It’s apparent that Google Maps already has the street map thing down. Now they’re moving on to bike trails. Google announced this week that they have added biking directions to Google Maps, with Boulder one of the top cities on the list. Google partnered with Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC), a nonprofit that creates bike trails from former rails lines, to get information on all of the nation’s bike trails.
“The demand for trail maps and information has never been higher, especially as more people recognize biking as a viable, inexpensive and healthy alternative to driving,” Rails-to-Trails President Keith Laughlin said in a statement. “Sharing our trail data is an exceptional way to introduce the world to what 150,000 RTC members and supporters already know — biking is the ideal way to get where you’re going. The addition of biking directions to Google Maps makes life easier for bikers, whether they are commuting to work or biking for fun, and it can introduce our network of trails to a whole new audience of cyclists-to-be.”
The Google Maps for bicyclists works the same way for pedestrians and drivers. There’s a drop-down menu at the top of the map where you can select “Biking Directions” and the map will display trails and bike-friendly roads that will get you to your destination.
Check out the video:
