Proposal:Ref:color

ref:color
Proposal status:	Abandoned (inactive)
Proposed by:	sergionaranja
Tagging:	`ref:color=*` Data item
Applies to:	way
Definition:	ref:color describes the color of the highway reference as it is found on road signs.
Statistics:
Rendered as:
Draft started:
Proposed on:	2009-04-09
RFC start:	2009-04-19

Voting only includes the proposal, not the ref-color table. It has not been voted yet.

Proposal

Add to the highway tagging (highway=*) the ref color (the color of road signs) in order to have
- more info
- better orientation
- local flavour
- administrative classification (when colors match)

Sign color is a geographical "fact"

Rationale

Highway classification is intended to describe them physicaly. This way the user can decide the route to choose by means of the vehicle he is using and can calculate in advance travel times no matter were in the world we are.

By the other hand local color schemes are designed as route orientation so is good not to loose that info. It has been discussed several times that administrative classification is more functional in some countries. So tagging in those are not by pure physical means.

With this ref:color scheme, highway tags can describe both features at the same time. We can see physical and administrative highway classification at the same time. and they can be tagged independently.

Render

there are 2 aproaches:

1 Render should take in account (highway=*) tags to paint the ways (as it is now),
but should take in account ref:color=* to paint the shields.
This way we can see physical and administrative highway classification at the same time. and they can be tagged independently

2 Main renders don't follow. Then it will still be useful as local servers or navigation devices can take ref:color info and make a custom render, or toggle between render type.

Render example

There are two cases where having highway classification independent of ref:color is useful:

when there are different ref:color for same highway classification, as and that are both Tertiary.
when a road changes highway classification but keeps same ref:color, as in next table:


way	clasif.	stretch 1	stretch 2	stretch 3
EX-208	Real
	Physical
		highway=primary	highway=tertiary	highway=secondary
	Admin.
		highway=secondary	highway=secondary	highway=secondary

Tagging Examples

ref:color schema
render	`highway=*`	`ref=*`	`ref:color=*`	`ref:color_tx=*`	`ref:color_bg=*`

International route (Europe)
E-5	`highway=motorway`	`int_ref=E-5`	`int_ref:color=green`	`int_ref:color_tx=white`
[[:United Kingdom\|]]
	`highway=primary`	`ref=A-261`	`ref:color=white`	`ref:color_tx=black`
	`highway=trunk`	`ref=A-259`	`ref:color=green`	`ref:color_tx=yellow`
	`highway=motorway`	`ref=M-20`	`ref:color=blue`	`ref:color_tx=white`
[[:Spain\|]]
	`highway=tertiary`	`ref=SO-P-6001`	`ref:color=purple`	`ref:color_tx=white`
	`highway=tertiary`	`ref=M-516`	`ref:color=yellow`	`ref:color_tx=black`
	`highway=secondary`	`ref=M-513`	`ref:color=green`	`ref:color_tx=white`
(NW stretch from M-40 [1], blue signs. no roundabouts nor crossings)	`highway=primary` , `motorroad=yes`	`ref=M-503`	`ref:color=orange`	`ref:color_tx=black`	`ref:color_bg=blue`
(SW stretch from M-40 [2], white signs. roundabouts and crossings)	`highway=primary`	`ref=M-503`	`ref:color=orange`	`ref:color_tx=black`
	`highway=trunk`	`ref=N-VI`	`ref:color=red`	`ref:color_tx=white`
	`highway=trunk` , `motorroad=yes`	`ref=N-VI`	`ref:color=red`	`ref:color_tx=white`	`ref:color_bg=blue`
	`highway=motorway`	`ref=A2`	`ref:color=blue`	`ref:color_tx=white`	`ref:color_bg=blue`
[[:Germany\|]]
Bundesstraße B 14	`highway=primary`	`ref=B 14`	`ref:color=#ffcc33`	`ref:color_tx=black`
Bundesautobahn A 81	`highway=motorway`	`ref=A 81`	`ref:color=#003399`	`ref:color_tx=white`
[[:France\|]]
D-319	`highway=secondary` ?	`ref=D-319`	`ref:color=yellow`	`ref:color_tx=black`
N-322 Route nationale	`highway=primary` ?	`ref=N-322`	`ref:color=red`	`ref:color_tx=white`
A-4 Autoroute 4	`highway=motorway`	`ref=A-4`	`ref:color=red`	`ref:color_tx=white`

render	`highway=*`	`ref=*`	`ref:color=*`	`ref:color_tx=*`	`ref:color_bg=*`