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31/10/2024-06/11/2024
Participants at SotM Nigeria 2024 [1] | © Calvin Menttor
Mapping
- Requests for comments have been made on these proposals:
virtual_tour=*to link to 3D virtual tours of locations such as museums, hotels, or stores.rental:powerbank=yesfor mapping stations that allow users to rent portable power banks for charging mobile devices on the go.
- Voting is underway until Friday 15 November on the proposal to deprecate
busway=*for bus lanes. - The vote on the proposal to add the tag
sac_scale=strolling, which indicates a wide and smooth path, was accepted with 28 votes in favour, five against, and two abstentions.
Community
- [1] Calvin Menttor blogged, in his OSM user diary, about his participation in the State of the Map Nigeria 2024. Kingsley Amankwe also published about his experience in the event and both were very pleased with the opportunity to participate.
- Alexey Zakharenkov discussed an algorithm designed to detect missing stations on public transport routes in OpenStreetMap, overcoming problems such as accidental station deletions by comparing pairs of route variant ‘twins’ for discrepancies using the Wagner-Fischer algorithm, which detects mismatches similar to text-editing errors.
- jjKlaus asked, on the OSM Community forum, how to handle the ongoing border disputes between Guyana and Suriname and between French Guiana and Suriname in South America.
- SColchester shared insights from the 10th annual Missing Maps meeting in Nairobi, Kenya, where members discussed the project’s growth, challenges with their website, strategies for using OpenStreetMap data in humanitarian work, and plans to relaunch a data quality internship to promote community engagement and skill-building.
- Some Amateur described the use of OpenStreetMap data during a firefighting operation, highlighting the critical role that detailed land-use mapping (such as ponds and wetlands) plays in real-world navigation, especially for emergency responders and outdoor enthusiasts who rely on offline, terrain-based guidance.
- Christopher Beddow explored the evolution, cultural significance, and changing nature of place names (toponyms) throughout history, from colonial renaming and local vernacular names to digital innovations that may erase or preserve traditional toponyms. He highlighted examples such as Aotearoa in New Zealand, Romansh names in Switzerland, and the mixing of indigenous and colonial names in North America, noting how past naming conventions reflect local culture and geography.
OpenStreetMap Foundation
- The first meeting of the new OSMF board will be on Thursday 14 November at 12:00 UTC in the video room. The meeting agenda is on the OSMF wiki.The topics to be covered are:
- Voting for Chairperson
- Voting for Treasurer
- Voting for Secretary
- Voting for non-officer roles
- Administrative
- Any other business
- Guest comments or questions.
- The Local Chapters and Communities Working Group of the OpenStreetMap Foundation is looking for volunteers to help refine its membership model to better accommodate informal user groups and thematic communities by researching membership practices, coordinating discussions, and drafting recommendations.
Events
- The Geospatial devroom is returning to FOSDEM 2025 and is seeking proposals for talks on topics such as FOSSGIS software, geospatial visualisation, geospatial AI, IoT, and OpenStreetMap. The devroom, scheduled for Saturday 1 February in Brussels, is looking for 25-minute presentations and 10-minute lightning talks. Submissions are due by Sunday 1 December and the selected speakers will be notified by Sunday 15 December.
- The results of the Scientific seminar in support of the Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil), organised
► by the IVIDES.org, are now available for free download (in Portuguese). The presentation and video files can be found > on Wikimedia Commons. There is also a mapping project on the HOT Tasking Manager, where you can collaborate. - The recordings and photography from the State of the Map Nigeria 2024 have been published. You can watch the videos and see the amazing photos of this event, which was held in the City of Ile-Ife.
- The community poll for FOSSGIS 2025 is now open and can be taken until Sunday 17 November. The results will be included in the programme committee’s evaluation as a community opinion poll.
- Campus du libre will be held ► at the Université Jean Moulin Lyon 3, campus de la Manufacture des Tabacs (Campus of the Tobacco Factory), on Saturday 23 November.
- The OSM Kerala Community Meetup 2024 is now the State of the Map Kerala 2024, the first regional OpenStreetMap conference to be held in India. The event will be on 16–17 November in Wayanad, Kerala and will focus on open mapping for disaster resilience, GIS, and humanitarian needs. Sponsored by partners including Meta and FOSS United, the event invites mapping enthusiasts to participate in talks, workshops, and networking activities. The sessions will be covering disaster preparedness, community resilience, and open data initiatives, among other topics.
- State of the Map’s official Mastodon account tooted on several upcoming local, regional, and national State of the Map conferences, as well as other map-related events around the world. They suggested that event organisers who are planning a local State of the Map event apply for a SotM Quick Licence from the OpenStreetMap Foundation.
►
for FOSSGIS 2025 is now open and can be taken until Sunday 17 November. The results will be included in the programme committee’s evaluation as a community opinion poll.
