Tag:highway=footway

highway = footway
Description
For designated footpaths, i.e. mainly/exclusively for pedestrians.
Group: Highways
Used on these elements
Implies
foot=designated Access-Restrictions
Useful combination
name=* access=* footway=* lit=* surface=* wheelchair=*
Wikidata
Q3352369
Status: de facto
Tools for this tag
taginfo · CH · CZ · FR · GB · HU · IE · IN · JP · PL overpass-turbo

The tag highway=footway is used for mapping minor pathways which are used mainly or exclusively by pedestrians.

If you are mapping footpaths in the UK (specifically England and Wales) see UK public rights of way.

• For wider pedestrianized streets, typically, lined with shops or commercial buildings use the tag highway=pedestrian.
• For multi-use or unspecified paths and trails used by a variety of non-motorised traffic the tag highway=path may be better suited.
  • These can be further classified with sac_scale=*, trail_visibility=*, surface=* and access=*.
• For pathways designated for cyclists only, consider instead using the tag highway=cycleway.
• Where a pathway is designated for pedestrians but is also allowed for bicycles you can use highway=footway and bicycle=yes.
• Dirt roads for mostly agricultural, forestry, etc. uses should be tagged as highway=track.
• For tagging sidewalks that span on one or both sides of a road. In the United Kingdom these may be known as 'pavements' or 'footways'. For the best practice there is a couple options to follow, either add the tags sidewalk=left;right;both or sidewalk=separate on the same feature describing the road or create a new way marking the sidewalk that is running parallel to the road then describe it using highway=footway – see below for more details.

How to map

To map a footway nothing else than a simple way is required. Add the highway=footway tag to it and add a name=* if appropriate.

Add access=* restriction tags if appropriate. See Default Access-Restrictions.

If the footway is associated with a road then add a footway=sidewalk tag.

The way footway=* or highway=footway must join with another kind of way, for motivation see beginners guide step 5, or voice Junctions of the editing standards and conventions of OSM.

Example photos	Example tracking	Referring tag	Comment
		Reference S letter. +highway=footway (defines the way). +foot=designated (designed to footway) +surface=* (defines paving). +name=* (only if present, optional). +wheelchair=no (if in the presence of pavement or stretch difficult for the disabled, put "no"). +access=permissive (in the sections of private property where the passage is permitted, recommended to check, if possible order to avoid uncomfortable litigation).	In case of footway no is along the highway=*, but you submit into an area, for example in a park, use tag highway=pedestrian, which we refer for the appropriate information.
		Reference for the sidewalk S letter. +highway=footway (defines the way). +footway=sidewalk (specific for sidewalk). +foot=yes +surface=* (defines paving). +name=* (only if present, optional). +wheelchair=no (if in the presence of pavement or stretch difficult for the disabled, put "no"). +access=permissive (in the sections of private property where the passage is permitted, recommended to check, if possible order to avoid uncomfortable litigation). +cycleway=* (if there is a cycle path on the same way, see the appropriate tag in the specific).	Reference B letter If between the street and the sidewalk or pedestrian, there is the presence of barrier, this is a way in itself, defines tag barrier=*, or if the streets is the presence of a grass between the highway=footway and the highway=*, please refer to the tag landuse=*.
		Reference for the tags, S – C – C1 – C2 letters. +highway=footway (defines the way). +footway=sidewalk (specific for sidewalk). +foot=yes +surface=* (defines paving). +name=* (only if present, optional). +wheelchair=no (if in the presence of pavement or stretch difficult for the disabled, put "no"). +access=permissive (in the sections of private property where the passage is permitted, recommended to check, if possible order to avoid uncomfortable litigation). +cycleway=* (if there is a cycle path on the same way, see the appropriate tag in the specific). +highway=footway (C – crosswalk). +highway=crossing (C1 – to put on the node that intersects the street with the pedestrian crossing). +kerb=* (C2 – to put on the node start/finish crossing if there is presence of facilitation on the sidewalk, for example inclined, see the information of the tag). +crossing=* (C – defines the restrictions of the pedestrian crossing, for example, controlled by traffic lights). +crossing_ref=* (C – defines design of crossing, for example, stripes).

Linear ways and areas

The tag highway=footway predominantly describes a linear feature of a routable way. When mapped as a closed polygon without any further tagging, it describes a linear, circular way and not an area.

When the footway has an occasional widening, e.g. when a number of ways meet, that can be mapped as a filled area by drawing a closed polygon, and adding area=yes. This area tag, however, should not be used to generally describe the shape or general width of a linear way, a few mappers use area:highway=footway in addition to the linear way for this purpose.

See also

• area:highway=footway
• sidewalk=*
• footway=sidewalk
• footway=crossing
• Path controversy gives explanation how this is different from / similar to highway=path
• UK public rights of way

Related terms: ‹ footway ›