OSM Sidewalkreator: A QGIS plugin for an automated drawing of sidewalk networks for OpenStreetMap

Sidewalks are a relevant part of the living space in urban environments but are still rarely mapped. In recent years, the mapping of sidewalks has grown in importance among the OSM and academic communities as a matter of concern for many UN SDGs. To cover this gap, we propose a GitHub-hosted, fully...

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Main Authors: Kauê de Moraes Vestena, Silvana Philippi Camboim, Daniel Rodrigues dos Santos
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: European Association of Geographers 2023-12-01
Series:European Journal of Geography
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Online Access:https://www.eurogeojournal.eu/index.php/egj/article/view/553
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author Kauê de Moraes Vestena
Silvana Philippi Camboim
Daniel Rodrigues dos Santos
author_facet Kauê de Moraes Vestena
Silvana Philippi Camboim
Daniel Rodrigues dos Santos
author_sort Kauê de Moraes Vestena
collection DOAJ
description Sidewalks are a relevant part of the living space in urban environments but are still rarely mapped. In recent years, the mapping of sidewalks has grown in importance among the OSM and academic communities as a matter of concern for many UN SDGs. To cover this gap, we propose a GitHub-hosted, fully open-source QGIS Plugin entitled "OSM SidewalKreator" to automatically draw the geometries of sidewalks for OSM crossings and curb crossing interfaces. The plugin workflow encompasses the steps of input area selection; data fetching, data cleaning, sidewalk geometries generation; crossings and kerbs generation; optional sidewalk splitting; and data exporting. Furthermore, the tool gives the user the capacity to have control over the process. Our tests revealed that the proposed method embodied by the plugin surpasses the manual process in many contexts, highlighting completeness, topological and thematic accuracies. We conclude that deepening, improving, and increasing the amount of open sidewalk mapping, mainly in the widely available OSM, can be a valuable asset to improve the development of accessibility and mobility worldwide. Highlights: • SIdewalks and other footpaths are generally rarely mapped despite their huge importance • OSM SIdewalKreator QGIS PLugin is a product of the research, being a valuable support tool • A deep analysis compared sidewalks produced with two methods, endorsing the method’s strengths
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publisher European Association of Geographers
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spelling doaj-art-1c1c6b565d654943af01b284b4d0627b2025-01-01T06:57:00ZengEuropean Association of GeographersEuropean Journal of Geography1792-13412410-74332023-12-0114410.48088/ejg.k.ves.14.4.066.084564OSM Sidewalkreator: A QGIS plugin for an automated drawing of sidewalk networks for OpenStreetMapKauê de Moraes Vestena0Silvana Philippi Camboim1Daniel Rodrigues dos Santos2Federal University of Paraná: Curitiba, Paraná, BrazilUniversidade Federal do Paraná: Curitiba, Paraná, BrazilFederal University of Paraná: Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil Sidewalks are a relevant part of the living space in urban environments but are still rarely mapped. In recent years, the mapping of sidewalks has grown in importance among the OSM and academic communities as a matter of concern for many UN SDGs. To cover this gap, we propose a GitHub-hosted, fully open-source QGIS Plugin entitled "OSM SidewalKreator" to automatically draw the geometries of sidewalks for OSM crossings and curb crossing interfaces. The plugin workflow encompasses the steps of input area selection; data fetching, data cleaning, sidewalk geometries generation; crossings and kerbs generation; optional sidewalk splitting; and data exporting. Furthermore, the tool gives the user the capacity to have control over the process. Our tests revealed that the proposed method embodied by the plugin surpasses the manual process in many contexts, highlighting completeness, topological and thematic accuracies. We conclude that deepening, improving, and increasing the amount of open sidewalk mapping, mainly in the widely available OSM, can be a valuable asset to improve the development of accessibility and mobility worldwide. Highlights: • SIdewalks and other footpaths are generally rarely mapped despite their huge importance • OSM SIdewalKreator QGIS PLugin is a product of the research, being a valuable support tool • A deep analysis compared sidewalks produced with two methods, endorsing the method’s strengths https://www.eurogeojournal.eu/index.php/egj/article/view/553Pedestrian NetworksGeographic Information SystemsOpen Source Software and DataOpenstreetmapUrban Mobility
spellingShingle Kauê de Moraes Vestena
Silvana Philippi Camboim
Daniel Rodrigues dos Santos
OSM Sidewalkreator: A QGIS plugin for an automated drawing of sidewalk networks for OpenStreetMap
European Journal of Geography
Pedestrian Networks
Geographic Information Systems
Open Source Software and Data
Openstreetmap
Urban Mobility
title OSM Sidewalkreator: A QGIS plugin for an automated drawing of sidewalk networks for OpenStreetMap
title_full OSM Sidewalkreator: A QGIS plugin for an automated drawing of sidewalk networks for OpenStreetMap
title_fullStr OSM Sidewalkreator: A QGIS plugin for an automated drawing of sidewalk networks for OpenStreetMap
title_full_unstemmed OSM Sidewalkreator: A QGIS plugin for an automated drawing of sidewalk networks for OpenStreetMap
title_short OSM Sidewalkreator: A QGIS plugin for an automated drawing of sidewalk networks for OpenStreetMap
title_sort osm sidewalkreator a qgis plugin for an automated drawing of sidewalk networks for openstreetmap
topic Pedestrian Networks
Geographic Information Systems
Open Source Software and Data
Openstreetmap
Urban Mobility
url https://www.eurogeojournal.eu/index.php/egj/article/view/553
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AT danielrodriguesdossantos osmsidewalkreatoraqgispluginforanautomateddrawingofsidewalknetworksforopenstreetmap