Bicycle Network Analysis OpenStreetMap Tag Guidelines

This document provides guidelines for how to tag bike infrastructure and other relevant features in OpenStreetMap (OSM) in support of PeopleForBikes’ Bicycle Network Analysis (BNA). Please keep the following in mind:

The BNA accommodates various tag formats, but if you are unsure whether the a tag is correct, update it using these guidelines. It is likely that some infrastructure has already been tagged in a manner that differs slightly from the preferred methods outlined here.

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.

OpenStreetMap Data Format

OSM data is formatted as key=value pairs called “tags” that can be extended for greater specificity, such as key:subkey=value. The key is a category or class of features and the value is a specification of that category. For instance, maxspeed is a key indicating the speed limit and the value would be entered accordingly. The value can be open-ended, e.g. maxspeed=25 mph, or it can be selected from a standardized set of options, e.g. cycleway=lane or cycleway=track. Key=value pairs are designated in OSM as depicted below.

Tag Prioritization

Recognizing your time is valuable, it will be useful to understand how the BNA stress ratings operate so that you can prioritize tagging appropriately.

In the absence of data, the BNA makes assumptions where necessary in order to rate road segments. the default assumptions are provided as a downloadable file linked on the BNA methodology page. Your time is best spent in places where additional information may be the difference between a high stress route designation and a low stress route designation. For example, a conventional painted bike lane on a high-speed arterial roadway is not going to rate as low stress regardless of the detail available in OSM. This type of location is low priority for tagging. On the other hand, a collector road (tagged highway=tertiary) with moderate speeds and a bike lane may rate as high or low stress depending on the width of the bike lane, the speed limit, and whether parking is allowed. Such a facility should be prioritized for tagging.

Another common scenario to consider: local streets (tagged highway=residential) are assumed to be low stress unless certain factors such as high speeds or unusually narrow roadways with parking are present. Unless you know that these factors exist it is most efficient to dedicate your time and energy elsewhere in the map, since those roads will already be rated appropriately without additional information.

Across street types, designated bike infrastructure, traffic signals, and crossing aids are especially impactful tags to incorporate.

Priority Items

Trails or sidepaths

Cycle tracks (cycleway=track or highway=cycleway if drawn as a separate centerline)

Traffic signals (highway=traffic_signals)

Crossing aids (islands, RRFBs, HAWKs)

Trail or sidepath

$C:\Users\sgardner\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\Content.Word\Bike lane no parking.jpg$

Required tags

Optional tags

highway=cycleway

Note: Must be drawn as its own centerline.

surface=paved

Bike lane (no parking)

Required tags

Optional tags

Right side of the road

cycleway:right=lane

parking:lane:right=no_parking

Left side of the road

cycleway:left=lane

parking:lane:left=no_parking

Note: Left and right are relative to the direction the line is drawn in OSM, not necessarily the direction of travel on the bike lane. For contraflow lanes see section on contraflow.

cycleway:right:width

cycleway:left:width

parking:lane:both=no_parking

Note: Width values default to meters in OSM. To denote feet and inches, use the notation ‘ and “ respectively with no spaces between.

E.g. cycleway:right:width=3’10”

Bike lane with parking

$C:\Users\sgardner\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\Content.Word\Bike lane no parking.jpg$

Required tags

Optional tags

Right side of the road

cycleway:right=lane

parking:lane:right=parallel

Left side of the road

cycleway:left=lane

parking:lane:left=parallel

cycleway:right:width

parking:lane:right:width

cycleway:left:width

parking:lane:left:width

Note: Width values default to meters in OSM. To denote feet and inches, use the notation ‘ and “ respectively with no spaces between.

E.g. cycleway:right:width=3’10”

Note: Cycleway width should either be measured from any parking-related pavement markings (such as a T) to the edge line, or as the leftover space after deducting eight feet for the parking. If both cycleway and parking widths are provided these should add up to the total width of the combined space.

