I was wondering if anyone could point me in the direction of some resources to get me started contributing to OSM. I recently discovered OSM and have found it is much better than Google Maps, however there are some parts of the bike path that are not part of OSM yet and I would like to add them. Thank you for any help!
If you just want to edit as soon as possible, visit OpenStreetMap, zoom to an area, and click “edit”. (You’ll need an account first). The editor has a built-in guide that will explain the basics. You can also click the built-in “help” button at any time.
Context
I have long been interested in the “wisdom of the crowds” and open data, so I have been mapping on OpenStreetMap on and off since 2014. I hope that one day, people can rely on fully offline, useful maps for day to day activities around their neighborhoods and during travel - a sort of Hitchhiker’s Guide.
Today, while I continue to map on the OSM website, I use StreetComplete most often while on the go - if you have an Android device, I highly recommend it (even if you don’t have one - Android devices can be had extremely cheap, and the app works offline).
While less pleasant to use, if you want to edit POIs on the go, Every Door works well enough for a quick edit - edit whether a location has a bathroom or vegan options on the menu.
I have never been an iOS user, so I am less familiar with options on that OS - I most often recommend that friends use MapComplete while on the go. Unfortunately, this does not work offline, in case you don’t have a mobile data connection to the internet.
OpenStreetMap is awesome, and it is extremely gratifying to see your changes show up on apps like Organic Maps and Apple Maps. Ensuring that organizations that you care about are represented on the map (put them on the map!) can be a form of digital activism – so get mapping!
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