Feature Request: Implementation of Altitude Parameters for Route Calculation

[LupinSun]

Dear BRouter Development Team,

I am writing to suggest an enhancement to the BRouter routing engine. I believe it would be beneficial to add functionality that allows users to incorporate elevation parameters into the route calculation. Specifically, I am proposing the addition of the following four variables:

elemax: This parameter sets the maximum altitude/elevation.
elemin: This parameter sets the minimum altitude/elevation.
elemaxcost: This parameter assigns a penalty to segments that exceed the maximum altitude/elevation.
elemincost: This parameter assigns a penalty to segments that fall below the minimum altitude/elevation.
The idea is to give users the flexibility to penalize routes based on their elevation, irrespective of the slope parameters. For instance, if there are two possible routes, the user can choose to penalize the one with a higher elevation or the one with a lower elevation.

These parameters would be particularly useful for users who want to maintain their route within a certain altitude range or prioritize routes that are either consistently higher or lower in elevation.

Example:

Let's say I'm planning a ride and I want to explore a mountainous region. I might be interested in a route that stays above a certain altitude for panoramic views

https://brouter.de/brouter-web/#map=15/39.9391/9.3176/standard&lonlats=9.332414,39.93345;9.312501,39.942367&profile=hiking-mountain the current route calculation prioritizes the shorter distance route while I would like the other to be calculated, this one: https://brouter.de/brouter-web/#map=15/39.9391/9.3176/standard&lonlats=9.332414,39.93345;9.323187,39.944788;9.312501,39.942367&profile=hiking-mountain

Solution

With the proposed altitude parameters, I could achieve my desired outcome. Here's how:

Set elemin to 1200 meters for panoramic views.
Assign highe value to elemincost so that lower elevations are penalized.
This would encourage BRouter to calculate a route that prioritizes my chosen altitude range, even if it's longer in distance.

By incorporating these parameters, BRouter would offer greater flexibility for users who want to prioritize routes based on elevation, not just slope.

In summary, this feature would allow for more customized routing options based on elevation, enhancing the user experience by offering routes that align better with specific altitude preferences.

Thank you for considering this request. I look forward to your positive response.

Best regards,
Giovanni