30/04/2026-06/05/2026
[1] | Cast-iron Street Map of the City Centre in the Ukrainian City of Poltava
Mapping
- Comments are requested on this proposal:
name:<language>-Latnto consistently tag transliterations in Latin script worldwide following BCP 47.
- The following proposal is up for a vote until Tuesday 12 May:
route=safarito map safari routes as dedicated relations and structure drive-through tourist routes in safari parks.
Community
- Christoph Hormann expanded on his earlier critique of the German FOSSGIS association (we reported earlier) and is proposing a federated structure to better balance the interests of the FOSS community and OSM mappers. The aim is to address the ongoing tension between professional users and hobby contributors.
- Kamil Kalata analysed how many OSM elements use tags documented on the wiki. The results showed that about 99.99% of tagged elements contain at least one documented key, even though only a small share of all keys are described on the wiki.
- A forum discussion is exploring which routes should be stored in OSM and which should be managed externally. The platform mapeak.com is presented as a possible solution for sharing and managing routes outside the OSM database.
- OpenStreetMap way IDs have reached 1.5 billion. The milestone object was created by user Colbertson. There are just under 1.2 billion ways currently in OSM.
Local chapter news
- OpenStreetMap Syria participated in a webinar titled ‘(Re)Envisioning Syria: Earth Observation Research on Conflict Damage and Recovery’, organised by the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team and the Distributed Damage Mapping Group with support from the H2H Network, as part of the ReMapping Syria project.
Events
- Videos from the ‘OpenStreetMap and Territories’ event, held
► in Brest (France) on 24 March 2026, are now available on PeerTube.
►
Education
- Betaslb noted that students from the Escola Secundária Jerónimo Emiliano de Andrade, studying Legal Services Technician and Educational Action Technician 1, decided that the best way to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the autonomy of the Autonomous Region of the Azores was to create a journey through some of the places that have contributed and continuously contribute to an ever-stronger autonomy, which resulted in this map.
that students from the Escola Secundária Jerónimo Emiliano de Andrade, studying Legal Services Technician and Educational Action Technician 1, decided that the best way to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the autonomy of the Autonomous Region of the Azores was to create a journey through some of the places that have contributed and continuously contribute to an ever-stronger autonomy, which resulted in this OSM research
- Laura Possani, a Brazilian mapper, has made a uMap on integrated sanitation (infrastructure and POIs) for the City of Tapes, in the State of Rio Grande do Sul. The map includes OpenStreetMap highways and was part of her final undergraduate project on environmental management. She learned how to create web maps with uMap in the online training sessions freely offered by the Virtual Institute for Sustainable Development ► in 2025.
- A study has used topic modelling to analyse the evolution of gender discourse in YouthMappers blogs. It found that initiatives such as ‘Everywhere She Maps’ increasingly portray women as active mappers and leaders rather than passive actors.
a uMap on integrated sanitation (infrastructure and POIs) for the City of Tapes, in the State of Rio Grande do Sul. The map includes OpenStreetMap highways and was part of her final undergraduate project on environmental management. She learned how to create web maps with uMap in the online training sessions freely Maps
- Gespot has made it possible to view overhead power and telecommunications lines, as well as their support structures, as recorded in the OpenStreetMap database. This ongoing ► project is in partnership with Enedis ► and has the support of the OpenStreetMap France Association ►.
- A Reddit post presented an interactive map of India’s planned high-speed rail corridors based on OpenStreetMap data. The map visualises routes, stations, and interconnections in a diagram-style layout.
- Sean Carapella has launched PaddleMap, a map and routing tool specialised for watercraft based on BRouter and BRouter-web. PaddleMap allows routing on waterways and portage routes with customised routing for whitewater skill, portage style, and other paddling preferences. It also highlights canoe, kayak, and other paddle craft-related POIs including slipways, waterway access points, dams, waterfalls, rapids, etc.
