User:Yopaseopor/traffic sign proposal 2024

Rationale

Traffic signs are one of the most important kind of elements you can find... in the "road world". They are extended over the world and there are so many kinds of it. But was a minor tag in OSM (few elements, few tags related, few values...untill now). It is important to structure a complete scheme which answers all the meanings of a traffic sign, not only the meaning for the road but also the element itself.

Different approaches

by key

Highway.The classics

In 2006 we can find the first traffic sign. Stop. With its principal key. From then there's an approximation with nodes with the tag highway=(give_way,traffic_signals, and stop)

Value	Element	Sign	Comment	Additional tags on the way
highway=stop			Stop sign. Usually tagged as highway=stop instead.	highway=stop (on a node)
highway=give_way			Give way sign. Usually tagged as highway=give_way instead.	highway=give_way (on a node)
highway=traffic_signals			Traffic signal.	highway=traffic_signals (on a node)

Human-readable values

Tags	Element	Sign		Comment	Tags for affected highways
traffic_sign=city_limit + name=* (name of city/village)				City/village sign. By default it is assumed there is an end of city/village sign on the back for drivers in the opposite direction; add city_limit=begin if this is not the case.	source:maxspeed=DE:urban if not overridden by other speed limit source (or with other appropriate country code) zone:traffic=DE:urban
traffic_sign=city_limit + city_limit=end + name=* (name of city/village)				End of city/village sign.	source:maxspeed=DE:rural if not overridden by other speed limit source (or with other appropriate country code)
traffic_sign=maxspeed + maxspeed=* (the speed limit)				Maximum speed sign. Like all traffic signs these should be tagged as a node. Usually not part of the highway, so the direction can be inferred.	maxspeed=* + source:maxspeed=sign
traffic_sign=maxspeed + maxspeed=implicit				End of maximum speed sign.
traffic_sign=stop				Stop sign. Usually tagged implicitly on a node of the highway with highway=stop instead.	highway=stop (on a node)
traffic_sign=give_way				Give way sign. Equivalent to the United States yield sign. Usually just highway=give_way is tagged instead.	highway=give_way (on a node)
traffic_sign=variable_message				Electronic Variable Message Sign, also known as Dynamic Message Signs. Remotely programmed to give traffic information such as expected travel times to destinations, temporary speed limits, incident warnings etc. Usually combined with man_made=gantry. (Example photo)
traffic_sign=overtaking + overtaking=no				No overtaking sign.	overtaking=no
traffic_sign=overtaking + overtaking=yes				End of no overtaking sign.
traffic_sign=maxwidth				Maximum width sign.	maxwidth=*
traffic_sign=maxheight				Maximum height sign.	maxheight=*
traffic_sign=maxweight				Maximum weight sign.	maxweight=*
traffic_sign=stop_ahead				Stop ahead sign. Can be a standard yield sign plus additional plate containing STOP and distance (as in most of Europe) or a red triangle or yellow diamond with an image of a stop sign elsewhere.
traffic_sign=yield_ahead				Yield/give way ahead sign. Can be a standard yield sign plus additional plate with distance (as in most of Europe) or a red triangle or yellow diamond with an image of a yield/give way sign elsewhere.
traffic_sign=signal_ahead				Signal ahead sign.
traffic_sign=hazard				A hazard to motorists.	Combined with hazard=* to indicate the type of hazard.

Traffic signs by national ID

Signs specific to a particular country should be mapped by the country/region prefix followed by a colon and then the traffic sign.

• The country/region prefix should be the ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code or ISO 3166-2 country subdivision code (always uppercase). This prefix is separated by a colon : from the sign. Additional colons can be included within the prefix to create a hierarchy of further custom subdivisions.
• Traffic signs should be represented by their official ID (if such IDs are assigned).
• Multiple unrelated signs should be separated with a semicolon ;. If traffic signs are related, the additional sign IDs should be separated from the main sign by comma ,.
• Where the traffic sign requires a numeric or textual value, you can supply it after the ID using brackets [value]. This can be repeated for signs that require multiple parameters. For numeric parameters, use a dot . as decimal separator and a minus - for negative values (if needed).
• In case of multiple signs separated by commas or semicolons, the prefix should appear only once at the beginning (except if signs from different prefixes are combined).

