Highway tagging samples/urban

This page shows some real streets and their correct tagging. This is just supposed to be a guide and a help for getting started. Of course you don't have to use tags exactly the way they have been used here.

But please do your tagging according to Editing Standards and Conventions and refer to the highway tag usage for exact road classification. For the latter there might also be a separate page for your country.

Note: highway classification is hard to explain using photos. You need local knowledge about how important each road in highway graph.

Picture	Description/Remarks	Tags	OSM Carto
	Primary with directions separated by tram line	highway=primary lanes=2 oneway=yes name=Rheinstraße ref=B 26 surface=asphalt sidewalk=right railway=tram railway=tram highway=primary lanes=2 oneway=yes name=Rheinstraße ref=B 26 surface=asphalt sidewalk=right cycleway:right=lane
	Secondary street with embedded tramrails. The tram lines are tagged separately left and right of the highway (see Trams).	railway=tram highway=secondary name=Examplestreet lanes=3 lanes:backward=2 lanes:forward=1 turn:lanes:backward=left|none parking:right=lane parking:right:orientation=parallel railway=tram
	Primary with parking lane and separated footway/cycleway	highway=primary name=Wilhelm-Fay-Straße cycleway=track
	Residential street, oneway, with cycleway in opposite direction	highway=residential cycleway:left=track cycleway:left:oneway=-1 oneway=yes oneway:bicycle=no name=Lauteschlägerstraße (additionally:) surface=cobblestone lanes=1
	Minor street on the outskirts of town. Please refer to Highways	highway=unclassified or highway=service
	Residential street, probably in a suburb	highway=residential name=Acme Lane or highway=service name=Acme Lane
	Residential street, probably in a suburb	highway=residential name=Mustermannstraße
	A path, apparently not for horses	highway=footway horse=no name=Birkenweg The barrier=* is tagged on a node at its real position and part of the highway with barrier=cycle_barrier
	The crossing street does not allow trucks (Heavy goods vehicles)	Cross-street: highway=tertiary hgv=no lanes=2 surface=asphalt smoothness=excellent Through street: highway=primary lanes=4 surface=concrete smoothness=good
	This is a 5-lane road, with a center “suicide lane”, where cars can be going in both directions while preparing to turn. Technical term for the center lane is a two-way left-turn lane (TWLTL).	highway=primary lanes=5 lanes:forward=2 lanes:backward=2 lanes:both_ways=1 surface=concrete smoothness=good
	2.5m wide asphalt concrete path. It is signed “No motor vehicles,” and local knowledge [1] indicates that it is a shared use path (“...is a hiking and biking trail...”).	highway=path tracktype=grade1 width=2.5 surface=concrete:plates smoothness=good
	An urban path with no signs at all. Not really suitable for cycling but it's not forbidden, either. Area is public space so access not forbidden. Use on foot known to be possible and legal.	highway=path smoothness=bad wheelchair=no proposed: informal=yes
	A path designated for pedestrians and cyclists equally. Possibly horse access is not allowed, depends on local law.	highway=path bicycle=designated foot=designated (horse=no depending on jurisdiction) or highway=cycleway foot=designated
	An urban path on which motorized vehicle access is forbidden. As above but no guarantees on passability. Likely without restrictions on horses. Access on foot and on a bicycle is known to be legal and possible.	highway=path surface=unpaved
	A designated footway.	highway=path foot=designated (bicycle=no depending on jurisdiction) surface=asphalt or highway=footway surface=asphalt
	A sidewalk without signs if drawn as a separate way. For sidewalks only separated by a kerb some mappers have used sidewalk=* on the carriageway.	highway=footway footway=sidewalk (foot=yes if your jurisdiction differentiates between marked and unmarked sidewalks) surface=concrete