OSM in action
- Is your car electric? Then you should give the ABRP route planner a try. Powered by OSM, of course.
- Komoot explained in a recently updated FAQ that their navigation and automatic re-planning are based on OpenStreetMap data. Limitations may occur if routes are incompletely mapped or there is no internet connection for new route calculations.
in a recently updated FAQ that their navigation and automatic re-planning are based on OpenStreetMap data. Limitations may occur if routes are incompletely mapped or there is no internet connection for new route calculations.Open Data
- Anne-Karoline Distel demonstrated, in a video, a map of holy wells in Ireland dedicated to female saints. The map is based on OpenStreetMap and Wikidata and shows how such data can be visualised using uMap.
Licenses
- The Fédération des Pros d’OpenStreetMap has released ► an updated version of its practical guide to the ODbL licence, Tout savoir sur la licence ODbL. This 12-page booklet outlines key principles for anyone using OSM data and was written by François Lacombe (Datactivist), Florian Lainez (Jungle Bus), Antoine Riche (Carto’Cité), and Christophe Biez (Latitude-Cartagène Cartographies). The booklet has been translated into English and Portuguese by Editora IVIDES and you can read about the effort on Raquel Dezidério Souto’s OSM User Diary. A Swahili version is currently being prepared.
Software
- François Lacombe posted ► recently on LinkedIn about Podoma, a geospatial service for analysing contributions to OpenStreetMap. The service was presented at FOSDEM 2026 and is documented on GitHub.
- Watmildon has released center-node-2, a JOSM plugin that converts areas and relations into their centre nodes while preserving tags. It extends center-node’s functionality and supports compact representations of features.
- An OSM Community forum discussion is exploring whether StreetComplete should expand its use of the
check_datetag to mark verified objects. Topics include accuracy, GNSS proximity, and how reliable such information is.
Programming
- Evert Pot outlined a method for setting up a TCP server that emits a static GPS-like coordinate, allowing Linux applications to continue accessing location information after Mozilla shut down their location service. The server feeds coordinate data directly to geoclue, enabling location-aware features to continue to work.
- Evgeny Arbatov presented a tool that combines multiple GPX files into a cleaned route by matching them to OSM ways and optimising the geometry. It uses services such as Overpass and OSRM to produce more accurate tracks.
- OpenStreetMap has been selected as an organisation for Google Summer of Code 2026, offering projects on topics such as routing, Nominatim, and tile servers. Earlier, the OSM team invited the community to submit project ideas and volunteer as mentors.
- A new helper tool allows GeoJSON and JSON routes to be sent directly to JOSM. It is designed to streamline workflows when preparing and refining routes from external analysis tools.
- The latest MapLibre newsletter has reported on progress made across MapLibre GL JS, Native, Flutter, and React Native. Highlights included the preparations for version 6, new APIs, and work on a dedicated 3D tile format.
Releases
- Version 2026.04.23 of CoMaps is available. It comes with refreshed OSM data up to 21 April. The main changes for the Android app include being able to select a preferred interface language, as well as the ability to switch between turn-by-turn navigation details for the next stop or the final destination. This release also brings a range of bug fixes and tweaks.
- stac-map is a web-based tool for visualising STAC datasets and geospatial data directly in the browser. Version 2.0 has introduced features including sharing links, URL-based configuration, and improvements in rendering and performance.
- Yopaseopor has introduced 3DModelsOSM, an experimental renderer that turns OpenStreetMap data into simple 3D models. The tool can load Overpass query results or GeoJSON and serves as a proof-of-concept for detailed micromapping and 3D visualisation.
- Pablo Brasero (aka pablobm) shared a new update from the OSM website team, detailing their latest work including security fixes, more efficient use of assets, and routing improvements.
Did you know that …
- … Anne-Karoline Distel has a brief step-by-step tutorial, on her YouTube channel, on how to upload photos to Wikimedia Commons and include them in marker labels on uMap?