Examples

	traffic_sign=GB:956
	traffic_sign=GB:616,954
	traffic_sign=GB:523.1[-10]
	traffic_sign=BE:F4a
	traffic_sign=DE:260,1020-30;265[3.8]
	traffic_sign=US:CA:SW-59
	traffic_sign=NL:H01d[Merum][Maerem][Roermond];A0150

Here it is a table with most of them Key:traffic sign#Lists of IDs per country

by way of map them

Also there are two ways of mapping them: as a separated node or as part of way.

Separated node

Create a separate node beside the road at the position of the actual sign. This allows to map the exact physical position of the sign, but it is impossible to reliably deduce the affected road or travel direction in this case. Software algorithms which operate on ways will thus generally not be able to consider the traffic sign, but only the tags of the way instead.

You can use the direction=* tag to describe the facing orientation of the sign by using an angle or cardinal direction.

Note that the sign is facing against the direction of travel. So if you encounter a traffic sign when traveling north, then the sign is facing south. So you can add direction=180 or direction=S. Likewise, when traveling west, signs are facing east, so you tag them with direction=90 or direction=E.

Node in a way

As a part of the way you can use the direction=* with the values direction=forward, direction=backward, direction=90 direction=270 , to show the facing direction . It is easy for renders to assume being part of the way traffic signs affect that way but it is difficult to assume the exact position of the traffic sign.

On a way or area

When tagged on a way or an area, the traffic_sign=* tag describes the traffic sign(s) that apply to that way or area. The tag is not meant to mark the actual position of the sign in this case, but the affected way or area instead. It should however be assumed that the physical location of the sign is at the beginning and / or the end of the affected section (but note that the affected section may be comprised of multiple ways within OSM).

Problems

There are two different keys and three ways of mapping traffic signs. It is complicated for a newbie mapper to know how to map the possible different values and their order. Every code has its place. And mapping direction is not easier, when you have a node alone you need to put the facing direction When you have the node in a way you have to put forward or backward relative to the way it is. This can be the opposite value.

Aim of this proposal

The aim of this new scheme for traffic_signs is to unite the different approaches for mapping traffic sign as it is. It uses the most complete parts of the existing schemes. It uses the "categories" you can find in traffic signs law from Europe or US, like hazard with a node per traffic sign and with a human readable value,using existing OSM tags to his when possible and marking the position with a numbered subtag :2 or :3...This avoid misinterpretation errors from the tags and also the multivalue problems. Also permits the correspondence between some tags each other. And to be more specific you can use the tag traffic_sign:id=* to specify the code of this traffic sign per country if you know the value. It uses the traffic ID national code you can find in the traffic sign law of each country to mark which traffic sign is and also gives the entire importance as states do in their laws (we know it because when you ask a government e.g. Spanish government, for the database of traffic signs in their roads each traffic sign has a unique ID with its position and code.) There are so convenience to not fit more than three traffic signs at the same pole to make easier the readability for human eye at the reality[1].

How it works. How to map

The mapping method is a node part of the way using the values explaining its direction relative to the way.

Here it is some examples of approximation of readable values and "subkeys" applied to the traffic_sign key.

• First you say the type of the traffic sign: Warning (Hazard in OSM),Regulatory (all the maxspeed,maxwidth,maxheight,maxweight,maxaxleload,overtaking...),Information (includes city_limit traffic_signs) ,Complementary or Others. Stop and give_way uses highway key until community decide to unify all the traffic signs with one key.

• Then you apply the subkey for this type.
• Do you know the id of the traffic sign in its country? Use traffic_sign:id=*

• Finally you say the direction relative to the way: direction=forward, direction=backward, direction=90 direction=270 .
• And don't forget the side of the way the sign is located.

e.g. :

traffic_sign=maxspeed

maxspeed:forward=50

traffic_sign:id=ES:R301

direction=forward

side=right

When there is a second traffic sign you use the subtag 2: to traffic_sign tag and so on (e.g. traffic_sign:2=maxspeed and/or traffic_sign:2:id=DE:206).

