Comments on: Take Control of Your Maps http://googlemapsbikethere.org/2008/05/27/take-control-of-your-maps/ Mon, 21 May 2012 15:18:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Peter Smith http://googlemapsbikethere.org/2008/05/27/take-control-of-your-maps/comment-page-1/#comment-412 Peter Smith Thu, 29 May 2008 15:15:53 +0000 http://googlemapsbikethere.org/?p=243#comment-412 I've been thinking that having the ability to customize a route, based on any number of different factors, is extremely valuable, and there's most likely a business opportunity there. Not just something that can make money, but something that can benefit people. I’ve been thinking that having the ability to customize a route, based on any number of different factors, is extremely valuable, and there’s most likely a business opportunity there. Not just something that can make money, but something that can benefit people.

]]> By: Peter Smith http://googlemapsbikethere.org/2008/05/27/take-control-of-your-maps/comment-page-1/#comment-411 Peter Smith Wed, 28 May 2008 16:31:28 +0000 http://googlemapsbikethere.org/?p=243#comment-411 Thanks for the comment, Paul, and thanks for the broken link tip - fixed! If you ever get that hankering to have a go at bike routes, make sure to drop us a line. I'm sure there are ways we can find to support the cause - financially, karmically, crowdsourcingly, etc. :) Part of my problem as a potential organizer of such an effort is that I feel pretty ignorant (still) in terms of what information is even necessary to pull this off. Our current thinking is if you have: 1) all the information you would need to do car routing, and 2) municipal bike lane data, then you have enough data for 'Phase 1' of a bike routing/navigation/directions solution. The byCycle.org folks had/have done it to a certain extent. And ViaMichelin.com have done it a bit for Europe (though, I'm not sure how valid it is). Scroll down to the bottom of this link to get bike route data for Austin (it's 10 years old, supposedly, but Austin is working on an update, and I think it has the basics of what we need): ftp://ftp.ci.austin.tx.us/GIS-Data/Regional/coa_gis.html We definitely want to see this option show up in the main Google Maps interface (for convenience/exposure/mainstreaming), but there may be a lot of legwork/knowledge in between here and there - as Google's Michael Jones alluded to in the previous post's comments (and there's plenty of room for multiple implementations; and, an open source routing algorithm - if we wanted to go that route - would be awesome.). For instance, if we know exactly what type of data we need from each municipality, then we can get to work on getting citizens to pester their local governments for that data. Or building the particular GIS layers/etc for whatever information we do have available. Keep up the good work with Everyblock! Thanks for the comment, Paul, and thanks for the broken link tip – fixed!

If you ever get that hankering to have a go at bike routes, make sure to drop us a line. I’m sure there are ways we can find to support the cause – financially, karmically, crowdsourcingly, etc. :)

Part of my problem as a potential organizer of such an effort is that I feel pretty ignorant (still) in terms of what information is even necessary to pull this off. Our current thinking is if you have:
1) all the information you would need to do car routing, and
2) municipal bike lane data,

then you have enough data for ‘Phase 1′ of a bike routing/navigation/directions solution.

The byCycle.org folks had/have done it to a certain extent. And ViaMichelin.com have done it a bit for Europe (though, I’m not sure how valid it is).

Scroll down to the bottom of this link to get bike route data for Austin (it’s 10 years old, supposedly, but Austin is working on an update, and I think it has the basics of what we need):

ftp://ftp.ci.austin.tx.us/GIS-Data/Regional/coa_gis.html

We definitely want to see this option show up in the main Google Maps interface (for convenience/exposure/mainstreaming), but there may be a lot of legwork/knowledge in between here and there – as Google’s Michael Jones alluded to in the previous post’s comments (and there’s plenty of room for multiple implementations; and, an open source routing algorithm – if we wanted to go that route – would be awesome.). For instance, if we know exactly what type of data we need from each municipality, then we can get to work on getting citizens to pester their local governments for that data. Or building the particular GIS layers/etc for whatever information we do have available.

Keep up the good work with Everyblock!

]]> By: Paul Smith http://googlemapsbikethere.org/2008/05/27/take-control-of-your-maps/comment-page-1/#comment-410 Paul Smith Wed, 28 May 2008 15:49:28 +0000 http://googlemapsbikethere.org/?p=243#comment-410 Nice write-up, and good points about open geo data in other countries and contexts (although I think your link to my A List Apart article is actually pointing to EveryBlock). I just wanted to add that as a bike commuter myself, I've hoped for bike route integration on Google Maps for some time now, so I applaud your efforts. I've even thought about trying to DIY it with TIGER/Line cobbled together with municipal bike lane data, and maybe there is still a case to be made for that. At any rate, best of luck! Nice write-up, and good points about open geo data in other countries and contexts (although I think your link to my A List Apart article is actually pointing to EveryBlock).

I just wanted to add that as a bike commuter myself, I’ve hoped for bike route integration on Google Maps for some time now, so I applaud your efforts. I’ve even thought about trying to DIY it with TIGER/Line cobbled together with municipal bike lane data, and maybe there is still a case to be made for that. At any rate, best of luck!

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