this post was submitted on 28 Sep 2024
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Bloomington Indiana

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I just added some max_speed= tags for #OpenStreetMap in Bloomington, Indiana.

Our city code has a default speed limit 25 mph. Exceptions are published in a table in the city code.

It seems possible that adding the correct lower-than-default speed limits from city code to OpenStreetMap could reduce the likelihood that routing algorithms would route car traffic there, which could in turn keep the street safer for other road users.

Ref: https://library.municode.com/in/bloomington/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT15VETR_CH15.24SPRE

@bloomington_in

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[–] markstos@urbanists.social 1 points 1 month ago (16 children)

@pleaseclap @DemonHusky @bloomington_in I can’t see how any routes will become more direct for anyone, because no new more direct paths are being added.

Tagging a slow speed limit is a signal that cars may want to take a less direct route on streets with faster speed limits, while tagging a high speed limit is a signal for bike routing that cyclists may be less safe and may themselves prefer a less direct but safer route.

[–] pleaseclap@urbanists.social 1 points 1 month ago (14 children)

@markstos @DemonHusky @bloomington_in

What DemonHusky said:

A map app suggesting a route for a bike will try to minimize time via the slowest streets. For a car, it will try to minimize time via the fastest streets (which are usually more direct in terms of distance)

So if the algorithm suggesting a route thinks all streets are the same speed, bikes and cars will be suggested the same low-distance routes, which will usually be routes featuring excessive speeding by drivers

[–] pleaseclap@urbanists.social 1 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

@markstos @DemonHusky @bloomington_in

Besides speed, there's probably also an "is there a bike lane" check, which would mitigate the problem a bit in places where the main roads mostly also have bike lanes

[–] markstos@urbanists.social 1 points 1 month ago

@pleaseclap @DemonHusky @bloomington_in That’s right. Many signals are involved. Some factor in cyclist aversion to hills for example.

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