Trail status

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Proposal status:	Draft (under way)
Proposed by:	[[User:{{subst:REVISIONUSER}}|{{subst:REVISIONUSER}}]]
Draft started:	{{subst:#time: Y-m-d}}

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Proposed Tagging Scheme: `trail_status`

The `trail_status=*` key and its associated namespace `trail_status:*` define the operational status and usability of hiking routes or trails.

This tagging scheme addresses the need to represent official trail warnings, degradation, impassability, and legal closures directly on OpenStreetMap elements (both on type=route relations and individual highway=path ways) without relying on unstructured plain-text tags like note=* or polluting general descriptive tags like description=*.

Rationale

Alpine clubs and public authorities frequently publish advisories regarding trail conditions. While some trails are fully closed by legal decrees, others remain open but feature localized hazards (e.g., damaged cables, severe erosion, fallen trees) or are strongly discouraged due to lack of maintenance.

Current tagging practices often embed dates, status updates, and descriptions inside unstructured fields (e.g. `note=#warning# (2023-07-18)`). The `trail_status` scheme introduces a clean, machine-readable, and localized key-value structure easily parsable by routing engines, map renderers, and third-party outdoor services.

Primary Tag

The primary key trail_status=* indicates the current usability level of the route or trail section:

Values for `trail_status=*`

Value	Description	Typical Use Case
good	Trail is in good condition, marked, and fully accessible.	Standard operational state (optional/explicit confirmation).
warning	Trail is passable, but specific hazards or issues require caution.	Damaged safety equipment, overgrown vegetation, missing signage, minor erosion.
discouraged	Trail is open, but strongly discouraged by authorities or managing organizations.	Unmaintained route, hazardous river crossing, severe trail degradation.
impassable	Trail is physically impassable due to an obstacle or hazard.	Landslides, collapsed bridges, extensive windthrow, rockfalls.
closed	Trail is officially closed by a legal decree or authority order.	Offical closure for safety, construction work, or environmental protection.

Namespace Extensions (`trail_status:*`)

To provide structured metadata alongside the main status, the following namespace keys are proposed:

Subkeys for `trail_status:*`

Key	Type	Description	Example
trail_status:reason=*	string (enum)	The underlying physical or administrative cause for the status.	`landslide`, `windthrow`, `damaged_cable`, `bridge_destroyed`, `erosion`, `construction`, `snow`
trail_status:start_date=*	ISO 8601 Date	The date when the condition, incident, or decree was first reported/issued.	`2021-07-23`
trail_status:check_date=*	ISO 8601 Date	The date when the condition was last verified on the ground or confirmed by the managing body.	`2026-05-10`
trail_status:note:<lg>=*	text	Short advisory note for end users in a specific language (ISO 639-1).	`Inagibile da Piani di Vas a Casera Tuglia`

Elements

Applies to:

• type=route + route=hiking (Relations) — To declare the status of an entire hiking route or official trail itinerary.
• highway=path / highway=footway / highway=track (Ways) — To restrict or qualify specific physical segments where the condition occurs.

Examples

1. Impassable Trail Relation (Landslide)

Applied to an entire route relation managed by a mountain club:

type=route
route=hiking
ref=228
name=Sentiero CAI 228
trail_status=impassable
trail_status:reason=landslide
trail_status:start_date=2021-07-23
trail_status:check_date=2026-05-10
trail_status:note:it=Inagibile da Piani di Vas a Casera Tuglia
trail_status:note:en=Impassable from Piani di Vas to Casera Tuglia

2. Way Segment with Warning (Damaged Equipment)

Applied to a specific path segment featuring a damaged safety wire:

highway=path
sac_scale=demanding_mountain_hiking
trail_status=warning
trail_status:reason=damaged_cable
trail_status:check_date=2026-06-01
trail_status:note:it=Cavo d'acciaio sfilacciato nel tratto intermedio

Rendering & Routing Considerations

• Routing Engines: Elements tagged with `trail_status=impassable` or `trail_status=closed` SHOULD be avoided for route calculation or heavily penalized, similar to `foot=no`. `trail_status=discouraged` or `warning` MAY trigger user warnings or alternative weighting.
• Map Renderers: Renderers can display specific overlay symbols or highlight paths in yellow/orange (`warning`), dark red (`discouraged`), or red dashed lines with warning icons (`impassable` / `closed`).