Intro

First of all, some background. I’m employed by a consultancy agency, and anything traffic/mobility related is part of my job. It should also imply I’m familiar with several planning documents…

When diving into the world that is OpenStreetMap, I’ve had to realize a few things. Things in OpenStreetMap do NOT always mean what I assume they mean. Road categorisation is one of the key points here, and frequent need to repeat the explanation has finally made me create a diary post on the subject. For clarification I’ll try to explain in english, but add the corresponding terms in dutch after.

The problem

At the core of the issue is semantics. OpenStreetMap and ‘the real world’ but use certain terms, like ‘primary roads’, ‘secondary roads’, ‘tertiary roads’. These are however not synonymous, and editing OpenStreetMap just to be in line with those planning documents is often well.. wrong.

The planning context

• Primary roads (‘primaire wegen’) are selected in the RSV (‘Ruimtelijk Structuurplan Vlaanderen’, or ‘spatial structural plan Flanders’). They deal with the connections between ‘Grootstedelijke gebieden’ - essentially the main metropoles. Think along the likes of Gent, Antwerpen, Brussel, Brugge, …
• Secondary roads (‘secundaire wegen’) are selected one planning level lower, at a provincial level. The PRS (‘Provinciaal Ruimtelijk Structuurplan’) selects these. They deal with the connections between regional poles.
• Tertiary roads are not named as such, but fit under the umbrella of ‘lokale wegen’. In planning documents, we speak of ‘lokale wegen types I, II and III’, where I and II are dealing with the connections between very local poles, and III is basically whatever didn’t fit elsewhere’. Selection of these happens in the ‘Gemeentelijke Mobiliteitsplan’ (‘communal mobility plan).

… See full entry