Tag:area:highway=pedestrian

An area representation of highway=pedestrian. area:highway=pedestrian describes the shape, i.e. the two-dimensional outline, of the area of a pedestrian street, or parts of it.

It is meant for areas that have a clear direction of travel, and is used as a form of Micromapping in addition to the routable, linear way tagged as highway=pedestrian. Specifically, it is not the same as highway=pedestrian + area=yes, which represents a non-linear area, such as a square or plaza, where multi-directional travel is possible.

How to map

Correct tagging

• If it's a simple pedestrian area, just draw an outline around it, and add tag area:highway=pedestrian. Then add a linear highway=pedestrian way through its middle or else most navigation software cannot route correctly through it!
• If it's a more complicated one, draw an outline around it, tag it with area:highway=pedestrian, draw all inner parts, then select all elements and make a multipolygon relation from it. Also add a linear highway=pedestrian way through the middle of all usual paths in the pedestrian area!
• Remember to join the areas' edges to surrounding buildings, walls, etc.

[!] For usual footway areas (see differences between highway=pedestrian and highway=footway) use area:highway=footway, and for cycleway areas use area:highway=cycleway

Optional tags:

• surface=* (What is the pedestrian area paved with, if anything? e.g. concrete, asphalt, etc.)

Tagging mistakes to avoid

• Don't leave an area:highway=pedestrian area alone. Always add a linear highway=pedestrian way going through its middle for the area to be routable in navigation software!
• Don't use an area:highway=pedestrian tag to map the area of footways which are too narrow for vehicles to enter. Use area:highway=footway for them.
• Don't draw an area:highway=pedestrian area for pedestrian crossings. Correct tagging of them is explained in a second table below.
• Don't draw an area:highway=pedestrian area for cycleway areas. Use area:highway=cycleway instead.
• Don't use an area:highway=pedestrian tag for non-separated "foot & bicycle" path areas. Use area:highway=path tag instead.
• Don't use an area:highway=pedestrian for traffic calming islands without any crosswalk connection. Use only traffic_calming=island tag instead.

Example tagging

Case	Area tags	Mapping examples
Polygon	area:highway=pedestrian
Multipolygon	area:highway=pedestrian + type=multipolygon Correct tagging of pedestrian multipolygon depends on character of place, you can: draw a multipolygon on a larger landcover area (eg. leisure=park) or add proper landcover tag to every inner element or complete empty inner parts with proper landcover areas (eg. building=yes)

Example tagging of connected objects

Case	Way tags			Area tags	Diagrams	Mapping examples
Pedestrian crossing	highway=footway + footway=crossing			Draw an area around streets intersection, treating stop lines and crossings as its edges and tag it with: area:highway=* (class of highway, eg. area:highway=primary) + junction=yes If it's a single crossing being far away from streets intersection, draw it just as a linear way crossing street area without junction=yes tag.
Non-segregated "foot & bicycle" crossing	highway=path + path=crossing + foot=designated + bicycle=designated + segregated=no			Draw an area around streets intersection, treating stop lines and crossings as its edges and tag it with: area:highway=* (class of highway, eg. area:highway=primary) + junction=yes If it's a single crossing being far away from streets intersection, draw it just as a linear way crossing street area without junction=yes tag.
Segregated "foot & bicycle" crossing	Method 1 (one linear way): highway=path + path=crossing + foot=designated + bicycle=designated + segregated=yes			Draw an area around streets intersection, treating stop lines and crossings as its edges and tag it with: area:highway=* (class of highway, eg. area:highway=primary) + junction=yes If it's a single crossing being far away from streets intersection, draw it just as a linear way crossing street area without junction=yes tag.
	Method 2 (two linear ways): Through foot part: highway=footway + footway=crossing Through bicycle part: highway=cycleway + cycleway=crossing
Segregated "foot & bicycle" crossing with traffic calming island	Method 1 (one linear way):			Street area: Draw an area around streets intersection, treating stop lines and crossings as its edges and tag it with: area:highway=* (class of highway, eg. area:highway=primary) + junction=yes If it's a single crossing being far away from streets intersection, draw it just as a linear way crossing street area without junction=yes tag. Foot part of the island: area:highway=footway Bicycle part of the island: area:highway=cycleway Side parts of the island: landuse=grass or leisure=garden or traffic_calming=island
	highway=path + path=crossing + foot=designated + bicycle=designated + segregated=yes	highway=path + foot=designated + bicycle=designated + segregated=yes	highway=path + path=crossing + foot=designated + bicycle=designated + segregated=yes
	Method 2 (two linear ways): Through foot part:
	highway=footway + footway=crossing	highway=footway	highway=footway + footway=crossing
	Through bicycle part:
	highway=cycleway + cycleway=crossing	highway=cycleway	highway=cycleway + cycleway=crossing
Segregated "foot & bicycle" path	Method 1 (one linear way): highway=path + foot=designated + bicycle=designated + segregated=yes (path way should be joined through a mutal part of the footway/ cycleway areas, see example screenshot)			Foot part: area:highway=footway Bicycle part: area:highway=cycleway (both areas should be joined to each other if there is no physical barrier between them, see example screenshot)
	Method 2 (two linear ways): Through foot part: highway=footway Through bicycle part: highway=cycleway
Traffic calming paving on a street edge (This element should be treaten as kind of a traffic calming area, not footway)				traffic_calming=island

Visualisation

OSMapa/ area

See also

• Proposed features/Street area
• highway=pedestrian + area=yes
• area:highway=footway
• area:highway=cycleway
• area:highway=path
• traffic_calming=island