Adding to the Map

   LocalGreenways  >  Open Cycle Map and NC  >  Adding to the Map

Getting Started

What You Must Know

1. Open Street Map is a Wiki based Map.
2. Do not copy data from copyrighted maps! This includes anything created with GoogleEarth and GoogleMaps and their aerial/satellite imagery. Yahoo maps, on the other hand is graciously allowing their imagery to be used for copying.
3. Unlike Wikipedia, it can take 7 days before your changes are rendered into the OSM map. This is because to process of creating the images is very computationally intensive. Generally, the map is updated by each Thursday morning.
4. Most importantly - Be Accurate - only map what you know

How to Edit

1. You need an account on the OSM server
2. Any kind of computer will do Linux/Unix, Mac, or Windows
3. Software (browser based and stand-alone) instructions are here.

Detailed Tips For Adding Features

1. Most data is comprised of nodes - a single point.
2. A series of nodes can be associated to create a way - a road perhaps.
3. A series of nodes can also be associated as a closed area - a park.
4. Each of the above is given attributes in the form "key=value".
5. These "key=value" pairs determine how something is displayed on the map

Tips For Specific Features

• Bike Racks
  • A single node where "amenity=bicycle_parking"
• Bike Lane
  • A way where "cycleway=lane"

Todos and Data Source

• NC Bike Maps