I’ve recently made some updates to narrow roads in Chiang Mai that were previously tagged as highway=service + service=alley, and some other misleading combinations including unsigned vehicle legal restrictions tags.
Based on the latest Wiki revisions, Mapillary, and local knowledge, I have re-classified them into more appropriate categories, such as:
- Residential roads wide enough for a single motor car (at least 2 meters wide):
highway=residential + lanes=1 + oneway=yes/no + surface=* - Roads too narrow for motorcars (less than 2 meters), and not restricted to motorcycles via signs/steps/barriers:
highway=path + width=* + surface=* - Roads too narrow for motorcars (less than 2 meters), and restricted to motorcycles via signs/steps/barriers:
highway=footway + width=* + surface=*
There are still many narrow roads and motorcycle paths in Chiang Mai and other provinces that have been incorrectly tagged as service=alley, highway=footway, and other different combinations. I encourage anyone who comes across these to update them accordingly based on the latest Thailand Wiki definitions.
If you’re unsure whether a very narrow road is passable by car, look for vehicles inside adjacent house driveways. If at least one car is parked inside, it means a section of the road is passable.