OpenStreetMap (OSM) Training Centre
What is OpenStreetMap (OSM)?
As you can see in the picture below, OpenStreetMap looks familiar. If you've used mapping systems before to find an address, locate a football oval or the nearest coffee shop then you'll notice that there are roads, cities, buildings, rivers etc. It's all very familiar and OSM, the community-sourced, global mapping system provides the same functionality and features as other maps.
But there are some things that make OSM special and very useful when building a map to display Heavy Vehicle networks upon. If you want to add or amend roads, buildings, addresses or truck stops on the map then you can sign-up to become an OSM Contributor...this is called a community volunteer mapper; this is someone who knows their area very well indeed and is keen to build great maps for others to use. We hope that our heavy vehicle community will buy in to the use of OpenStreetMap and improve its content, quality and capability. Are you interested in becoming an OpenStreetMap contributor?
I want to learn how to use OpenStreetMap
OpenStreetMap is the basis for our National Spatial Program - it has road network data, a vast collection of addresses for businesses, farms, mines etc. and has a powerful ability to plan smart routes - this is key to our solution for you in the transport and freight business.
We have two new applications that are going to be built using OpenStreetMap
- Our new NHVR Maps! Road Manager application (coming 2022) - helping LGA and Jurisdiction road managers administer roads and heavy vehicle networks.
- The Next Generation Route Planner (coming Nov 2021) - replace the original Route Planner with better routing capabilities.
Therefore, we are looking to build a community of OpenStreetMap contributors to help build a comprehensive and fully populated set of maps for the benefit of the NHVR, the transport industry and also the global OSM community.
This page contains resources to help understand OpenStreetMap, to edit maps and become a contributor. Please follow the learning pathway below and within hours you will be able to learn how to:
- to activate an OSM account.
- make simple edits (such as adding information to existing roads or buildings).
- add new features such as buildings or roads.
- change the geometry of networks.
- contribute to MapRoulette Challenges.
- build new intersections such as roundabouts or T-junctions.
- become a master OSM mapper!
There are really good sites that can take you through a learning approach to OSM. For example https://learnosm.org/en/ which can take you a long way to becoming an OSM champion. learnOSM has a good site that will take you through some guides and talk you through the Humanitarian Mapping approach. There are also plenty of YouTube videos also.
Alternatively, please watch the videos below and take a pathway so you can become aware of OSM, and choose to become a beginner, an intermediate or a super-keen expert mapper! Choose your pathway and then take the OpenStreetMap Address challenge.
OpenStreetMap Learning Pathway
Choose your level of desired proficiency and follow the plan below. The videos are short, sharp and to the point. Note: All these videos are available on YouTube and have been created by OpenStreetMap contributors and are shared freely.
I want to--> | Understand the OpenStreetMap model |
|---|---|
Lesson 1 What is OpenStreetMap? (2 mins) | So what is this UK-originated, open source, editable and super powerful mapping tool that Uber and Microsoft use? Supplied by the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team |
I want to--> | Become a basic contributor/editor |
Lesson 2 Sign-Up as contributor. (6.5 mins) | How do Sign up, create an account as an OSM contributor? Supplied by the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team
Alternatively watch Module 1 from the US Census Bureau
Lesson 3 Editing using the id Editor (8 mins) N/A |
Lesson 3 Editing using the iD Editor (8 mins) | This video, also from the UC Census Bureau, takes you through Editing and Tagging with the most basic editor, called iD Editor
|
I want to--> | Add features / attributes - Become an Intermediate level editor |
Lesson 4 Add Building or an Address (3 mins) | A brief introduction on adding buildings to OpenStreetMap, the free and editable map of the world. Buildings are one of the most useful things you can add to OpenStreetMap. Supplied by the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team
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Lesson 5 Add a Road (3 mins) | How to add roads, streets and highways in OpenStreetMap.org, the free and open map of the world anyone can edit. Roads are one of the most important things to map. Supplied by the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team |
Lesson 6 Further Information (33 mins) | How to make edits on OpenStreetMap (15 mins)Intro, Edit existing road, Add / remove lines (Roads), Add / remove areas (Buildings), Edit existing buildings. Supplied by Jacob Bashista
HOT Summit 2019: Creating a global health facilities platform with OpenStreetMap data (18 mins) Supplied by the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team and Mark Herringer and Tim Sutton (18 mins)
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For further information and resources go to https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Get_help
Practice Your OpenStreetMap Skills
Now that you have learned how to setup an account, can login to OSM and can check out features you'll also be able to create roads, buildings and add/update attributes, as well as edit existing features and add new buildings, roads and other mapping features then it is time to start practising and making real changes on real maps in real locations.
Follow these activities to embed your learning.
Login to OpenStreetMap as a contributor.
Navigate to your local neighbourhood and check the following information and attributes for an area that you know well:
Main roads,
residential roads,
cafes,
shopping centres,
residential addresses,
Parks, ovals and recreation spaces.
Edit the attributes for a road near you, such as speed limit, surface or one-way.
Edit the attributes for a building, such as address, name, height etc.
Find an intersection or roundabout and check the shape and roads entering/exiting the intersection.
Add a node to a road
Finally, check out any other features to ensure they are accurate.
Once you have run through the above activities then there are further videos to be found on YouTube and you can take up the OpenStreetMap Address challenge, where we are building up the addresses found in OSM for all Heavy Vehicle related locations in Australia.
If videos are not your thing, then use the following How To Guides in the table below.
| Sign Up as an Editor | Launch OSM Tutorial | How to Add An Address | How to Add a Building | How to Add a Road | How to Tag HGV Roads |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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OSM Frequently Asked Questions
- Are OpenStreetMap mapping updates (made by volunteer contributors) verified by anyone before they are published?
There is an option to have an OSM moderator to review your changes/edits after they have been published. However, all changes made by contributors will be live as soon as they are saved and published.
- Is OpenStreetMap able to store other information like road grading records, maintenance records, engineering reports, surface replacement dates?
OSM is carefully regulated for consistency and uniformity - only agreed attributes are added to features. However, other important data attributes could be added to the NHVR Maps application if deemed critical to HV Network Management.
- Where does liability sit, if for instance the map information is incorrect and used in decision making and an incident occurs. Is there a disclaimer?
OSM is not built specifically for NHVR purposes, however it does have its own in-built disclaimer and legal advice. NHVR Maps has its own legal disclaimer - go to the NHVR Maps section for more info.
- Does OpenStreetMap show LGA & State boundaries?
Yes and they are represented in NHVR Maps
- Does OSM give greater capability to manage on/off ramps and slip lanes for roads. We regularly encounter issues with current mapping not having a high enough level of "resolution" for the slip lane / off ramp to be separated from sections of road.
Yes. OSM is incredibly good at defining roads and networks. Slip roads and ramps are mappable and can even have one-way attributes placed on them.
- Are Crown Roads defined in OpenStreetMap?
We are investigating. Stay tuned.
- Could LGA use OpenStreetMap to manage road assets and restrict data visible to general public?
No. Once the data is in OSM it's visible to everyone. However, if this data is available in NHVR Maps then we can restrict this to the relevant owners using a security model.