Here there are main values for mapping a traffic sign.

Traffic signs human readable values examples

Tag=value	Comment
highway=traffic_signals	Traffic signal.
highway=stop	Stop sign. Usually tagged implicitly on a node of the highway with highway=stop to unify all the human readable values for this.
highway=give_way	Give way sign. Usually tagged as highway=give_way to unify all the human readable values for this.
traffic_sign=hazard	A hazard is a potential source of damage to health, life, property, or any other interest of value (see  Hazard). Hazards include natural features of the environment as well as those of human origin.
traffic_sign=maxspeed traffic_sign=minspeed traffic_sign=maxspeed:advisory traffic_sign=implicit traffic_sign=maxlength traffic_sign=maxwidth traffic_sign=maxweigth traffic_sign=maxaxleload traffic_sign=overtaking traffic_sign=overtaking:hgv traffic_sign=access traffic_sign=restriction traffic_sign=mandatory	These signs marks the regulation. They can be prohibitive, mainly give a positive (mandatory) instruction ,mainly give a positive advisory instruction, can mark the end of that prohibition. And also here you have all the restrictions of max* or min*.
traffic_sign=information traffic_sign=lanes traffic_sign=services	Here you have all the signs you can find about information instructions.
traffic_sign=complimentary	These are all the signs that accompany all the other traffic signs to clarify or adjust the meaning or the situation taht applies the main traffic sign.
traffic_sign=destination traffic_sign=ref_id traffic_sign=boundary traffic_sign=city_limit	All the traffic signs about orientation, destination and confirmation. Not only the plate itself.
traffic_sign=*	All common values according to taginfo.

When there is a second traffic sign you use the subtag 2: to traffic_sign tag and so on (e.g. traffic_sign:2=maxspeed and/or traffic_sign:2:id=DE:206).

A good start. Traffic_sign=hazard

Due to the approval of hazard in 2020 there were born the first category for traffic signs as it. Hazard (the initial version of this proposal was talking about warning traffic signs.As you can see in this table all Vienna convention and MUTCD has similar items to specify these situations. It is interesting to use existent tagging in OSM so probably would not have any big change rather than some new proposals of human readable values.

In this other table you will see image of the two main styles of pictures Worldwide accepted: Vienna convention and MUTCD. They can change a little by countries but they are similar.