►OSM research
- Students at Malmö University (Sweden) have investigated the effectiveness of using OpenStreetMap data versus traditional cadastral data for predicting public violent crime in three Swedish cities of different sizes and found that while cadastral data generally produces more accurate predictions in smaller cities, OSM data produces comparable results in larger cities, suggesting the potential utility of OSM for spatial crime analysis.
Humanitarian OSM
- The Spanish OpenStreetMap community has organised ► a mapping response to the tragic flooding that occurred on 29 October in the Valencia Province.
- The Indonesian OpenStreetMap community has organised a mapping response to the Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki eruption in East Flores, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia, which occurred ► early on Monday 4 November at 02:48 local time, resulting in at least nine fatalities. Many victims were killed ► by large rocks from the eruption that broke through house roofs. The eruption also triggered ► intense fires in homes and a school building, causing extensive damage.
►
►Maps
- Christoph Hormann discussed updates to his AC Style map symbols, including redesigned waste and recycling symbols, new symbols for towers, masts, cranes, benches, and oil wells, with an emphasis on readability, functionality, and cultural relevance for global map users.
OSM in action
- The Louvre is using ► an OpenStreetMap-based map on its website to visually display the locations of its loaned artworks around France and internationally, improving public access to its collection through geographic mapping and cultural outreach.
- Altilunium has developed Cmaxz, an OpenStreetMap-based weather radar map viewer.
- PickYourPlace announced the launch of its real estate platform designed to provide comprehensive neighbourhood insights, such as safety, property values and accessibility data, to help users make informed housing decisions, initially focusing on Calgary, Canada, with plans for expansion.
- OldMapsOnline is offering ► a vast, interactive archive of over 500,000 historical maps, allowing users to overlay these maps with modern OpenStreetMap data for comparison. The platform features a timeline slider to explore specific time periods and is valuable for historians, genealogists, and urban planners interested in studying geographic change and urban development over time.
- Sylvain Machefert tooted that the Bordeaux-Nantes Intercités trains use dynamic displays with an OpenStreetMap-based map and Wikimedia Commons photos, although he noted the lack of Creative Commons licence attribution for the images.
Open Data
- OpenSuperMaps has extended its data coverage to New Zealand, allowing users to download enhanced map files with detailed address and geographic data for use in mapping applications such as OsmAnd.
Licenses
- KevinOs reflected on his effort to align local open data licences with Canada’s Open Government License, by comparing regional variations, noting minor differences in wording and attribution requirements tailored to specific legal frameworks. He highlighted inconsistencies in documentation across Alberta cities and advocated for clearer attribution guidelines and wiki updates by OpenStreetMap’s legal working group to ensure compliance and transparency.
Software
- The Prototype Fund, a key resource for supporting OpenStreetMap and other open source projects, confirmed ► its continuation until at least 2029, with one funding round per year. New updates include increased team funding of up to GBP 78,800 (USD 102,000), eligibility for EU-based team members, and a shift in funding priorities to support data security and software components projects and less on civic tech.
- Jaller94’s tool provides downloadable GPX files that identify missing Stolpersteine (Holocaust memorial stones, we have covered previously) in the neighbourhoods of Berlin, Germany, and allows users to upload these files to OpenStreetMap applications such as OsmAnd to complete local data for memorial locations.
- Routing24 is a free client-side route optimisation tool designed for small businesses and solo drivers, enabling efficient multi-stop planning with support for multiple vehicles and business rules such as delivery windows, all based on C++/WASM, and OpenStreetMap data. It does not currently support mobile devices.
- OpenAI has announced that ChatGPT now includes Mapbox for map views, enhancing ChatGPT’s ability to provide geographic context and navigation details directly in conversations. The Mapbox integration allows users to access detailed, interactive maps and supports more intuitive location-based responses for ChatGPT’s new search feature.
Programming
- For the Smart Mobility Lab Hackathon in Kigali, the Trufi Association has challenged students to create OSM and AI-driven solutions to improve transportation. Their creativity will shape urban mobility in Rwanda.
- Siarhei Ivanou has published the source code for his service City Indexes , which calculates housing attractiveness indexe for cities in Belarus, Russia, and some European cities.
the source Releases
- Peter announced the release of GraphHopper Routing Engine version 10.0. This release fixed a long-standing issue with u-turn routing, added several improvements to turn restriction implementations, and included an enhanced version of GraphHopper Maps with text search functionality.
- OpenStreetBrowser’s maxspeed category now shows speed limit signs from zoom level 16, with icons that adjust directionally to reflect the actual orientation of the traffic sign.
- The Vespucci 20.2.0.1 beta release has introduced enhancements including support for HEIC/HEIF images on Android 10+, multi-select in tag-only editing mode, conflict resolution for partial uploads, and auto-selection of Overpass query results, along with various UI, rendering, and code improvements.
- Martin Raifer announced several updates to overpass turbo, including an auto-styler wizard and additional MapCSS features.
