Hi,
In a neighborhood park, there are a few areas which are about one foot above the surrounding footways, with chess tables.
One of them has an access ramp for wheelchairs, and the other two have only stair access.
I know that the last part can be tagged as wheelchair=designated and wheelchair=no, respectively; but, how do I map these areas in the first place? Here is an image of one of those areas.
I thought to use the tags:
highway=footway
area=yes
level=1
surface=gravel
wheelchair=designated/no
I’d love to hear any thoughts you might have about this.
Thanks a lot!
that should rather be either highway=pedestrian + area=yes, or area:highway=footway; see “Areas” section in Tag:highway=footway - OpenStreetMap Wiki
Thanks a lot!
Is there any significant difference between these two options? Should I choose between them depending on the exact nature of this area? If so, what is the nuance between them? Or are they generally synonymous?
Also: I may have not made it clear enough in my original question, in case it’s important: these areas are all accessible only from one side (by either steps or wheelchair ramp), but they’re not normally traversable (unless you take a small jump on the other side). It’s not like a plaza, which would make sense to cross; here, to get to the other side you would generally go around them.
Sorry for not mentioning that earlier… in case this changes the right way to tag them.
Thanks again!
On one side you’ll map a stair or a ramp, on the other side an embankment probably.
It’s not like a plaza,
Well, a pedestrian area anyway as suggested by @Matija_Nalis.
I’d say the latter. There are allegedly some differences (see that wiki paragraph link to talk page), but I think they are used mostly the same…
I’d add a highway=steps (with ramp=no/yes and incline=up/down, depending) as the way connecting to that elevated area from nearby footway/road/whathaveyou, to indicate that detail (when known).
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This tag is used for objects (POI for example) inside a building to denote the building level it is situated on. Please do not use it in a park.
If the platform is above (or below) other objects mapped in OSM at the same location you can use
layer=*
to indicate the relative vertical position.
Thanks a lot to all of you, for the info & tips and for the patience!
@trial, after looking at the embankment’s wiki page, I think that this is not exactly the case for which this tag was meant (it looks like it’s more for designating when a road is supported by an embankment against a natural height difference, but here the platform is raised for decoration). But on its other side I did add the steps you suggested, connecting it to the footway passing nearby, and I implemented all of the other suggestions that you all wrote here.
Many thanks again!
You’re right, I meant barrier=retaining_wall.
That’s interesting, and much closer to what’s actually there. Thanks!
I’m not sure what the existing usage of this tag is, but if I understand correctly, it’s mainly for cases of natural or man-made steep slopes, where a wall is built to hold back the soil from falling / collapsing. If that’s correct, then despite being somewhat similar, I think I wouldn’t use this tag here, since the walls are part of the decoration, and don’t fulfill a retaining function.
On a general note, I feel like the right tag to describe this raised platform should be a property of the platform element itself, describing e.g. its elevation (even approximate) relative to its surroundings… something like area:elevation=0.5m, or something like that… anyway, until such a tag will be suggested and agreed upon, I guess I’ll just stick to the current solution.
Thanks a lot again!
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OK, check on your own: remove the walls, check if it’s only decoration^^. Be prepared to do some more work than just putting them back. and possibly a fine. 
elevation
It’s elevation above natural level, we call it height in OSM ;-). A strange/rare combination I admit.
Thanks for the correction! (And for the warning from the fine :) )
Following your hint, I just found height=* in the OSM wiki…
@trial, @Matija_Nalis, @silversurfer83: Can height=* be used in combination with area:highway=footway? That would be a wonderful way to say that this area is elevated relative to its surroundings.
Thanks!
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Currently I can’t see why it would be wrong. Go for it 
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