Tag:access=official
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Description |
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A way dedicated for a particular use by law. ![]() |
Group: restrictions |
Used on these elements |
Useful combination |
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Status: deprecated![]() |
Tools for this tag |
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Note! The exact key/value combination access=official should never appear on an object. The value official must be used with a specific mode of transport. Examples: bicycle=official or foot=official .Also, note that bicycle=official is basically a duplicate of more widely used bicycle=designated and the same goes for other transport modes, and proposal for =official value is old, outdated and abandoned. |
The value official for the access tags foot, bicycle and horse indicates a way legally dedicated to specific modes of travel by a law or by the rules of traffic. The tag is to signify the official, binding, legal nature of the dedication. A way may have several official dedications.
In most cases, the official dedication also means that other modes of travel are prohibited. In some countries like Germany such a usage right is also compulsory, travellers must not use a parallel way if an official way is marked. But exclusive or compulsory use is only a deduction based on local laws and traffic rules, it is not the meaning of the tag "official". For compulsory ways use bicycle=designated
on the cycleway affected and tag bicycle=use_sidepath
on the highway which the cyclist should not use. For pedestrians traffic on footways use sidewalk:foot=designated
and foot=use_sidepath
on the road.
Do not use official to tag roads reserved for official traffic (police, fire brigade, customs et al.). Use access=no
because these roads are not allowed for the general public.
For marked hiking routes and trails use the values permissive
or yes
.
The tag should only be used where there is a an official traffic sign or an unambiguous law.
Difference to designated
: "Official" is sometimes treated as stronger than "designated". "Official" is only for ways marked with a legal traffic sign. Note that *=designated is typically used in this situation. And typical tagging for cases described in the proposal is bicycle=designated
not bicycle=official
,
Usage compared to designated
: *=designated tag has also significant support and is widely recognised unlike *=official access value that is less popular in usage and support.
See a graph with common *=offical tags:
https://taghistory.raifer.tech/#***/foot/official&***/horse/official&***/bicycle/official&***/access/official&***/psv/official
Note on status
This value was proposed in January 2009 but never entered voting, and proposal is considered abandoned. There is some worldwide usage of the value however.