Tag:area:highway=footway

area:highway =

Description

An area representation of footways.

Group: highways

Used on these elements

Useful combination

surface=*

Status: in use

More details at taginfo

Tools for this tag

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OSM Tag History

An area representation of a highway=footway which is separately mapped with a linear way.

Background

Some footways take up a significant areas - or mappers are interested in super-accurate mapping - so this tag was developed to precisely map this, in addition to highway=footway way tagged through their middle.

This tag is not the same as highway=footway + area=yes which represents a non-linear feature such as a square or plaza where multi-directional travel is possible.

How to map

Correct tagging

If it's a simple footway area, just draw an outline around it, and add tag area:highway=.
If it's a more complicated one, draw an outline around it, draw all inner parts, then select all elements and make a multipolygon relation from it. Add tag area:highway= to multipolygon.
Remember about joining area's edges to surrounding buildings, walls, etc.

Optional tags:

surface=* (What is the footway made of? E.g. concrete, asphalt)

Tagging mistakes to avoid

Don't create an area:highway= area without also creating a linear highway=footway way along the centerline of the footway.
Don't use an area:highway= tag for narrow paths. Draw only a linear way through its middle.
Don't use an area:highway= tag for areas which are wide enough for vehicles to enter, such as pedestrian streets. Use area:highway=pedestrian for them.
Don't use an area:highway= tag for stairs. Use area:highway=steps for them.
Don't use an area:highway= tag for cycleway areas. Use area:highway=cycleway for them.
Don't use an area:highway= tag for non-segregated "foot & bicycle" path areas. Use either area:highway=path (if the main way is tagged path) or area:highway=cycleway (if the main way is tagged cycleway) for them.
Don't use an area:highway= tag for pedestrian crossings. Correct tagging of them is explained in a second table below.
Don't use an area:highway= tag for traffic calming islands without any crosswalk connection. Use only the traffic_calming=island tag instead.

Example tagging

Case	Area tags	Mapping examples
Polygon	`area:highway=`
Multipolygon	`area:highway=` + `type=multipolygon` Correct tagging of footway multipolygon depends on character of place, you can: draw a multipolygon on a larger landcover area (eg. leisure=park) or add proper landcover tag to every inner element or complete empty inner parts with proper landcover areas (eg. building=yes)

Example tagging of connected objects

Case	Way tags			Area tags
Pedestrian crossing	`highway=footway` + `footway=crossing`			Draw an area around streets intersection, treating stop lines and crossings as its edges and tag it with: `area:highway=` (class of highway, eg. `area:highway=primary`)* + `junction=yes` If it's a single crossing being far away from streets intersection, draw it just as a linear way crossing street area without `junction=yes` tag.
Non-segregated "foot & bicycle" crossing	`highway=path` + `path=crossing` + `foot=designated` + `bicycle=designated` + `segregated=no`			Draw an area around streets intersection, treating stop lines and crossings as its edges and tag it with: `area:highway=` (class of highway, eg. `area:highway=primary`)* + `junction=yes` If it's a single crossing being far away from streets intersection, draw it just as a linear way crossing street area without `junction=yes` tag.
Segregated "foot & bicycle" crossing	Method 1 (one linear way): `highway=path` + `path=crossing` + `foot=designated` + `bicycle=designated` + `segregated=yes`			Draw an area around streets intersection, treating stop lines and crossings as its edges and tag it with: `area:highway=` (class of highway, eg. `area:highway=primary`)* + `junction=yes` If it's a single crossing being far away from streets intersection, draw it just as a linear way crossing street area without `junction=yes` tag.
Segregated "foot & bicycle" crossing	Method 2 (two linear ways): Through foot part: `highway=footway` + `footway=crossing` Through bicycle part: `highway=cycleway` + `cycleway=crossing`
Segregated "foot & bicycle" crossing with traffic calming island	Method 1 (one linear way):			Street area: Draw an area around streets intersection, treating stop lines and crossings as its edges and tag it with: `area:highway=` (class of highway, eg. `area:highway=primary`)* + `junction=yes` If it's a single crossing being far away from streets intersection, draw it just as a linear way crossing street area without `junction=yes` tag. Foot part of the island: `area:highway=` Bicycle part of the island: `area:highway=cycleway` Side parts of the island: `landuse=grass` or `leisure=garden` or `traffic_calming=island`
	`highway=path` + `path=crossing` + `foot=designated` + `bicycle=designated` + `segregated=yes`	`highway=path` + `foot=designated` + `bicycle=designated` + `segregated=yes`	`highway=path` + `path=crossing` + `foot=designated` + `bicycle=designated` + `segregated=yes`
	Method 2 (two linear ways): Through foot part:
	`highway=footway` + `footway=crossing`	`highway=footway`	`highway=footway` + `footway=crossing`
	Through bicycle part:
	`highway=cycleway` + `cycleway=crossing`	`highway=cycleway`	`highway=cycleway` + `cycleway=crossing`
Segregated "foot & bicycle" path	Method 1 (one linear way): `highway=path` + `foot=designated` + `bicycle=designated` + `segregated=yes` (path way should be joined through a mutal part of the footway/ cycleway areas, see example screenshot)			Foot part: `area:highway=` Bicycle part: `area:highway=cycleway` (both areas should be joined to each other if there is no physical barrier between them, see example screenshot)
Segregated "foot & bicycle" path	Method 2 (two linear ways): Through foot part: `highway=footway` Through bicycle part: `highway=cycleway`
Traffic calming paving on a street edge (This element should be treaten as kind of a traffic calming area, not footway)				`traffic_calming=island`