update_abandoned_roads.py

import osmapi

# Connect to OSM
api = osmapi.OsmApi(username="osm-user", password="***")

# Create a new changeset
api.ChangesetCreate({u"comment": u"updating abandoned roads"})

# Read File with way id and highway dates
with open("East_Complex_Attributes.txt", "r") as f:
    for row in f:
        # Extract values for row
        values = row.split(",")
        nid = int(values[0].strip())
        time1 = values[1].strip()
        time2 = values[2].strip()

        print nid

        way = api.WayGet(nid)

        # If Way exists
        if way is not None:
            print way

            # Remove timestamp tag for later update
            way.pop(u'timestamp')

            # Add highway dates
            way[u"tag"][u"highway:{}".format(time1)] = u"track"
            if len(time2):
                way[u"tag"][u"highway:{}".format(time2)] = u"track"

            # Update Way
            api.WayUpdate(way)

        # If way doesn't exist
        else:
            print "skip"

# Close Changeset
api.ChangesetClose()