Tag:area:highway=pedestrian

area:highway =

Description

An area representation of pedestrian zones.

Group: highways

Used on these elements

Useful combination

surface=*

Status: in use

More details at taginfo

Tools for this tag

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overpass-turbo
Sophox
OSM Tag History

An area representation of highway=pedestrian. area:highway= describes the shape, i.e. the two-dimensional outline, of the area of a pedestrian street, or parts of it.

It is meant for areas that have a clear direction of travel, and is used as a form of Micromapping in addition to the routable, linear way tagged as highway=pedestrian. Specifically, it is not the same as highway=pedestrian + area=yes, which represents a non-linear area, such as a square or plaza, where multi-directional travel is possible.

How to map

Correct tagging

If it's a simple pedestrian area, just draw an outline around it, and add tag area:highway=. Then add a linear highway=pedestrian way through its middle or else most navigation software cannot route correctly through it!
If it's a more complicated one, draw an outline around it, tag it with area:highway=, draw all inner parts, then select all elements and make a multipolygon relation from it. Also add a linear highway=pedestrian way through the middle of all usual paths in the pedestrian area!
Remember to join the areas' edges to surrounding buildings, walls, etc.

[!] For usual footway areas (see differences between highway=pedestrian and highway=footway) use area:highway=footway, and for cycleway areas use area:highway=cycleway

Optional tags:

surface=* (What is the pedestrian area paved with, if anything? e.g. concrete, asphalt, etc.)

Tagging mistakes to avoid

Don't leave an area:highway= area alone. Always add a linear highway=pedestrian way going through its middle for the area to be routable in navigation software!
Don't use an area:highway= tag to map the area of footways which are too narrow for vehicles to enter. Use area:highway=footway for them.
Don't draw an area:highway= area for pedestrian crossings. Correct tagging of them is explained in a second table below.
Don't draw an area:highway= area for cycleway areas. Use area:highway=cycleway instead.
Don't use an area:highway= tag for non-separated "foot & bicycle" path areas. Use area:highway=path tag instead.
Don't use an area:highway= for traffic calming islands without any crosswalk connection. Use only traffic_calming=island tag instead.

Example tagging

Case	Area tags	Mapping examples
Polygon	`area:highway=`
Multipolygon	`area:highway=` + `type=multipolygon` Correct tagging of pedestrian 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=footway` 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=footway` 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`