UK Quarterly Project/2020/2020 Q3 Project: Cycling Infrastructure

From OpenStreetMap Wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
UK traffic sign 955.svg

The third UK Quarterly Project of 2020 (July, August and September) is on Cycling Infrastructure.

Please share and add to this page any useful tools or sources.

Useful wiki pages

Potential sources and tools

cyclOSM is one of a few map renders which focusses on cycle infrastructure, and could highlight gaps in mapping to local contributors.Wiki page

OpenCycleMap is another cycle focussed map render. It's also shown on the openstreetmap website front page.

Strava gps heatmap can be very helpful to help direct surveys. This is a popular ride tracking service used by cyclists. They also provide a routing error flag http://labs.strava.com/routing-errors/

pic4review allows you to create 'missions' to improve a subset of data, for example this mission allows you to define what kind of cycle parking is present by searching for amenity=bicycle_parking and bringing in Openstreetcam, Mapillary and Wikimedia Commons imagery.

CycleStreets have a 'get mapping guide', with particular focus on cycle routing. Their website also is great for understanding potential data consumer uses.

StreetComplete has multiple quests that are helpful for cycling data. Including cycleway and bicycle parking.

Things to do

A lot is mapped, a lot is not mapped at all. In some cases, additional data can have great impact in how useful the map is.

Cycling infrastructure includes:

  • Cycleways and shared foot+cyclepaths
    • Widths of paths
    • Surface material - important to know where unpaved cycleways are located, especially if you have narrow or small diameter tyres
    • Enhancing a cycle route that was originally tagged onto the same way as a road, when it is actually a separate path - making it clear the rider doesn't have to mix with motor traffic.
    • Gap filling - UK cycling infrastructure is often patchy, but the map might be making it seem worse than it is.
  • Bicycle repair shops
  • Bike hire shops Tag:amenity=bicycle rental
  • Bike shops Tag:shop=bicycle
  • Bicycle parking Tag:amenity=bicycle parking
    • What kind of parking is it? stands, wall hoops, etc.
    • Is the bicycle parking covered to protect it from weather?
      • Again, StreetComplete will detect such missing data and ask
  • Amenities such as repair stations and pumps Tag:amenity=bicycle repair station
  • Route relations
  • StreetComplete has some relevant quests - it will ask also about cycleway:left=*/cycleway:right=*/cycleway:both=* (it is trying to ask where answering will not cause issues, so it will be not asked if any nearby highway=cycleway or highway=footway is mapped) and other questions, some of them relevant for cyclists. Remember that you can enable/disable quest in setting or change their order. See StreetComplete/Quests for the quest list.
  • Velodromes, BMX pump tracks, race circuits etc and associated facilities

TfL Cycling Infrastructure Database merging

TfL have released a vast amount of cycling data, much of which needs merging in. The cycle parking and traffic calming data in particular will massively expand OSM coverage.

See the TfL Cycling Infrastructure Database project page.

RichardF has worked together with CycleStreets in recent months to convert this data into a form which can be merged/conflated using JOSM - see the output folder of the repo, where the data is ready for use.

Checklist of attributes to tag for good cycle routing

CycleStreets recommend that the following is included where possible, in cycleway tagging, to give routing engines as much information as possible for judging the quality of cycle infrastructure:

  • Type: cycleway=lane / cycleway=track
  • Shared use: Is it a footway that cyclists can use (highway=footway, bicycle=yes) or a cycleway that people can walk on (highway=cycleway, foot=yes)?
  • Is it segregated from pedestrians? segregated = yes / segregated=no
  • Estimated width: e.g. est_width=1.2 / est_width=3
  • What is the surface? Routers naturally assume surface=asphalt, but cycle infrastructure not along main roads is not always as such. Adding the surface avoids any ambiguity, but should certainly be done where not asphalt, e.g. surface=mud, etc.
  • For cycle tracks (not lane), is the cycle track one-way? Shared-use tracks are almost always two-way, but 'real' cycle tracks alongside roads are often either one way (if particularly near to the road) or two way (if wider). Setting the oneway tag avoids any ambiguity. oneway=yes / oneway=no
  • Is there lighting? lit=yes / lit=no
  • Is it part of the local signed network? lcn=yes (but ideally add a relation for that local cycle network)
  • What is the max speed? maxspeed=...

An example of high-quality tagging of a cycleway is the Embankment cycleway.

Retrieved from "https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/w/index.php?title=UK_Quarterly_Project/2020/2020_Q3_Project:_Cycling_Infrastructure&oldid=2095160"