OpenStreetMap

Why did you make this change, especially without notifying the original editor (me)? `surface=compacted` is the correct tag for these roads. While `compacted=*` is not a currently accepted tag, it does not do any damage to add a detail to the accepted tag on these types of roads.

Regardless, if I (or someone else) is incorrectly tagging something, it is polite to alert that person rather than just mechanically change things to your preference.

'crushed_limestone' is among the 70th most common surface values. It's better to use this value directly in the surface tag compared to inventing a new key that no common tool knows about.

The reason I included both tags is that the `surface=compacted` reveals a process, while the `compacted=crushed_limestone` refers to a material. The combination of material and process gives more information than either alone. Regardless, surface=compacted is correct and more commonly used. It is also important for routers to know that condition.

Would you feel better if I used a different tag, such as`compacted:material` to indicate that the compacted material is crushed_limestone?

It's just not possible to inform each and every user whose tags I change. In this changeset alone this would mean to check 14 objects for their history to figure out who added which tag in which changeset I have to leave a comment on.

"compacted:material" won't solve the issue - the actual surface material will be hidden for all tools that are not aware of your new and undocumented tag.
If we follow your line of thought the actual tagging would need to be
surface=paved
paved=compacted
compacted=limestone
... which clearly is not useful.

Key:surface explicitly allows for custom values, and this is in use in various states and countries.

I don't feel like you understood my previous post. The surface tag represents a condition of a surface. The condition is the outcome of both a process and a material and that can vary. surface=crushed_limestone is a material and doesn't represent the surface well. as a sole tag surface=compacted is better.

Adding additional information for the.surface is accepted for other surface tags, like stepping_stones and gravel, so I don't see why the same wouldn't be true for compacted.

May I suggest to discuss these fundamental questions about the definition of the surface tag in the forums or mailing lists? A changeset discussion is not the right place for that.

Seems like a good idea.

I posted a question here and tried to be as fair as possible for someone with a point of view! https://community.openstreetmap.org/t/how-to-tag-the-surface-of-highways-that-are-compacted-crushed-limestone/101824/1