Key	Human readable value	Usage count	Element	Description	traffic_sign:id Vienna	traffic_sign:id MUTCD
hazard	damaged_road			A section of damaged road where it is recommended to reduce speed	ES:P15	US:W8-8
hazard	traffic_signals			A section of road approaching near traffic lights where it is recommended to reduce speed	ES:P3	US:W3-3
hazard	animal_crossing			A place where animals are known to appear unexpectedly, presenting a collision hazard to motorists.	ES:P24	US:W11-3
hazard	bump			A bump in the road which may be hazardous to motorists.	ES:P15a	US:W8-1
hazard	crossroad			Crossing of two roads.	ES:P2	US:W2-1
hazard	children			A place where children are known to play in the roadway, presenting a collision hazard to children and motorists.	ES:P21	US:S1-1
hazard	cyclist			An area where cyclists share a roadway with motor vehicles	ES:P22	US:W18-1
hazard	dangerous_junction			A junction or intersection that has a high rate of traffic collisions.	ES:P50	US:W18-1
hazard	dip			A dip in the road which may be hazardous to motorists.	ES:P15b	US:W8-2
hazard	emergency_vehicles			A section of road approaching near a intersection with road for emergency vehicles where it is recommended to reduce speed.	ES:P50	US:W11-8
hazard	falling_rocks			An area in which rocks, dirt, or other natural materials may fall unexpectedly from cliffs above, or may have fallen, presenting a hazard.	ES:P26	US:W8-14
hazard	fog			An area where fog tends to form more frequently than surrounding areas.	ES:P33	US:W8-22
hazard	frail_pedestrians			A place where frail or disabled pedestrians are likely to cross a road	ES:P21b	US:W18-1
hazard	frost_heave			An area where the road is known to bulge because of ice underneath the roadway.	ES:P50	US:W18-1
hazard	ground_clearance			A place (usually a hill or incline) where vehicles with long wheelbases risk being grounded.	ES:P50	US:W10-5
hazard	horse_riders			An area where horse riders share a roadway with motor vehicles.	ES:P50	US:W11-7
hazard	ice			An area where ice tends to form more frequently than surrounding areas.	ES:P34	US:W18-1
hazard	landslide			An area where landslides, mudslides or rockslides are known to occur.	ES:P26	US:W8-14
hazard	loose_gravel			An area along the road where rocks and stones may be present, presenting a hazard to motorists.	ES:P28	US:W8-7
hazard	low_flying_aircraft			An area where low flying aircraft are known to appear.	ES:P12	US:I3-5
hazard	pedestrians			An area where pedestrians share a roadway with motor vehicles	ES:P20	US:W11-2
hazard	queues_likely			An area which frequently experiences a queue of cars backed up on the roadway	ES:P31	US:W18-1
hazard	road_narrows			A place where the road narrows immediately following the sign.	ES:P17	US:W5-1
hazard	roundabout			A section of road approaching near a roundabout where it is recommended to reduce speed.	ES:P4	US:W2-6
hazard	school_zone			An area near a school where special traffic laws apply.	ES:P21	US:S1-1
hazard	side_winds			An area which frequently receives high winds that present a danger to people.	ES:P29	US:W1-5R
hazard	slippery			An area or stretch of roadway which is slippery, or slippery under certain conditions, presenting a hazard to motorists	ES:P19	US:W8-5
hazard	curve			A section of road which presents a risk to motorists due to a single curve.	ES:P13a	US:W1-2L
hazard	curves			A section of road which presents a risk to motorists due to multiple curves.	ES:P14a	US:W1-4R
hazard	turn			A section of road that turns sharply	ES:P13a	US:W1-1R
hazard	turns			A section of road that turns sharply two times, in opposite directions	ES:P14a	US:W1-3L

Stop and give_way

Key	Human readable value	Usage count	Element	Description	traffic_sign:id Vienna	traffic_sign:id MUTCD
highway	stop			A sign of stop	ES:R2	US:R1-1
highway	give_way			A sign of give_way / yield	ES:R2	US:R1-2

traffic_sign=max* ,min or advisory

Key	Human readable value	Usage count	Element	Description	traffic_sign:id Vienna	traffic_sign:id MUTCD
maxspeed				A sign of maxspeed. Specifies the maximum legal speed limit on a road, railway or waterway.	ES:R301	US:R2-1
maxspeed:advisory				A sign of advisory maxspeed. Specifies the recomended speed limit on a road, railway or waterway.	ES:S7	US:W13-1
minspeed				A sign of minspeed. Specifies the minimum legal speed limit on a road, railway or waterway.	ES:R411	US:R2-4P
maxheight				The legal maximum height	ES:R205	US:W12-2
maxwidth				The legal maximum width	ES:R204	US:W5-1
maxweight				The legal maximum weight	ES:R204	US:R12-1
maxaxleload				The legal maximum axleload weight	ES:R202	US:R12-2
maxlength				The legal maximum length	ES:R203	US:W12-2
overtaking	no			A sign of no overtaking	ES:R305	US:W18-1
overtaking:hgv	no			A sign of no overtaking for HGV.	ES:R305	US:W18-1

traffic_sign=implicit other regulatory signs

Key	Human readable value	Usage count	Element	Description	traffic_sign:id Vienna	traffic_sign:id MUTCD
maxspeed	implicit			A sign of end of maxspeed limit.	ES:R501	US:W18-1
maxspeed:advisory	implicit			A sign of end of advisory maxspeed. Specifies the end of recomended speed limit on a road, railway or waterway.	ES:S8	US:W18-1
minspeed	implicit			A sign of end of minspeed limit.	ES:R506	US:W18-1
overtaking	implicit			A sign of no overtaking	ES:R502	US:W18-1
overtaking:hgv	implicit			A sign of no overtaking for HGV.	ES:R503	US:W18-1

