June 2024 - TomTom Map Partnerships Newsletter

WELCOME 

Welcome to our June Newsletter! As we reach the halfway point of the year, we’re excited to cultivate a culture of progress, creativity and teamwork with you. This month's newsletter is brimming with valuable insights, featuring highlights such as the latest Vertex Best Practices and Updates, alongside TomTom's latest endeavors.

Let's seize the potential of this month to drive progress, inspire innovation, and make a lasting impact together. Here's to a month filled with growth, learning, and shared success!

Meet Our Interns

Cas based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands

I'm a 2nd year Geo, Media, and design student who loves maps. I started mapping with OpenStreetMap (OSM) in 2018 after learning that Pokémon GO used OSM data. I began with adding playgrounds and parks near me, and then saw the impact of OSM and how it can help people.

I was drawn to the internship with TomTom's Community and Partnership team because they care about OSM and support local communities globally. Being part of this team has let me interact with many community members who work hard to improve the map. I enjoyed learning a lot about OSM and related activities and meeting people who share the same passion. During my internship, I learned how to receive and host guests, which will help me in my future career. I also improved my mapping skills by using the JOSM editor. The skills and knowledge I gained from this internship will influence my future goals.

For students who are interested in OSM or similar internships, I would recommend starting with mapping their own neighborhood on OSM to get familiar with the mapping process. Local knowledge is important for the quality and completeness of the map. Checking the OSM Wiki can also help with learning about different features. For those who want similar internships, I suggest getting involved in the OSM community. Joining local or online OSM events, forums, and Discord servers can help with networking with community members and finding new opportunities. My OSM journey has not only taught me more about mapping and community involvement, but has also given me useful skills and experiences that will benefit my future career in geospatial and design.

Przemyslaw based in Lodz, Poland

I am a second-year master's student in Geography, with a focus on Cartography, Geoinformatics, and Remote Sensing. I discovered OpenStreetMap in 2017 when I was looking for alternative map visualizations and found OSM. At first, I only made a few edits, but I soon became more immersed in the project. My main goal is to improve the map's quality, cover unmapped areas, and carefully document places I have visited or that are close to me.

In the beginning, I edited single objects using the iD editor. Gradually, I learned to use JOSM, which enabled me to make extensive edits, introducing me to the field of GIS. This experience motivated me to continue my studies in Geography after finishing my degree in International Relations. My internship with TomTom’s Community and Partnership team was an ideal match for my interests, studies, and career aspirations. I was attracted by the opportunity to work on the OpenStreetMap project while being part of a team that actively supports and participates in its development. My favorite part of the OSM Engagement & Editing program has been the ability to advance my career while helping TomTom achieve its mission.

This unique opportunity has allowed me to combine my personal passion with meaningful work, creating a rewarding experience. Through my internship, I have gained key skills in the practical use of OSM data and improved my ability to analyze complex databases. I have also gained valuable experience in teamwork and cooperation, which I believe will be essential for my future career goals. For students who want to get involved with OSM or look for similar internship opportunities, I would recommend getting to know the map in your immediate area and exploring different mapping examples. Use resources such as the OSM Wiki, Tag Info, and connect with the community through forums, Discord, and social media. Attending live meetings and events can also provide valuable opportunities to develop skills and enhance your career. Overall, my journey with OpenStreetMap has been both personally satisfying and professionally beneficial. I hope my experiences encourage others to discover the world of collaborative mapping and its potential in shaping the future of geographic information systems.

TomTom Map Partnerships Knowledge Center News

Rule ID Spotlight: 54291 - Anchor Point Linked to Back Road

An anchor point is a point that represents the location of an addressable feature, such as a building or a parcel. An anchor point must have an entry point association, which is a link to a road element that provides access to the addressable feature. The road element that is linked to the anchor point must have a certain value for the Road Element. A back road is a road that is not part of the main road network, such as a service road, a driveway, or a private road.

The violation occurs when an anchor point has an entry point association with a road element that has a back road value other than:

• Destination Road

• Primary Sector Service Road

• Driveway (only if the road element is named)

• Not A Back Road

These values indicate that the road element is either a part of the main road network or a named road that provides access to multiple addressable features. Any other value for the back road attribute, such as "Back Road", "Private Road", or "Unnamed Driveway", is not allowed for the road element that is linked to the anchor point.

What is the cause?

The cause of the violation is the incorrect assignment of the back road attribute on the road element that is linked to the anchor point. This may happen due to human error, data quality issues, or lack of information. For example, a road element may be mistakenly marked as a back road, when it is actually a destination road or a primary sector service road. Alternatively, a road element may be marked as a back road, when it is actually a driveway that serves multiple addressable features and should be named accordingly.

What is the solution?

The solution to the violation is to change the back road attribute of the road element that is linked to the anchor point, to one of the allowed values. However, before doing so, it is important to load the address point layer and check if the road element is associated with any address points. A road element that is associated with address points cannot have the back road attribute with the value "Back Road". This step will ensure that the road element is correctly attributed and that the address points are correctly located.

