Start Pedaling: Google Maps Adds Bike Directions
Google Maps already had directions via car, on foot, and public transit. But what about those two-wheeled people-powered vehicles? Problem solved, as on Wednesday, the company added biking directions to the service.
You can also turn on a bicycling “map layer” through use of the “More option” as shown above. Do that, and you’ll see three different types of lines appear on the map:
- Dark green indicates a dedicated bike-only trail;
- Light green indicates a dedicated bike lane along a road;
- Dashed green indicates roads that are designated as preferred for bicycling, but without dedicated lanes
One thing that’s missing that would be great: a difficulty level, meaning how much incline a route might have, increasing the difficulty of the ride.
At any rate, this is still in beta (as most Google services are), so just be aware that you may run into some issues. Google encourages riders to send feedback (such as corrections) via the “Report a Problem” tool.
Oh, and Google is also running a promotion at the same time. If you tweet using the hashtag #bikewithgoogle, you might just win a new bicycle. The winner (official rules) can get a $2,500 voucher to use at American Cyclery.
Watch a video on the new feature.
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