traffic_sign=access (no) and other regulatory signs

Key	Human readable value	Usage count	Element	Description	traffic_sign:id Vienna	traffic_sign:id MUTCD
access	no			A sign of no access. Except pedestrians.	ES:R100	US:R5-1
foot	yes			A sign of wrong way. Except pedestrians.	ES:R101	US:R5-1a
motor_vehicle	no			A sign of no access for motor vehicles.	ES:R102	US:R5-3
motorcycle	no			A sign of no access for motorcycles.	ES:R104	US:R5-8
hgv	no			A sign of no access for hgv.	ES:R106	US:R5-2
hazmat	no			A sign of no access for hazmat vehicles.	ES:R106	US:R14-3
hazmat:explosive	no			A sign of no access for hazmat with explosive material vehicles.	ES:R109	US:R14-3
hazmat:water	no			A sign of no access for hazmat water vehicles.	ES:R110	US:R14-3
agricultural	no			A sign of no access for agricultural vehicles.	ES:R111	US:W18-1
bicycle	no			A sign of no access for bicycles.	ES:R114	US:R5-6
foot	no			A sign of no access for pedestrians.	ES:R116	US:R9-3
horse	no			A sign of no access for equestrians.	ES:R117	US:R9-14

traffic_sign=access (designated) and other regulatory signs

Key	Human readable value	Usage count	Element	Description	traffic_sign:id Vienna	traffic_sign:id MUTCD
motor_vehicle	designated			A sign of designated access for motor vehicles.	ES:R404	US:W18-1
motorcycle	designated			A sign of designated access for motorcycles.	ES:R405	US:W18-1
hgv	designated			A sign of designated access for hgv.	ES:R406	US:W18-1
hazmat	designated			A sign of designated access for hazmat vehicles.	ES:R414	US:R14-2
hazmat:explosive	designated			A sign of designated access for hazmat with explosive material vehicles.	ES:R416	US:R14-2
hazmat:water	designated			A sign of designated access for hazmat water vehicles.	ES:R415	US:R14-2
bicycle	designated			A sign of designated access for bicycles.	ES:R407	US:W18-1
foot	designated			A sign of designated access for pedestrians.	ES:R410	US:W18-1
horse	designated			A sign of designated access for equestrians.	ES:R409	US:W18-1

traffic_signs for restriction

Key	Human readable value	Usage count	Element	Description	traffic_sign:id Vienna	traffic_sign:id MUTCD
restriction	no_stopping			A sign of no stopping	ES:R307	US:R7-20
restriction	no_parking			A sign of no parking	ES:R308	US:R7-1
restriction	no_turn_right			A sign of no turn right	ES:R302	US:R3-1
restriction	no_turn_left			A sign of no turn left	ES:R303	US:R3-2
restriction	no_u_turn			A sign of no u-turn	ES:R304	US:R3-4

Mandatory traffic_signs

Key	Human readable value	Usage count	Element	Description	traffic_sign:id Vienna	traffic_sign:id MUTCD
mandatory	turn_right			A mandatory sign for turn right	ES:R400a	US:R3-5R
mandatory	turn_left			A mandatory sign for turn left	ES:R400b	US:R3-5L
mandatory	through			A mandatory sign for straight through	ES:R400c	US:R3-5a
mandatory	keep_right			A mandatory sign for keep right	ES:R401a	US:R4-7
mandatory	keep_left			A mandatory sign for keep left	ES:R401b	US:R4-8
mandatory	roundabout			A mandatory sign for roundabout	ES:R402	US:R6-4
mandatory	through_left			A mandatory sign for straight through or turn left	ES:R403b	US:R3-6L
mandatory	through_right			A mandatory sign for straight through or turn right	ES:R403a	US:R3-6R
mandatory	no_through			A mandatory sign for turn left or turn right	ES:R403c	US:R3-27

