Australia Blog
News and notes from Google Down Under
Ride on! Cycling comes to Google Maps in Australia
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
We're big fans of bicycling here at Google Australia, and based on how much we get asked, “When is cycling coming to maps in Australia?” we know most of you are cyclists too.
Good news is that today we’re launching cycling directions on Google Maps in Australia — providing you with a new way of getting around town. Our routes were made possible in part thanks to the support of councils around the country who provided us with information on bicycle-friendly streets and areas. If you want to bike to work or your local shops, or simply want to spend more time outdoors, cycling directions will help you find the best way to get where you want to go.
For example, if I commute from Liberty Grove to the Google office, biking directions can now tell me the most convenient and efficient route that makes use of dedicated bike lanes and avoids hills whenever practical.
If you decide to stop off at your favorite coffee shop, you can either add it as an extra destination in the menu on the right or simply drag the route. The directions will continue to take cycle lanes into consideration.
For those looking simply to browse the map, just click the ‘bicycling’ layer on the top right. You'll see three types of lines appear on the map:
Dark green indicates a dedicated cycle path
Light green indicates a dedicated cycle lane along a road
Dashed green indicates roads that are designated as preferred for cycling, but without dedicated lanes
We'll continue to add new cycling lanes over time. And since cycling directions is still in beta, we encourage riders to send feedback and route information for inclusion by clicking on the
report a problem
link.
So for those
going for a Sunday afternoon ride with the family, or training to be the next
Cadel Evans
, we hope that bicycle directions in Google Maps can help make it easier to safely plan your next outing. Happy cycling!
Posted by
Nabil Naghdy
, Product Manager, Google Australia
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