Did you know …
- … that osm2streets can convert OpenStreetMap data into detailed, lane-specific street networks, making it easier for developers to render and analyse complex road structures?
- … that Navigator is a popular free multi-platform satnav app powered by Mapfactor, based on maps from the OpenStreetMap project, which can be used in your own applications?
OSM in the media
- Anne-Karoline Distel corrected a speed limit discrepancy on Kilkenny’s Bennettsbridge Road (Ireland) using OpenStreetMap, Mapillary, and field data collection. She updated the map to reflect accurate speed signs and thereby promoted OpenStreetMap as a reliable tool for local navigation updates.
Other “geo” things
- The Garmin Tread 2 navigator integrates OpenStreetMap data for turn-by-turn navigation on unpaved roads, plus US Forest Service maps, and trails for off-road adventures. In combination with high-resolution satellite imagery, public land boundaries, and extensive topographic information over North America, it provides versatile guidance for rugged outdoor exploration including snowmobiling.
- Google is rolling out generative AI-powered updates to Google Maps, Google Earth, and Waze using its Gemini model, enhancing features such as conversational search, contextual navigation, hazard reporting, and AI-based recommendations. The new features will be initially available to selected testers.
- Esri’s 3D base maps, augmented with data from Overture Maps and OpenStreetMap, is providing detailed globally accessible geographic representations that support urban planning, environmental management, and infrastructure development. These 3D maps incorporate highly detailed building data and are continually updated with open-source and community contributions, enabling Esri to provide immersive visualisations to users worldwide, including targeted support for underrepresented regions such as Africa.
Upcoming Events
| Where | What | Online | When | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | FOSS4G SotM Oceania 2024  | 2024-11-05 – 2024-11-08 |  | |
| Gent | OpenStreetMap + pizza + velopark – meetup | 2024-11-08 |  | |
| Salzburg | Maker Faire Salzburg 2024 | 2024-11-09 |  | |
| København | OSMmapperCPH | 2024-11-10 |  | |
| Zürich | 169. OSM-Stammtisch Zürich | 2024-11-11 |  | |
| 中正區 | OpenStreetMap x Wikidata Taipei #70 | 2024-11-11 |  | |
| Budapest | OSM Találkozó 2024-11-12 | 2024-11-12 |  | |
| Hamburg | Hamburger Mappertreffen | 2024-11-12 |  | |
| San Jose | South Bay Map Night | ✓ | 2024-11-13 |  |
| Vitoria-Gasteiz | XV edición de las Jornadas Ibéricas de Infraestructuras de Datos Espaciales (JIIDE) | 2024-11-13 – 2024-11-15 |  | |
| Salt Lake City | OSM Utah Monthly Map Night | 2024-11-14 | | |
| München | Münchner OSM-Treffen | 2024-11-13 | | |
| Lorain County | OpenStreetMap Midwest Meetup | ✓ | 2024-11-14 | |
| OSM US Pre-Geoweek Mappy Hour | 2024-11-14 | |||
| Berlin | 197. Berlin-Brandenburg OpenStreetMap Stammtisch | 2024-11-14 | | |
| Bochum | Bochumer OSM Treffen | 2024-11-14 | | |
| Saint-Claude | Conférence Apéro OpenStreetMap | 2024-11-15 |  | |
| Vythiri | State of the Map Kerala 2024 | 2024-11-15 – 2024-11-16 |  | |
| Saint-Claude | Cartographie collaborative pour tous | 2024-11-16 | | |
| Град Зрењанин | Okupljanje u Zrenjaninu | 2024-11-17 |  | |
| Hannover | OSM-Stammtisch Hannover | 2024-11-18 | | |
| Internationale GeoWoche – Online Mapathon von DRK, HeiGIT, MSF Deutschland & Österreich | 2024-11-18 | |||
| Missing Maps London: (Online) Mid-Month Mapathon [eng] | 2024-11-19 | |||
| Lyon | Réunion du groupe local de Lyon | 2024-11-19 | | |
| Bonn | 182. OSM-Stammtisch Bonn | 2024-11-19 | | |
| [Online] Map-py Wednesday | 2024-11-20 | |||
| Karlsruhe | Stammtisch Karlsruhe | 2024-11-20 | | |
| València | XI Jornadas Anuales de Wikimedia España | 2024-11-22 – 2024-11-24 | | |
| Gent | Bewakingscamera’s op de kaart (wandeling) | 2024-11-22 | | |
| Lyon | Campus du Libre 2024 – Lyon – France | 2024-11-23 | | |
| Gent | Bewakingscamera’s op de kaart (wandeling) | 2024-11-23 | |
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 MatthiasMatthias, Raquel Dezidério Souto, Strubbl, Ted Johnson, TheSwavu, TrickyFoxy, barefootstache, derFred, mcliquid.
We welcome link suggestions for the next issue via this form and look forward to your contributions.