Key:motorroad

motorroad
Description
Non-motorway with motorway-like traffic rules and access restrictions.
Group: restrictions
Used on these elements
Documented values: 1
Requires
highway=*
Implies
foot=no bicycle=no
Useful combination
highway=trunk highway=primary
See also
access=*
Status: de facto
motorroad=* More details at taginfo
Tools for this tag
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The tag motorroad=yes is used on highways that are part of a legal highway classification imposing motorway-like traffic rules and access restrictions, but that are not a motorway.

This key is primarily intended to represent roads for motor vehicles in countries implementing the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals, where these roads indicated by a traffic sign described as:

Signs notifying an entry to (...) a road on which the traffic rules are the same as on a motorway

/

Sign E, 6^a, "ROAD FOR MOTOR VEHICLES", shall be placed at the point where special traffic rules begin to apply on roads other than motorways which are reserved for motor vehicle traffic and do not serve properties bordering on the road. (...)

This tag can also be used in other countries that do not implement the Vienna Convention, if their traffic legislation uses an analogous sign or concept (non-motorways with motorway-like rules).

Depending on the country, motorroad=yes may imply various access restrictions and other road properties. For example, it commonly implies that cyclists and pedestrians are banned and that stopping is prohibited.

In Europe and Western Asia, a subset of these roads may also be officially recognized as express roads, based on a definition similar to expressway=yes.

How to map

Tag a highway that is a motorroad with motorroad=yes in addition to the highway tag, which will usually be highway=primary or highway=trunk but not highway=motorway.

Depending on the jurisdiction, the meaning of "motorway-like traffic rules" can technically encompass a variety of routing-related considerations. Some of these considerations are mentioned in country-specific sections below as "implied" tags. Due to unreliable software support, consider supplementing this key with explicit tags about access restrictions, speed limits, etc.

Depending on interpretation, highway=trunk may imply motorroad=yes.

Absence of motorway-like restrictions can be explicitly tagged with motorroad=no, see Tag:motorroad=no.

Software support

Motorway-like traffic rules, such as access restrictions, turn restrictions, and speed limits, are important for routing and widely understood by routing engines. However, motorroad=* is more obscure and not as widely supported. Due to this tag's diverse and sometimes ambiguous application on roadways, even routers that do support this key are not guaranteed to infer all the tags listed on this page.

Regional definitions

In some regions presence of this key may be used to guess values of other tags. It may be foot=no, bicycle=no, moped=no, horse=no.

Belgium

Motorroad (Dutch: autoweg, French: route pour automobiles). Looks like a motorway but it may have junctions and traffic signals. By definition: motorroad=yes. The highway value for motorroads is trunk most of the time. Conversely, not all roads that are mapped as trunk in Belgium are motorroads.

The implied tags on motorroads:

• foot=no
• horse=no
• bicycle=no
• carriage=no
• agricultural=no
• moped=no
• mofa=no
• speed_pedelec=no
• atv=no
• parking:both=no

Do not use a motorroad tag for motorways (Dutch: autosnelweg, French: autoroute). These are instead tagged zone:traffic=BE:motorway (highway=motorway for the main carriageways). Motorways have the same implications as motorroads, and additionally imply minspeed=70 (unless maxspeed=* is lower).

Brazil

Undefined, as the federal law does not restrict access to any type of motorized highway based on a combination of transportation modes.

Chile

The implied tags on motorways and motorroads:

• foot=no
• bicycle=no
• horse=no
• carriage=no
• agricultural=no
• hand_cart=no

France

The implied tags on motorroads:

• foot=no
• horse=no
• bicycle=no
• carriage=no
• agricultural=no
• moped=no
• mofa=no
• speed_pedelec=no

and others...

Finland

In Finland, the tag indicates whether a road is a Moottoriliikennetie.

• minspeed=60 (not a minimum driving speed; rather, vehicles must be designed to be operated at this speed)
• foot=no
• bicycle=no
• moped=no
• horse=no
• parking:both=no
• (u_turn=no)
• (reversing=no
• No towing with a rope, cable or any other similar – except to the first exit only in case of a breakdown.

Germany, Croatia

In Germany, the tag indicates whether a road is a wikipedia:de:Kraftfahrstraße (§18 StVO). Only motor vehicles which are be constructed to be able to drive faster than 60 km/h ("bauartbedingte Höchstgeschwindigkeit") are allowed.

• minspeed=60 (vehicles needs to be constructed to be able to drive faster than 60, actually there is no minimum driving speed)
• foot=no (implied by motor_vehicle)
• bicycle=no (implied by motor_vehicle)
• moped=no (implied by minspeed)
• horse=no (implied by motor_vehicle)
• agricultural=no agricultural vehicles are by definition slower than 25 km/h
• parking:both=no no reversing and no stopping except in case of emergency (emergency does not include needing to use a toilet or running out of fuel)
• maxspeed=110 in Croatia only

Hong Kong

It is now used for Tunnel Area by some, per Cap 368A Road Tunnels (Government) Regulations, and other legislations for BOT private tunnels. Despite this naming, it is not used on all tunnels (viz Lin Cheung Road Underpass is a significant tunnel with exposed sections, resulting in similar restrictions without being a Tunnel Area) , nor limited to sections with tunnel (see East Kowloon Corridor, or Heung Yuen Wai Highway north of Cheung Shan Tunnel).

