Proposal:Highway=cycle expressway

Cycle Expressways
Proposal status:	Draft (under way)
Proposed by:	Kaiserschmarren
Tagging:	highway=cycle_expressway
Applies to:
Definition:	Superior Feature to highway=cycleway - A cycle_expressway links town parts or individual settlements. They usually have few road crossings, and if they do, they have priority.
Statistics:
Draft started:	2025-11-29

I sometimes in the following just use the word expressway. Take in mind, that has nothing to do with the tag "highway=expressway"!!

See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_highway

Part A - When to map?:

Key points:

• Prioritised Cycling Infrastructure - Like a Highway for Cycling
• High average speed should be possible!
• The Surface must be smooth
• Cycling there should be very safe - Vehicle Restrictions, ...

Quote German Wiki: (translated - analogously):

"Cycling-Expressways have important and attractive Destinations. They act as funnel between these destinations and link smaller as well as bigger settlements or town parts under eachother. They mostly are attractive ways that ensure safety and high cycling speeds. This is achieved for example by crossing priority or reduced crossing amount.

Part B - Crossings:

If the cycle_expressway crosses another way there are two options:

1. The Crossing Way has to yield to the expressway - then the expressway does get mapped throught the entire correspondent crossing (because it is continuous)
2. The Crossing Way has priority over the expressway - the expressway ends where the crossing begins (the crossing gets the tags: highway=cycleway and cycleway=crossings

Part C - Shared Roads:

How to tag what existing feature?

shared with emergency vehicles	highway=cycle_expressway	emergency=yes
shared with farm vehicles	highway=cycle_expressway	motor_vehicle=permit
shared with low pedestrian traffic	highway=cycle_expressway	foot=yes

Part D - Images:

Here we have some example images:

https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/70082221	Location unknown
https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/105926974
https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/164578773
Cycle_expressway Shared shared with pedestrians	Cycle_Expressway with seperate Pedestrian Path

What is not a cycle_expressway:

https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/15803773 (in one direction asphalt, in the other sett)	Location Unknown
	Location Unknown
Potential cycle_expressways that do not have a smooth surface	Places that legally allow Motor Vehicles

Possibly Misstakes:

• Strictly no Routes! - Routes cannot give information about the quality of the infrastructure on specific sections! - And are therefore pointless for routing
• We are not intrested in what the local goverment or authority says is an expressway, as that is different from place to place! Please follow the guidelines stated above.
• No bicycle_streets that have priority! They allow car traffic, which is against the core principle of the proposal - the ways have to be Motor-Vehicle Free!

Comments:

Please add them to the Discussion page ;)