Tag:crossing=zebra
 crossing = zebra
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Using this tag is discouraged, use crossing=uncontrolled / crossing=marked + crossing:markings=zebra (+crossing_ref=zebra) instead.  
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| Group: crossings |
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Status: deprecated
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crossing=uncontrolled / crossing=marked + crossing:markings=zebra (+crossing_ref=zebra).The reason is documented in Deprecated features. You are still free to continue to use or interpret this tag as you see fit since OpenStreetMap does not have “banned features”.
Under no circumstances should you (semi-)automatically change “deprecated” tags to something else in the database on a large scale without conforming to the automated edits code of conduct. Any such change will be reverted.
Formerly used if the zebra markings and signs are the most relevant prescription at this crossing. This was a refinement of the tag highway=crossing, which should also be present. If there are also traffic lights controlling the crossing, use crossing=traffic_signals instead.
This tag has been formally deprecated by a community vote on 2008-05-18[1] and 2025-05-25[2]. If you want to describe the presence of zebra style markings use crossing:markings=zebra or other values that match the specific zebra markings pattern present. If you want to describe a type of crossing use crossing_ref=* instead.
Software support
Editors
In v1.4.0, released in May 2014, iD added a Crosswalk preset tagged crossing=zebra. [1] At the time, this tag was documented as shorthand for crossing=uncontrolled crossing_ref=zebra in the United Kingdom, the term "zebra crossing" originated. However, it was already widespread abroad,[3] and iD did not yet have the ability to limit a preset to a specific geography.
In v2.12.0, released December 2018, crossing=zebra was replaced with crossing=marked in the Marked Crosswalk preset. An unsearchable Marked Crosswalk preset remained for features already tagged crossing=zebra. [2]
In v2.15.0, released March 2019, crossing=zebra was marked deprecated; a validator warning encouraged the user to migrate the tag to crossing=marked highway=crossing. [3] This has attracted controversy. This change was reverted in v2.17.0, released December 2019, due to ambiguity issues raised by mappers. [4]
Renderers
OSM2World applies a white-striped texture to the crossing way. [5]
Straßenraumkarte Neukölln applies white stripes to the crossing [6] and reserves a parking-free buffer zone around the crossing that is larger than for crossing=marked. [7]
Routers
OpenSidewalks converts this tag to crossing:markings=yes. [8]
MOTIS Per Pedes Routing indicates whether the crossing is marked [9][10] and can calculate a detour that avoids unmarked, unsignalized crossings. [11]
See also
crossing=*- for an overview of crossing taggingcrossing=uncontrolled- for uncontrolled crossingscrossing=marked- for a generic marked crossing regardless of specific markingscrossing_ref=zebra- a way to record only the markings or a type of crossing, depending on the interpretation.crossing:markings=yes– for a generic marked crossing regardless of specific markingscrossing:markings=zebra– specifically for the "zebra" stripes used for marked crossings in many countries, as opposed to other marking patterns- Proposal:Deprecate crossing=zebra in favor of crossing:markings
References
- ↑ https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/w/index.php?oldid=132309
- ↑ Proposal:Deprecate crossing=zebra in favor of crossing:markings
- ↑ According to Ohsome Dashboard, in June 2014, there were about 1,800 occurrences of
crossing=zebraon nodes in the United Kingdom compared to 7,300 worldwide. There were 4,400 occurrences ofcrossing_ref=zebrain the United Kingdom compared to 102,000 worldwide. Inanimate alternatives such ascrossing=uncontrolledandcrossing=markedwere used on 255,000 nodes and fewer than 600 nodes respectively worldwide.