Information traffic_signs

Key	Human readable value	Usage count	Element	Description	traffic_sign:id Vienna	traffic_sign:id MUTCD
information	motorway			An information sign says you enter in a motorway	ES:S1	US:W18-1
information	end_motorway			An information sign says you exit from a motorway	ES:S21	US:W19-3
information	expressway			An information sign says you enter in a expressway or motor vehicle way.	ES:S3	US:W18-1
information	end_expressway			An information sign says you exit from a expressway or motor vehicle way.	ES:S4	US:W19-4
information	tunnel			An information sign says you enter in a tunnel	ES:S5	US:W18-1
information	crossing			An information sign says you enter in a crossing	ES:S13	US:W18-1
information	noexit			An information sign says you enter in a way that does not have exit	ES:S15a	US:W18-1
information	parking			An information sign says you enter in a parking	ES:S17	US:W18-1
information	taxi_stop			An information sign says here it is a taxi stop	ES:S18	US:W18-1
information	bus_stop			An information sign says here it is a bus stop	ES:S19	US:W18-1
information	tram_stop			An information sign says here it is a tram stop	ES:S20	US:W18-1
information	living_street			An information sign says here you enter in a living_street	ES:S28	US:W18-1
information	end_living_street			An information sign says here you exit from a living_street	ES:S29	US:W18-1

Lanes traffic_signs

Key	Human readable value	Usage count	Element	Description	traffic_sign:id Vienna	traffic_sign:id MUTCD
lanes	oneway			A sign says you there is only one way lane in that direction.	ES:S12	US:R6-1L
lanes	1			A sign says you there is only one way lane.	ES:S11	US:W18-1
lanes	2			A sign says you there is two lanes way.	ES:S11a	US:W18-1
lanes	3			A sign says you there is three lanes way.	ES:S11b	US:W18-1
lanes	3_to_2			A sign says you a lane of three ends here.	ES:S52	US:W4-2R
lanes	2_to_1			A sign says you a lane ends here.	ES:S52b	US:W4-2R
lanes	1_to_2			A sign says you a lane starts here.	ES:S53	US:W18-1
lanes	2_to_3			A sign says you a lane starts here from two lanes.	ES:S53b	US:W18-1

Services traffic_signs

Key	Human readable value	Usage count	Element	Description	traffic_sign:id Vienna	traffic_sign:id MUTCD
services

Complimentary traffic_signs

Key	Human readable value	Usage count	Element	Description	traffic_sign:id Vienna	traffic_sign:id MUTCD
complimentary

Ref_id traffic_signs

Key	Human readable value	Usage count	Element	Description	traffic_sign:id Vienna	traffic_sign:id MUTCD
ref_id

Boundary traffic_signs

Key	Human readable value	Usage count	Element	Description	traffic_sign:id Vienna	traffic_sign:id MUTCD
boundary

Position

When there is a second traffic sign you use the subtag 2: to traffic_sign=* tag and/or traffic_sign:id=* so on

(e.g. traffic_sign:2=maxspeed and/or traffic_sign:2:id=DE:206).

Direction

The mapping method is a node , mainly part of the way, using the values explaining its direction relative to the way.

Tag=value	Comment
direction=forward	Forward to the way. It is relative to the orientation you draw a way, as rivers
direction=backward	Backward to the way. It is relative to the orientation you draw a way, as rivers
direction=90 (clockwise)	90º to the way. It is relative to the orientation you draw a way, as rivers
direction=270 (clockwise)	270º to the way. It is relative to the orientation you draw a way, as rivers
direction=* (clockwise)	other directions relative to the way

Side

Also it is completed with a tag side that marks the side of the way traffic sign is in.

Tag=value	Comment
side=right	the right side of the way . It is relative to the orientation you draw a way, as rivers
side=left	the left side of the way.
side=both	the left and right sides at the same time.
side=up	all elevated traffic signs or traffic panels.
side=down	all traffic road marks.