*Recent Updates to OpenStreetMap Basemap*
In February of 2023, we updated the Strava Metro basemap to a more recent version of OpenStreetMap. This was to ensure that as infrastructure is updated in your area, it is also reflected in Metro data. The bullet points below highlight some of the important considerations of working with the updated data.
- Data previously exported from Metroview cannot be joined to the new 2023 basemap shapefiles.
- To compare 2023 data with 2019 - 2022 data, it will be necessary to re-submit export requests of historical data downloads to keep work consistent.
- The basemap version number in Streets exports is available in the .txt file.
- The basemap version number on the Metroview map page is available at the top of the right side panel when an edge is selected:
If you have additional questions as to how this may impact your work please continue reading the article below.
How Strava Metro Counts are Matched to OpenStreetMap
To provide Streets data in Metroview, we map Strava activity data onto OpenStreetMap (OSM) street and trail segments. OpenStreetmap is a crowdsourced, editable geographic database that is frequently updated by independent contributors to keep a current and accurate map of the world.
We periodically pull updated versions of OSM and then run additional processing on it to make it a routable basemap. Next, we run a process that breaks all streets/trails/etc at intersections (decision points) to create Edges. Bicycle and pedestrian trips from Strava are then matched, or aligned, to this routable basemap, which enables aggregation of counts on these edges. From here, we’re able to display the aggregated counts of trips on active transportation infrastructure within the Metroview map and in the GIS data exports.
In Metroview and in the data exports, you can now see OpenStreetMap (OSM) Way ID associated with a particular edge. In OSM, a way normally represents a linear feature on the ground such as a road, trail, or bike path. Due to the way edges are created for Strava Metro, many edges can have the same osm_reference_id.
What do OpenStreetMap Updates Mean for You?
When we update to a more current OSM basemap, we match the available historical data to the new map. Moving forward, new activity data will also be aligned to the new map and will be visible when looking at Edges with the Streets tool.
- Infrastructure recently added to OSM will be visible in both the Streets view of the Metroview Map page and in new data exports.
- If you export Streets data for use in a GIS or data analysis system, all Edge UIDs will change; they are not compatible across different basemap versions.
- This means that data previously exported from Metroview before the most recent OSM update cannot be joined to the new basemap.
- We recommend joining the data to the shapefile that accompanies it in the download folder.
- Similarly, data exported after the basemap change cannot be joined to the previously exported shapefiles.
- When OSM transportation network lines are separated at decision points into Edges, each Edge receives a new ID as one OSM ID likely now applies to multiple Edges.
- Edge UIDs are unique to Strava Metro data, and are unique to the specific basemap used at the time of data creation.
- To compare older data with newer data, it will be necessary to re-submit export requests of historical data downloads so that all data is aligned to the same basemap version.
- This means that data previously exported from Metroview before the most recent OSM update cannot be joined to the new basemap.
- Any infrastructure that has been deleted from OSM will no longer be visible in Metroview.
Help Strava Metro and Contribute to OpenStreetMap!
If you do not see a local bike lane, trail, or path reflected in Strava Metro Streets Data, it likely was not a part of OpenStreetMap at the time of our last update. If you would like to see that infrastructure in Metro data in the future, you can contribute to OpenStreetMap using their web-editing tools or by uploading spatial data of your own.