- … the Philippine Viscan YouthMappers group carried out a youth-led project mapping fire hydrants as reference data for fire emergency response in 2022–2023? They created a uMap showing the locations of fire hydrants in the city of Leyte.
- … OpenChargeMap aims to provide an open database of charging equipment locations globally?
- … the free online tool Streckenheld allows motorcyclists to share dangerous spots in traffic they have found? This means that tours can be planned ► better and dangerous situations in traffic can be avoided.
- … the Whole Earth Foundation (WFF) has created Tekkon, a game for mapping infrastructure? It is available on APKCombo. The WFF is a non-profit organisation with its headquarters in Singapore, which creates, provides, and operates an infrastructure information platform for community initiatives.
- … Nosolosig ► maintains a Telegram group, Detrás del mapa ►, to share news and resources on maps and geographic information technologies?
- … that OpenStreetMap wouldn’t be possible without the support of many organisations around the world who donate their time, hosting space, or hardware to help us?
►OSM in the media
- Chris Hunter described OpenStreetMap as core infrastructure in the geospatial ecosystem and emphasised the importance of local contributions. They showed how OSM’s continuous updates and community-driven approach can make it more current than official datasets.
- Ralph Straumann reported, on Spatialists, about Panoramax, the open street-level imagery project developed by OSM France and the French mapping agency IGN. The article highlighted its current status and plans for international growth.
Other “geo” things
- [1] In the Ukrainian city of Poltava, there are manhole covers on Pylypa Orlyka Street featuring a cast iron street map of the city centre. The design, created by the local bureau Axioma Design in 2016, was funded and implemented by entrepreneur Oksana Demkova in 2023.
- The European Tech Map visualises technology and innovation locations across Europe using OpenStreetMap. This interactive map allows users to explore projects and initiatives geographically.
- Jérôme Gagnon-Voyer introduced publicly accessible geocoder APIs from the City of Toronto for address search and reverse geocoding. The services provide coordinates and administrative information and can be used without authentication.
- A news report from Toronto highlighted how an error on Google Maps directed drivers the wrong way down a one-way street. The incident underlines the importance of accurate and up-to-date geospatial data for navigation services.
- Qiusheng Wu introduced OpenGeoAgent, an open-source agent that automates geospatial analysis and visualisation using natural language. The tool supports QGIS, Python, and Jupyter and enables multimodal interaction.
- Dominic Royé outlined how to select the most appropriate map projection for a given purpose, while highlighting some common pitfalls to avoid.
a cast iron street map of the city centre. The design, created by the local bureau Axioma Design in 2016, was funded and implemented by entrepreneur Oksana Demkova in 2023.Upcoming Events
| Country | Where | Venue | What | When |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Sovigliana-Vinci | Mappando si Vinci! – 2 Maggio 2026  | 2026-05-02 – 2026-06-02 | |
 | [online] | 🇧🇷 Capacitação OSM 2026 – IVIDES DATA ® – Editor iD – Parte I | 2026-05-08 | |
