NZ Use of foot=use_sidepath

McNs · 2024-06-27T10:14:44.271Z

Just after some guidance on the use of this tag in NZ (or Oceania as well). There is a user who is marking certain streets around Auckland with this tag, though I don’t see the benefit of doing this particularly when many of these streets are residential with footpaths directly attached to the road.

Is there any guidance on when and where this tag should be used?

Langlaeufer · 2024-06-27T12:01:41.881Z

This tag is intended zu use when the sidewalks are drawn separately and the pedestrian have to use them. This is to enable the navigation system to put the route on the sidepath instead of the road. It may be combined with sidewalk=separate

It must not be used, when there’re no seperate mapped sidewalks. (sidewalk=no/sidewalk=yes/both/left/right)

SekeRob · 2024-06-27T12:46:13.442Z

Been using sidewalk:left/right/both=lane/separate for quite a while and Osmose not throwing a hissy fit. Then sidewalk:left/right/both:surface=*

Richard · 2024-06-27T12:53:18.744Z

Langlaeufer:

This tag is intended zu use when the sidewalks are drawn separately and the pedestrian have to use them. This is to enable the navigation system to put the route on the sidepath instead of the road. It may be combined with sidewalk=separate

Though in reality most pedestrian routers would give a better weighting to sidewalks/pavements than roads, so the question is probably moot.

It seems to me that the main real-world use of use_sidepath is for routing profiles focused on fast cyclists who might otherwise prefer to use the road to a cycleway.

Langlaeufer · 2024-06-27T15:04:47.724Z

Yes one may find other ways to prefer the sidewalk

aharvey · 2024-06-27T23:52:46.416Z

I don’t know the situation in NZ, but in Australia “Pedestrians must use a footpath or nature strip if there’s one. If there’s not one, or it’s not practical to use, they can walk on the road…” [1].

If it’s similar in NZ, then this tag wouldn’t be harmful to apply where there is a footpath running alongside the road, but seems a bit pointless given this should always be assumed as applying where sidewalk=yes/both.

The tag would make more sense in places where you don’t legally need to use the adjacent footpath, but in some locations it’s signposted as you must.