Bike lane (contraflow)

$C:\Users\sgardner\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\Content.Word\Bike lane no parking.jpg$

Required tags

Optional tags

Right side of the road

oneway=yes

cycleway:right=opposite_lane

Left side of the road

oneway=yes

cycleway:left=opposite_lane

cycleway:right:width

cycleway:left:width

Note: Width values default to meters in OSM. To denote feet and inches, use the notation ‘ and “ respectively with no spaces between.

E.g. cycleway:right:width=3’10”

Bike + parking lane

$C:\Users\sgardner\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\Content.Word\Bike lane no parking.jpg$

Required tags

Optional tags

Right side of the road

cycleway:right=lane

parking:lane:right=parallel

Left side of the road

cycleway:left=lane

parking:lane:left=parallel

cycleway:right:width

parking:lane:right:width

cycleway:left:width

parking:lane:left:width

Note: Width values default to meters in OSM. To denote feet and inches, use the notation ‘ and “ respectively with no spaces between.

E.g. cycleway:right:width=3’10”

Buffered bike lane

$C:\Users\sgardner\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\Content.Word\Bike lane no parking.jpg$

Required tags

Optional tags

Right side of the road

cycleway:right=lane

cycleway:right:buffer=yes

Left side of the road

cycleway:left=lane

cycleway:left:buffer=yes

Both sides of the road

cycleway=buffered_lane

cycleway:right:width

cycleway:left:width

Note: Width values default to meters in OSM. To denote feet and inches, use the notation ‘ and “ respectively with no spaces between.

E.g. cycleway:right:width=3’10”

Note: Cycleway width in this case should include the width of the lane and buffer combined.

One-way cycle track (protected lane)

$C:\Users\sgardner\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\Content.Word\Bike lane no parking.jpg$

Required tags

Optional tags

Right side of the road

cycleway:right=track

Left side of the road

cycleway:left=track

Cycle tracks can alternatively be mapped as a separate centerline, in which case they should be tagged as:

highway=cycleway

oneway=yes

Cycle track (contraflow)

$C:\Users\sgardner\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\Content.Word\Bike lane no parking.jpg$

Required tags

Optional tags

Right side of the road

cycleway:right=opposite_track

Left side of the road

cycleway:left=opposite_track

Two-way cycle track

$C:\Users\sgardner\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\Content.Word\Bike lane no parking.jpg$

Required tags

Optional tags

highway=cycleway

Note: Two-way cycle tracks must be drawn as a separate centerline next to the main roadway.

Roads without bike infrastructure

Photo credit: PeopleForBikes

Required tags

Optional tags

highway=(residential, primary, secondary, tertiary, trunk, motorway, service, living_street, unclassified, trunk_link, primary_link, secondary_link, tertiary_link, motorway_link)

Note: See https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Key:highway for detail on all highway classifications

Note: Service roads are assumed to be private streets and excluded from the analysis unless they are paired with the tag “bicycle=” and “designated,” “permissive” or “yes.”

maxspeed=*

lanes:forward=*

lanes:backward=*

lanes:both_ways=*

Right side of the road

parking:lane:right=(parallel, diagonal, perpendicular, no_parking)

parking:lane:right:width=*

Left side of the road

parking:lane:left=(parallel, diagonal, perpendicular, no_parking)

parking:lane:left:width=*

parking:lane:both:width=*

Note: Insert whole number for maxspeed. Units default to kilometers per hour. For miles per hour, append a space and mph to the number.

E.g. maxspeed=25 mph

Note: Width values default to meters in OSM. To denote feet and inches, use the notation ‘ and “ respectively with no spaces between.

E.g. parking:lane:right:width=8’10”

Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon (HAWK)

$C:\Users\sgardner\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\Content.Word\Bike lane no parking.jpg$

Required tags

Optional tags

highway=crossing

crossing=traffic_signals

Note: Crossing tags should be placed on a node feature at the point on the road centerline where the crossing is located.

May be combined with a line representing the crosswalk and tagged as either footway=crossing or cycleway=crossing

Rectangular Rapid Flash Beacon (RRFB)

$C:\Users\sgardner\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\Content.Word\Bike lane no parking.jpg$

Required tags

Optional tags

highway=crossing

flashing_lights=yes

Note: Crossing tags should be placed on a node feature at the point on the road centerline where the crossing is located.

