Upcoming Google Maps ‘Bike There’ Option
I just figured out that my commute is exactly 6.4 miles each way. Just about right for the 30 minute slog against traffic and over the Manhattan Bridge. I figured it out using the ‘walking’ option in Google Maps. Pretty soon I won’t have to use that option anymore, because right now Google is testing a ‘Bike There’ option. Not only is this great news for people planning their cycling trips around the country, but it’s also going to bring a lot of attention to the bikeability of cities when the new feature debuts on Google Maps. After this we should see a Streetview-style Google Map, and then hopefully a lot of cities will start making map mashups that show indoor parking for bikes and bike racks. Keep piling it on; maybe this will even help convince politicians to expand their biking options-no one wants to be the least bikeable city.
via Urban Velo
Tags: commuting, google maps, new york city
October 14th, 2009 at 7:15 am
Believe it or not, Twin Cities cyclists already have something that’ll do exactly this and a whole lot more already – check out Cyclopath: http://cyclopath.org
Has a great route-finder that allows users to use bikeability ratings given by others and tags (Already added by others or ones they themselves add) to find personalized routes. And it’s a wiki! To ensure the map stays fresh and up to date (An important thing when it’s construction season in Minnesota), users can edit the roads, trails, and points on the map themselves to help the rest of the community. I’d definitely check it out before waiting on the Google version.