Proposal: Surface=Laterite
The proposal for tagging surface=laterite aims to document a specific type of tropical road soil. This soil, characterized by its red/orange color and unique properties, is currently misclassified under broader categories. The proposal seeks to clarify the distinction between laterite and clay soils to improve mapping accuracy in tropical regions.
- ▪Surface=laterite is proposed to document a cohesive, iron-oxide-rich soil found in tropical and subtropical regions.
- ▪The proposal addresses the confusion between laterite and clay, highlighting their different physical properties.
- ▪Community support for the proposal includes confirmations from 39 mappers with relevant regional experience.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
surface=laterite Proposal status: Proposed (under way) Proposed by: Julcnx Tagging: surface=laterite Data item Applies to: way Definition: A road, track, or path surfaced with lateritic soil: a cohesive, usually red/orange, iron-oxide-rich tropical/subtropical soil that hardens when dry but rapidly becomes slippery and potentially impassable on first wetting, then deeply plastic and adhesive under sustained rain. This proposal also includes a conditional documentation update to Tag:surface=clay to distinguish laterite from clay-mineral soils. Draft started: 2026-04-21 RFC start: 2026-05-19 Want to see the result without reading the full proposal? Jump to how the page would look like after approval.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Openstreetmap.
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