I Wonder How to Wander

Google Maps adds walking directions

Posted at 4:40 PM on 22 Jul 2008

Taking another step toward complete indispensability, Google Maps on Tuesday became the first service of its kind to add walking directions. In addition to searches for car and transit travel, pedestrians -- and, hell, Segway-ers too -- can now find the most direct and flat route from Point A to Point B. The function works for trips up to 6.2 miles long, and recognizes that one-way streets only apply to the car-encased (suckas!). Searchers are advised to "use caution when walking in unfamiliar areas" as the directions, still in beta form, potentially lack information about pedestrian bridges, roads without sidewalks, or impassable intersections -- but they'll only improve from here. Now if Google would just add biking directions, we'd be set.

source: Google Lat Long Blog
straight to the walkin': Google Maps
see also, in Grist: An interview with Google's green energy czar

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Comments: (4 comments)

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Impressive

I just tried it for the 6 mi. commute from my apartment to my work (which I drive, bike, occasionally bus, and have walked -- in winter during a snowstorm at 1 am) and it's pretty impressive. It essentially gave the same optimal route for both, but when switching from car to walking, for a long stretch, it moved me from a standard roadway to a parallel bike and pedestrian only trail (the Interurban in Kent, WA).

by jabailo at 4:56 PM on 22 Jul 2008

Not to split hairs

Now if Google would just add biking directions, we'd be set.

Wouldn't biking directions be the same as car directions since bikes are vehicles...or are there utopian areas for cyclists (such as myself) where we don't have to deal with the boorish behavior of some motorists?

by Guinness74 at 6:11 AM on 23 Jul 2008

Not Strictly True

Blackberry Mapquest applications have walking maps, and have had them for at least six months to a year now (since I've owned one). Sorry, but I think Google is a bit late...

by ataventure at 6:40 AM on 23 Jul 2008

bycycle

Guinness74 - Luckily, there are a few utopian areas for bikes. Portland for example, has it's own mapping system here: http://bycycle.org/
It gives directions based either on normal (quickest) or safer (less traffic) routes. I believe it basically overlays Portland's bike map with Google mapping to figure out which ways are best for bikes.

by gc at 8:53 AM on 29 Jul 2008
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