May be combined with a line representing the crosswalk and tagged as either footway=crossing or cycleway=crossing

Crossing island

$C:\Users\sgardner\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\Content.Word\Bike lane no parking.jpg$

Required tags

Optional tags

highway=crossing

crossing=island

Note: Crossing tags should be placed on a node feature at the point on the road centerline where the crossing is located.

Note: This should only be used where the island provides sufficient space to offer safe refuge from passing vehicles (generally 6 feet).

May be combined with a line representing the crosswalk and tagged as either footway=crossing or cycleway=crossing

Additional Tags

Traffic signals

Required tags

Optional tags

highway=traffic_signals

Note: Traffic signals should be placed on a node feature at the point on the road centerline where the signals are located.

Lanes

Required tags

Optional tags

lanes:forward=*

lanes:backward=*

lanes:both_ways=*

Note: Insert whole number, no units. E.g. lanes:forward=2

Note: Travel lanes are designated forward or backward in relation to the direction the line is drawn in, as denoted by arrows on the line in OSM.

turn:lanes:backward= see below

turn:lanes:forward= see below

turn:lanes:both_ways= see below

Value options for all three turn lane keys include:

(left, slight_left, sharp_left, through, right, slight_right, sharp_right, reverse, merge_to_left, merge_to_right)

Note: To indicate turn lanes for multilane streets, use a vertical bar to separate lane designations and a semicolon to separate different options for a single lane. E.g. For three lanes in the backward direction -- turn:lanes:backward=none|through; right|right

Speed Limit

Required tags

Optional tags

maxspeed=*

Note: Insert whole number. Units default to kilometers per hour. For miles per hour, append a space and mph to the number.

E.g. maxspeed=25 mph

Destination Tags

The BNA uses route stress ratings to determine how well people are connected to important destinations. Updating destination data for your city in OSM will enhance the accuracy of the BNA score. Large institutions like hospitals and universities are frequently already mapped in OSM, but smaller, neighborhood destinations can be more sparsely documented.

The following table provides a list of OSM tags that are used as destinations within the tool. Quoted descriptions derive from the wiki documentation.

Tag	Description	Wiki link
Core Services
amenity=clinic	“[M]edium-sized combined medical centres and polyclinics with tens of doctors, nurses and associated staff which offers outpatient care, diagnosis and treatment. Minor surgeries and ongoing treatments may be available here, as may drop-in emergency care.”	http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:amenity%3Dclinic
amenity=dentist	Dental practice	http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:amenity%3Ddentist
amenity=doctors	Doctor’s office	http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:amenity%3Ddoctors
amenity=hospital	Hospital	http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:amenity%3Dhospital
amenity=pharmacy	Pharmacy	http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:amenity%3Dpharmacy
amenity= social_facility	Social services	http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:amenity%3Dsocial_facility
shop=supermarket	Grocery store	http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:shop%3Dsupermarket
Opportunity
amenity=school	K-12 school	http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:amenity%3Dschoolk
amenity=college	Vocational or technical college	http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:amenity%3Dcollege
amenity=university	University (or other institution of higher education)	http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:amenity%3Duniversity
Recreation
amenity= community_centre	“Community centres are public locations where members of a community tend to gather for group activities, social support, informal and formal meetings, public information, events and festivities, and other purposes.”	http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:amenity%3Dcommunity_centre
leisure=park	Park	http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:leisure%3Dpark
leisure= nature_reserve	“A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research.”	http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:leisure%3Dnature_reserve
leisure=playground	Public playground	http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:leisure%3Dplayground
Retail
landuse=retail	Area of predominantly retail commercial use	http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:landuse%3Dretail
Transit
amenity= bus_station	A bus depot where multiple bus lines stop. Not equivalent to a bus stop.	http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:amenity%3Dbus_station
railway=station	Train station	https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Railway_stations
public_transport= station	A transit station providing access to public transportation.	https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Key:public_transport