The following steps describe how to resolve the violation:

1. Load the address points layer and zoom in to the area where the violation occurs.

2. Select the anchor point that is linked to the back road and open its attributes table.

3. Identify the road element that is linked to the anchor point, by looking at the entry point association field.

4. Select the road element and open its attributes table.

5. Check the back road attribute of the road element and see if it has a value other than the allowed ones.

6. If the back road attribute has a value other than the allowed ones, change it to one of the following values, depending on the type and function of the road element:

•Destination Road: A road that is part of the main road network and provides access to one or more addressable features.

•Primary Sector Service Road: A road that is part of the main road network, and serves a specific sector, such as industrial, commercial, or residential.

•Driveway: A road that provides access to one or more addressable features and is named. A driveway can have a suffix, such as "Lane", "Court", or "Place".

•Not A Back Road: A road that is not a back road and does not fall into any of the other categories.

Save the changes and refresh the map.

The violation should be resolved, and the anchor point should be correctly linked to the road element.

Vertex Updates

New Features

Color-Coded Road Lines by Road Condition

Now it is possible to view road lines color-coded based on their road condition.

On the side toolbar, click Map Data.

Under Map Features, select the Roads checkbox.

NOTE: if the checkbox is unavailable, on the side toolbar, click Zoom In.

In the bottom left corner of the map, hold the pointer over Road Attributes.

Click the button for the desired layer.

To clear the road attribute layer, click No Selection.

For a list of attribute values and the colors associated with them, below the side toolbar, click Legend.

Hide Street Names

Now you can choose to hide street names because sometimes they cover over a node, making it tricky to adjust geometry.

Sort Suggestions

In the My History panel, you can now sort suggestions based on whether they are closed or open, making it easier to manage your tasks.

Enhancements

Address Points

We are pleased to inform you of new address point functionality in Vertex. You now have the ability to create and relocate address points in both Australia and the United Kingdom.

Error Messages

If a page fails to load, you'll now see a helpful message prompting you to email our Map Partnerships team for assistance.

Functional Road Class Listings

The Functional Road Class values in the Edit Feature panel of a road line are now listed with the most frequently edited values appearing at the top of the list, making it more user-friendly.

Vertex Editing Best Practices 

Maintaining Accurate House Numbers

The addition of House Number viewing now allows a user to see the impact on that feature that adding new roads to the database causes. When a road is split by new geometry, the House Numbers on the road that is being split are given an ‘Interpolation’ flag. This flag is denoted by an asterisk after the House Number*. The ‘Interpolation’ flag means that those specific House Numbers are only an estimated guess and not exact.

By adding the driveway below, the Interpolation flag has been added to all four House Numbers* at this new intersection. Since Address Points are available as a source in this case, the House Numbers at this intersection can be updated to improve their accuracy.

By using the ‘Suggest an Edit’ feature, users should submit a report to have an editor review and update House Numbers accordingly.

Vertex Help

Remember to check the Vertex User Manual for more information on House Numbers.

TomTom in the World

OSM State of the Map (SOTM) United States

The 2024 OSM State of the Map USA Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah last week was an exciting opportunity for open mapping enthusiasts to come together to collaborate and discuss the latest in open mapping.

Being part of a community that takes pride in map editing can be fulfilling and rewarding. For us, the OSM State of the Map US event in Salt Lake City, UT last weekend took that sense of community to a whole new level. This event brought a mapping community together where map nerds (such as three of us Community and Partnership members) could expand their knowledge of OSM data, share thoughts, ideas and be engaged in all things - maps. The theme of this year’s event was celebrating our public lands and the great recreational activities that await us such as hiking, biking, boating and overall pedestrian safety. All of this by editing a free, open-source map!

TomTom is proud to have been a silver sponsor of the event, to host a booth for individuals to learn more about TomTom’s OSM program and even for our own Shaundrea Kenyon to give an interactive presentation on “Exploring OpenStreetMap’s Evolving Future: The Critical Importance of Collaboration”. Shaundrea showed the audience just how impactful corporate contributions like TomTom’s can be to the OSM community. Shaundrea also pointed out initiatives that can help expand encourage community building and growth and highlighted opportunities for collaboration.

The collaborative efforts between TomTom and the OSM community reflect the spirit of open collaboration and shared innovation, setting the stage for continued progress in the realm of open mapping. The OSM community is poised to navigate new frontiers and shape the future of open mapping, especially with TomTom’s continued involvement.

Do You Like What You See?

If you’ve found our newsletter enjoyable or informative, we’d love to hear from you! Feel free to give it a thumbs up below, and if you’d like, share your thoughts on what you found most valuable. Your feedback is highly appreciated and helps us tailor our content to suit your interests better. Thank you for being a part of our map editing community!