Jupiterimages/Thinkstock
READ MORE ABOUT:
City cyclists rejoice! After several years of prodding by bicycle and alternative transportation enthusiasts, Google has launched a new feature in their map directions - a bike there feature.
Now you can get directions for biking to a location, but not just any old directions pointing you down the same roads the mapping program would point a car. Nope, Google has gone the extra mile to provide directions that lead you down streets with the best bike lanes, avoid the busiest traffic lights, and pedal along the flattest routes.
All you need to do is hit the drop down box for selecting your transportation method and select "bike there." The directions generated will direct you along the flattest route, will help you avoid the busiest intersections, and will show you when there are bike-only trails or when there are bike lanes available on the roads. It shows you a great layer, highlighting:
- 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
Already available for 150 cities and growing, the mapping feature has the potential to significantly change the way transportation is done in cities. But the impact goes deeper than simple here-to-there directions. Here are 5 ways the Google mapping feature is a really big deal.
How Google Map's Bike There Feature Can Shake Things Up
1. Lower C02 Emissions in Cities - By providing directions for the easiest, safest route, more people will be willing to take the bike instead of the car to work and on errands. Fewer cars on the road means less emissions in the air. The average passenger car puts out around 11,450 pounds of CO2 per year, or just shy of 1 pound of CO2 per mile. Imagine if 100 people are inspired by these easy directions, and hop on a bike instead of a car for at least 10 miles a week. That's 47,632 pounds of CO2 per year saved. Imagine if 1,000 people did that, or 5,000 people. Soon, we're talking tons of CO2 saved every year just in your city alone.
2. A Tool for Cyclists to Change City Planning - As popular routes for cycling through the city pop up, cyclists will have a new tool to lobby city planners to provide better bike lanes and trails, and safer intersections. Showing how many people use the flattest, safest routes provided by Google Maps will hold weight in making cities more bike friendly. As New York City has proven, when more cyclists hit the roads, the roads get more cyclist friendly.
3. Get Americans Exercising - Two big things keeping many people off bikes and in cars is safety concerns and the fact that you have to exercise. Knowing they're getting the safest, flattest route to their destination, perhaps more people will be likely to ditch the car for the bike. And that means more Americans getting exercise! Cycling is saving Australia millions in health care costs, and could do the same here. If you want to start out slow, take the 2 mile bicycling challenge!
4. Saving More People Money in Tight Times - Cycling from place to place is just plain cheap. No oil changes or expensive repairs, no paying for gas and parking and car insurance and car washes and... As numbers in a recent survey on the increase in alternative transportation has shown, the recession has gone a long way in switching people who could once easily afford a car over into public transportation, walking, and cycling in order to lighten the burden on their wallets.
5. Give People a Higher Quality of Life - Okay, this one is really dependent upon if people actually take up cycling as a serious alternative to cars. But let's think about it: Much of the time, when it comes to navigating a city at least, it's even faster than driving because you can avoid the traffic jams and lack of parking that plagues drivers. A healthier life, with more time, and more money on your hands. Could you ask for much more? Google's mapping feature just makes it that much easier to be a cyclist, and hopefully makes it that much easier for people to make the transition away from cars.
Here's how to use Google's Bike There Feature
More on Bicycling
What's your transportation footprint? Quiz!
The World's 11 Most Bicycle Friendly Cities
Bike to Work, Pocket 20 Bucks a Month
