OSM Mapathon Instructions
- OSM Basics
- Bike Lane
- Bike Lane - Buffered
- Bike Lane - Climbing
- Bike Lane - Painted
- Bike Lane - Contraflow
- Bike Lane - Protected One-way
- Bike Lane - Protected Two-way
- Trail - Paved
- Trail - Unpaved
- Sharrows, Shared Lanes, Neighborhood Bikeways
- OSM Buffered Bike Lane example
- Number of Lanes
- Speed Limits
In this map-a-thon, we're updating tags to existing on- and off-street segments in OSM to reflect the most up-to-date data on Bicycle Facilities, Number of Lanes and Speed Limits. People for Bikes uses this data to run the Bike Network Analysis, which helps cities evaluate how well it connects people to goods and services via bicycle. The only tags we'll edit/add during the map-a-thon are:
- cycleway
- lanes
- speed limit
NOTE: If you are an experienced OSM editor and would like to digitize new segments, talk to Alan after the intro presentation.
You'll use this map to access the data we'll be inputting in the tags in OSM. Click on each street segment to view its number of lanes, bicycle facility, and speed limit data.
All Ages and Abilities Network
OSM uses left and right to reference the side of a road that has a particular characteristic. It is NOT related to the direction of travel. The left/right designation is always in reference to the direction that the line is drawn, which is indicated in OSM by an arrow on the line, as shown at right
When you select a street segment to update its tags, make sure to expand the All tags link. This will show you all the tags that apply to that road.
| Description | OSM Tag |
|---|---|
| A portion of the roadway that has been designated by striping, signage, and pavement markings for the preferential or exclusive use by bicyclists. A bike lane has no physical barrier (bollards, medians, raised curbs, etc.,) that restrict the encroachment of motorized traffic. Bike lanes are traditionally located on the right-hand side of the street, but can be located on the left-hand side of the street in specific situations. Bike lanes typically run in the same direction as traffic. See Bike Lane - Contraflow below for other configurations. |
cycleway = lane (both sides) ORcycleway:[right/left] = lane (one side) |
| Description | OSM Tag |
|---|---|
| Similar in every way to a bike lane, but are typically wider, and are separated from traffic by two wide stripes, as opposed to the single stripe of conventional bike lanes. |
cycleway = buffered_lane (both sides) OR cycleway:[right/left] = lane AND cycleway:[right/left]:buffer = yes (one side) |
| Description | OSM Tag |
|---|---|
| Climbing Bike Lanes are installed on steep roads going up hill in order to allow cyclists to climb the hill at their own pace, and without traffic interference. In most cases where climbing bike lanes exist, only a sharrow is used in the down-hill direction. In cases where climbing bike lanes and sharrows are present, mark the bicycle facility as a climbing lane (see South Lamar between Barton Springs and Treadwell for an example). |
cycleway:[right/left] = lane (one side) |
| Description | OSM Tag |
|---|---|
| Painted Bike Lanes are usually found at intersections, and the paint is meant to highlight the location of cyclists on the road. |
cycleway = lane (both sides) ORcycleway:[right/left] = lane (one side) |
| Description | OSM Tag |
|---|---|
| Contraflow bike lanes are installed on low-traffic corridors necessary for the connectivity of a particular bicycle route (see N Lamar Service Rd between 5th and 3rd) |
cycleway:[right/left] = lane (one side) |
| Description | OSM Tag |
|---|---|
| An exclusive facility that combines the user experience of a separated path with the on-street infrastructure of a conventional bike lane. A protected bicycle lane is physically separated from motor vehicle traffic and distinct from the sidewalk. Protected bicycle lanes may be at street level, at sidewalk level, or at an intermediate height. |
cycleway = track (both sides) OR cycleway:[left/right] = track (one side) |
| Description | OSM Tag |
|---|---|
| An exclusive facility that combines the user experience of a separated path with the on-street infrastructure of a conventional bike lane. A protected bicycle lane is physically separated from motor vehicle traffic and distinct from the sidewalk. Protected bicycle lanes may be at street level, at sidewalk level, or at an intermediate height. |
cycleway = track (both sides) OR cycleway:[left/right] = track (one side) |
| Description | OSM Tag |
|---|---|
| Paths physically separated from motorized vehicular traffic by an open space or barrier and are located either within the road right-of-way, or accommodated in another way, such as parkland. Paved Trails are shared by multiple users, and may also be known as Urban Trails or Shared Use Path, depending on jurisdiction. | highway = cycleway |
| Description | OSM Tag |
|---|---|
| Crushed granite trails that are typically ADA-accessible. | highway = cycleway surface = dirt |
| Description | OSM Tag |
|---|---|
| Street markings placed in the travel lane to indicate where people should preferably cycle. |
cycleway = shared_lane(both sides) OR cycleway:[right/left] = shared_lane (one side) |
Use the Number of Lanes field in the reference map to fill in this information in OSM. Make sure to check every segment individually - the number of lanes on a road may change at any point to make room for turn lanes, or when the road narrows or widens.
Use the Speed Limit field in the reference map to fill in this information in OSM. OSM measures speed in kilometers by default, so you'll need to add mph to ensure the speed limit is recorded accurately: 25 mph.
Make sure to check every segment individually - speed limits may change at any point and it is not always wise to assume the same speed limit through an entire road. If a street on the reference map is missing speed limit data, you may check on Google Streetview for speed limit signs. If no signs are visible, leave this field blank. The City of Austin is currently creating an updated inventory of speed limits and this data will be available in time for the next map-a-thon.