 | online | SOSM Association Annual Meeting | 2026-05-08 | |
 | Madurai | Madurai Startups Spaces | OSM Madurai Armchair mapping party | 2026-05-09 |
 | København | Cafe Bevar’s | OSMmapperCPH | 2026-05-10 |
| Delhi | Kori’s, Humayunpur, Delhi | OSM Delhi Mapping Party No.29 (South Zone) | 2026-05-10 |
| Missing Maps : Mapathon en ligne – CartONG [fr] | 2026-05-11 | |||
| Zürich | Bitwäscherei Zürich | 187. OSM-Stammtisch Zürich | 2026-05-11 |
 | Grenoble | La Turbine | Atelier de mai 2026 du groupe local OpenStreetMap de Grenoble | 2026-05-11 |
 | 臺北市 | MozSpace Taipei | OpenStreetMap x Wikidata Taipei #88 | 2026-05-11 |
 | Magdeburg | Netz39 e.V. , Leibnizstraße 32, 39104 Magdeburg | 1. OSM Stammtisch Magdeburg | 2026-05-12 |
| Hamburg | Voraussichtlich: “Variable”, Karolinenstraße 23 | Hamburger Mappertreffen | 2026-05-12 |
| temporärhaus | OSM-Stammtisch Ulm/Neu-Ulm | 2026-05-12 | |
| Maison des associations de Bayonne – salle Valmont | Rencontre Mapadour | 2026-05-13 | |
 | Praha | Seznam.cz | Pražský mapathon s Lékaři bez hranic v Seznam.cz | 2026-05-13 |
 | Amsterdam | TomTom HQ | 2026 Spring End Maptime | 2026-05-13 |
| München | Echardinger Einkehr | Münchner OSM-Treffen | 2026-05-13 |
| Mapaton – Marsh | 2026-05-14 | |||
 | Žilina | Fakulta riadenia a informatiky UNIZA | Missing Maps mapathon Žilina #22 | 2026-05-14 |
| Berlin | BrewDog DogTap Berlin, Im Marienpark 23 | 215. OSM-Stammtisch Berlin-Brandenburg | 2026-05-14 |
| Acireale | Mappiamo le Aci | 2026-05-16 – 2026-05-17 | |
 | New York | East River Park at Corlears Hook | NYC Mapper Picnic | 2026-05-17 |
| Chennai Corporation | Hotel Nithya Amirtham, Mylapore Market, Chennai | Mapping at Mylapore Market, Chennai | 2026-05-17 |
| Bologna | aula 0.6, DICAM, Unibo, Viale del Risorgimento 2 | Unibo Mapathon OpenStreetMap 2026-05 | 2026-05-18 |
| Mannheim | RaumZeitLabor, Mannheim | Rhein-Neckar OpenstreetMap Treffen | 2026-05-18 |
| Webinaire de sensibilisation à OpenStreetMap pour les collectivités | 2026-05-19 | |||
| Missing Maps London Mid-Month (Without Training) Advanced Mappers [eng] | 2026-05-19 | |||
| Lyon | Tubà | Réunion du groupe local de Lyon | 2026-05-19 |
| Chemnitz | Kaffeesatz, Chemnitz | OSM-Stammtisch Chemnitz | 2026-05-19 |
| Bonn | Dotty’s | 200. OSM-Stammtisch Bonn | 2026-05-19 |
| Online | Lüneburger Mappertreffen (online) | 2026-05-19 | |
| MJC de Vienne | Rencontre des contributeurs de Vienne (38) | 2026-05-20 | |
| Online Missing Maps Mapathon ÄRZTE OHNE GRENZEN (AT/DE) | 2026-05-20 | |||
| Karlsruhe | Chiang Mai | Stammtisch Karlsruhe | 2026-05-20 |
| [online] | 🇧🇷 Capacitação OSM 2026 – IVIDES DATA ® – Editor iD – Parte II | 2026-05-22 | |
| Ferrara | Ferrara | Raccolta dati aree verdi @ Giornata Mondiale della Biodiversità 2026 – Citizen Science Ferrara | 2026-05-23 |
| Navi Mumbai | OSM Mumbai Mapping Party No.10 (Trans-Harbour Line – North) | 2026-05-23 | |
| Bologna | Velostazione ExDynamo | Compleanno di Wikipedia a Bologna 2026, con wikigita e mapping party in Bolognina e pranzo alla velostazione | 2026-05-24 |
| Missing Maps : Mapathon en ligne – CartONG [fr] | 2026-05-25 |
Note:
If you like to see your event here, please put it into the OSM calendar. Only data which is there, will appear in weeklyOSM.
This weeklyOSM was produced by Raquel IVIDES DATA, Strubbl, Andrew Davidson, barefootstache, darkonus, derFred, izen57, mcliquid.
We welcome link suggestions for the next issue via this form and look forward to your contributions.