Due to historic usage and original guidelines, the status quo have them as highway=motorway, rather than highway=trunk or other normal functional classification. Excluding 485404214 485404214 Tung Wing Road (Airport Tunnel), the exception now is 36072108 36072108 Discovery Bay Tunnel (highway=secondary). This may be migrated away in the future.

• 

  Note this is a sign for a special road class with legal effects, similar to blue motorway (green "Expressway in HK) white "chopsticks" signs. It has its own set of rules and restrictions. It is not a general warning sign for tunnels as found in other countries, nor a pure informatory symbol for navigation.

• 

  Typical set of restrictions for a toll-free Tunnel Area, aside the default no "red minibus" ("public light bus" that are not "scheduled service") share_taxi=no that can be overridden. Headlight restrictions at tunnel portal not shown at entry here. Pay attention to the blue "Tunnel Area" white text sign, emphasizing "tunnel regulation applies".

Historic artifact section

This indicates a road which is mainly built for motor vehicles, with motorway-like design, no footpath and pedestrian/bicycle/learners banned by presence of road sign but itself not a motorway.

• foot=no
• bicycle=no

However, if the road itself is in motorway-like design, but foot and bicycle are allowed on that, foot=yes/bicycle=yes may be added.

This is at odds with the definition of legal designation and signage of this tag, as raised in Talk:Proposed features/Motorway indication#Already exists (with an inferior name)?. Tunnel control area may be more suited to this.

Such usage have been removed in 2022.

Italy

In Italy, the tag must be used when one of the following road signs is present:

or (strada extraurbana principale)

(strada riservata ai veicoli a motore)

(a superstrada having the same access limits as a strada extraurbana principale)

The access restrictions for an Italian motorway apply:

• minspeed=80 (cars needs to be constructed to be able to drive at 80 km/h or faster on a flat road, actually there is no minimum driving speed)
• foot=no (implied by motor_vehicle)
• bicycle=no (implied by motor_vehicle)
• moped=no
• horse=no (implied by motor_vehicle) (and more generally animal=no)
• agricultural=no
• no access to motorcycles equipped with a thermal engine having a displacement smaller than 150 cm³ (motorcycle:conditional=no @ (displacement < 150 cc))
• no access to motorcycles equipped with a electrical engine having a engine power less than 11 KW (motorcycle:electric:conditional=no @ (power < 11 kW))
• no access to sidecars equipped with a thermal engine having a displacement smaller than 250 cm³ (sidecar:conditional=no @ (displacement < 250 cc))
• no access to motorcycle-like vehicles (motoveicoli) (other than those listed above) having unladen mass less than or equal to 400 kg or a max gross weight less than or equal to 1300 kg with the exception of motorized tricycles (trikes) designed for carrying people, with no more than 2 seats (1 driver + max. 1 passenger), having a displacement grater than or equal to 250 cm³ or more and an engine power grater than or equal to 15 kW.

Implied tag might be

quadricycle:conditional=no @ ((empty_weight <= 400 kg) OR (maxweightrating <= 1300 kg)).

motorized_tricycle:conditional=no @ ((empty_weight <= 400 kg) OR (maxweightrating <= 1300 kg)); yes @ ((displacement >= 250 cc) AND (engine_power >= 15 kW) AND (seats <= 2))

• no access to vehicles without tyres
• parking:both=no
• stopping=no
• reverse=no

Netherlands

In the Netherlands, motorroad=yes is used to indicate autowegen.

In accordance with NL:The Netherlands roads tagging, motorroad=yes is used on highway=trunk, and in some cases trunk_link or motorway_link (Taginfo). Conversely, some highway=trunk are not autoweg themselves but merely connect between auto(snel)wegen. As of January 2024 some 16% of highway=trunk is therefore tagged with motorroad=no (Taginfo).

motorroad=yes has the following implications:

• Various access restrictions (see OSM tags for routing)
• maxspeed=100 (in zone:traffic=NL:rural, not in zone:traffic=NL:urban)
• parking:both=no
• No U-turns
• No reversing

Norway

In Norway, Motortrafikkveg (prev Motorvei klasse B) is a property of a way when signed with . Only used on trunk and primary. May or may not be a dual carriageway. Can be as little as two lanes. Default maxspeed=* is, like any other non-urban road, 80km/h. Other speeds will be signed. Access (Trafikkreglene §4-2): foot=no, bicycle=no, moped=no. There is no minspeed, but any vehicle must be able to drive at least 40km/h on a flat road.

