrians can cross a street here - e.g. zebra crossing
highway	gate
highway	stile		Allow pedestrians to cross a wall or fence
highway	cattle_grid		Bars in the road surface that allow wheeled vehicles but not animals to cross. Sometimes known as a Texas Gate, even outside of Texas
highway	toll_booth		A road usage toll or fee is collected here
highway	incline		A slope or hill, may encounter slow moving trucks
highway	incline_steep		Just as incline, only steeper
highway	viaduct		A high and/or long bridge - more commonly carries water or trains (but see also waterway=aqueduct)
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	services		A service station to get food and eat something, often found at motorways
highway	ford		The road crosses a stream or river, vehicles must enter the water node
highway	bus_stop		A small bus stop. Larger stations should be tagged as amenity=bus_station instead.
highway	User Defined
junction	roundabout		This automatically implies oneway=yes, the oneway direction is defined by the segment direction. This applies on a way, tagged with highway=<something> already.
junction	User Defined

XML	Examples	Comments
<tag k="highway" v="motorway"/>	Motorway	For restricted access divided highways
<tag k="highway" v="motorway_link"/>	link-lane	For link-lanes, motorway exits and other motorway side roads, where motorway traffic rules apply
<tag k="highway" v="trunk"/>		For unrestricted access divided highways and other inter regional routes
<tag k="highway" v="primary"/>	Urban	For primary roads. Equivalent to the British classification "A road"
<tag k="highway" v="secondary"/>	Urban Rural	For secondary roads. Equivalent to the Swiss classification "2nd class", or British "B road" (2 lanes, wide enough for 2 passenger cars)
<tag k="highway" v="tertiary"/>		For tertiary roads. British "C road" (albeit hard to identify, normally a minor road >4m wide and with white dashed lines down the centre)
<tag k="highway" v="unclassified"/>	Urban Rural	For minor and unclassified roads. Equivalent to Swiss classification "3rd class" (1 lane, wide enough for 1 truck). Note: This does not mean we haven't classified the road. It is not a marker for roads where we still need to choose a highway tag
<tag k="highway" v="residential"/>	Residential	For residential streets.
<tag k="highway" v="bridleway"/>		For designated bridleways
<tag k="highway" v="cycleway"/>	Cycleway	For designated cycle paths
<tag k="highway" v="footway"/>		For designated footpaths
<tag k="highway" v="steps"/>	Steps	For flights of steps on footpaths and pedestrian routes

Notes:

While certain legal designations are used in the descriptions and some of the tags are the same as legal descriptions, e.g. trunk and motorway, the consensus is that the highway tag is for making a general description of the physical attributes of a highway.

While it is not as specific as other tags it is very useful because a section of highway can be classified with this tag simply by looking at it. This allows a useful representation of the highway to be part of the map immediately until other data can be gathered.

While some highway tags like cycleway and bridleway imply a particular kind of traffic other tags should be used to designate what traffic is legally allowed or may be appropriate.

The highway tag is completely separate from network and route systems. In many countries a particular section of road may be part of many different routes in the same or different route networks, and a particular route may have sections with different attributes and therefore different highway tags. Routes are indicated by the ref tag.

Some roads that were legally classified as trunk roads have been "detrunked" and are no longer designated by the government as trunk roads. These roads should still have the tag highway=trunk.

May apply to:

• <node>s: Yes
• Lines <Segment>s: No
• <way>s: Yes
• <area>s: No

International equivalence

A brief, non-prescriptive guide to how highway values are assigned in different countries.

Country	motorway	trunk	primary	secondary	tertiary	unclassified
UK	motorway	primary A road (green signs)	non-primary A road (black/white signs)	B road (black/white signs)	significant minor road (good surface, white lines)	less significant minor road
US	All divided paved roads with 2 or more lanes in each direction and access by ramps only. This includes almost all Interstate Highways except in very rural areas where there may be standard intersections.	Divided highway without ramps. Higher speeds. Few stop lights or stop signs.	Undivided highway without ramps. Higher speeds. Few stop lights or stop signs.	Wide main roads with stop signs and stop lights.	two lane local roads with or without center stripes	single lane roads
Korea	All divided paved roads with 2 or more lanes in each direction and access by ramps only. This includes all toll roads designated by a red and blue shield.	Divided highway without ramps. Higher speeds. Few stop lights or stop signs.	Undivided highway without ramps. Higher speeds. Few stop lights or stop signs.	Wide main roads with stop signs and stop lights.	two lane local roads with or without center stripes	single lane roads
Switzerland	Autobahn	Autostrasse	Hauptstrasse (blau)	Nebenstrasse (weiss)	-	alles andere
Switzerland	autoroute	autoroute de 2eme classe (semi-autoroute)	route de 1ere classe (bleu)	route de 2eme classe (blanc)	route de 3eme classe	chemin carossable
Australia	see Australian_Roads_Tagging

Last edit

Page created by Blackadder 11:39, 17 Mar 2006 (UTC) Latest update by Richard 10:58, 15 August 2007 (BST)