Tag:highway=turning_circle
 highway = turning_circle
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| Description |
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A widened area of road that allows vehicles to turn more easily. 
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| Rendering in openstreetmap-carto |
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| Group: Highways |
| Used on these elements |
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| Useful combination |
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| Wikidata |
| Q12731 |
Status: approved
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| Tools for this tag |
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A turning circle (known as a "cul-de-sac" in the United States) is a widened area of road that allows vehicles to turn more easily. Often, but not always, a turning circle is circular in shape and located at the end of a 
dead-end street ("cul-de-sac street", "blind alley", "close", "no through road"), resembling a frying pan. Either there is no central island or the island is traversable (for example, not taken up by parking spaces or greenery).
Contents
Where to find them
A turning circle may occur along a road instead of at the end. This can happen when more houses are built later and the road is extended. The nodes of 58489782 (Visualise) on Arthur Road, Wokingham
Arthur Road, Wokingham are examples of this. Typically houses leading up to and on the turning circle are noticeably older than the houses beyond it.
In the United States, turning circles are very common in suburban planned residential areas to increase. In some areas, every street ends in a turning circle, and a turning circle may appear at every bend in a road.
How to map
Place a node that is part of the road at the center of the widened area and add the tag:
When not to use
- For a more detailed comparison of these features, see Circular and widened road features
- If there is a non-traversable island, and the place is meant for turning, then consider using the new (but unproven) highway=turning_loop, or preferably draw a small loop of road.
- If there is a non-traversable island, and traffic must drive around the center, then consider using junction=roundabout.
- If there is no island or the island is traversable, and traffic must drive around the center, then consider using highway=mini_roundabout.
- If the widened area is meant for oncoming vehicles to pass each other, then consider using highway=passing_place.
Examples
Suburban residential subdivision in the United States
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Rendering
| Photo / Icon | Highway types | Remarks |
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For a range of highway types, eg highway=service highway=residential highway=living_street |
A turning circle is typically rendered as a circle at higher zooms, in the same style as residential or unclassified highways. |
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For highway=track |
History
As with most tags in OpenStreetMap, this tag is based on the British English term "turning circle", and refers to turning places regardless of shape, including circular, square, triangular and otherwise.
See also
- highway=passing_place
- highway=turning_loop - a new tag to consider if there is a non-traversable island
- highway=mini_roundabout