There will be no driveways. No backing up or turning (Trafikkreglene §11-2). No stopping (Trafikkreglene §17-1-e). No parking (on any road with maxspeed higher than 50km/h).

Poland

In Poland, motorroad=yes is used to indicate roads which are not tagged as highway=motorway but do have motorway-like access rules. According to the law, this is indicated by the B-6/8/9 prohibitory sign, which bans all vehicles other than road transport vehicles. The Minister's Decree explicitly specifies that the sign should be applied to a road when an entry ban on vehicles not allowed on a motorway is desired.

Implied tagging is:

• foot=no
• horse=no
• bicycle=no
• agricultural=no
• carriage=no

Portugal

In Portugal, the tag motorroad=yes is used to identify "vias rápidas", which are ways with motorway-like access rules, but are not highway=motorway (autoestradas). According to the law, the access is indicated by the C4e prohibitory sign. There's no minimum speed, but the maximum speed allowed is 110 km/h, instead of the 120 km/h limit in motorways.

The vertical signs used to identify these highways are H25 and H39 (beginning and end respectively):

H25 sign

H39 sign

Implied tags are:

• foot=no
• horse=no
• bicycle=no
• moped=no
• mofa=no
• agricultural=no
• carriage=no

Spain

In Spain, the tag indicates whether a road is a Vía para automóviles , or other type of road with similar restrictions. Autopistas and autovías are not usually tagged with this tag, as they are tagged as highway=motorway.

• minspeed=60
• foot=no
• wheelchair=no
• kick_scooter=no
• small_electric_vehicle=no
• horse=no
• carriage=no
• agricultural=no
• bicycle=no
• mofa=no
• moped=no

Turkey

Key to be used only where the road sign is present(the white-on-blue automobile sign).

• minspeed=30
• maxspeed=110
• foot=no
• bicycle=no
• moped=no
• horse=no
• agricultural=no

Note: The sign is de facto not used for any roads in Turkey, therefore usage of this tag is discouraged. Please tag with signs that already present at the road.

United Kingdom

You can use the key on British primary routes with motorway-like access restrictions signed or similar (according to GOV.UK Transport). Examples include the A40 Westway, the A12 between Wanstead and Hackney Wick, and the A13 between Dagenham Dock and Thurrock.

You need to add motorroad=* manually because all classes of traffic may use British primary routes by default.

Unless specified (such as the speed limits at the Blackwall Tunnel in London), the tag implies the following:

• maxspeed=70 mph
• foot=no
• bicycle=no
• horse=no
• parking:both=no
• sidewalk=no (i.e. any pavement on such roads are irrelevant because pedestrians are already banned. However, it is included for sake of completeness)

United States

An example of a selective exclusion sign that is used for a similar purpose as the motorroad signs elsewhere on this page.

Some states have signs about "limited-access highways", but these signs indicate limits on where someone may enter and exit the roadway, not the modes of transportation for using the roadway.

In many U.S. states, state law technically distinguishes between expressways and freeways (i.e., motorways) but does not formally tie the expressway classification to a set of access restrictions. Instead of the motorroad symbol sign used in many Vienna Convention countries, the MUTCD specifies a "selective exclusion sign" that explicitly lists the prohibited modes of transportation. [2] The exclusions can differ between two expressways in the same state, so always add explicit access tags according to the specific exclusions on the sign posted at entrances to the expressway. Despite the absence of classification-based access restrictions in the U.S., motorroad=yes has sometimes been applied in addition to the access tags on various highway=trunk and highway=primary ways, which typically happen to be expressways.

expressway=yes is commonly used in the U.S. to explicitly tag an expressway, regardless of road classification or access restrictions. This tag supports the common American cartographic practice of displaying expressways with a distinct color or line pattern. Historically, highway=trunk has often been interpreted to correspond to expressways in the U.S., so the need for a separate tag was often overlooked. However, as of 2021, there is a proposal to expand the definition of a trunk road to include non-expressways, making expressway=yes necessary for distinguishing these high-performance roads from conventional surface streets.

Vietnam

This key has a different meaning in Vietnam than in most other Vienna Convention countries, because the motorcycle remains the primary motorized vehicle on the road. As of 2021, motorroad=yes has been tagged on roads posted with , , or . (For example, all the carriageways visible from [3] are tagged motorroad=yes despite the differing access restrictions.) The values of motorcar=*, bus=*, and motorcycle=* cannot be reliably inferred, but in any case, foot=no and bicycle=no are likely implied.

Japan

"Motorroad" is not defined in Japan. (Proposed "JapanTagging/RoadTypes/motorroad" was rejected.)

See also

• expressway=* - more commonly used in North America to tag a divided (dual-carriageway) highway with high-speed design features and limited access to adjacent properties.
• highway=motorway - High capacity highways designed to safely carry fast motor traffic
• highway=trunk - Important roads that are not motorways
• highway=primary - A highway linking large towns
• Proposed features/Motorway indication - abandoned proposal to tag a road which is not tagged as highway=motorway but is physically a motorway.