Truth matters. Community matters. Your support makes both possible. LAist is one of the few places where news remains independent and free from political and corporate influence. Stand up for truth and for LAist. Make your year-end tax-deductible gift now.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Google Maps Introduces Bicycle Data
Santa Monica in Bicycle Mode | View this map here
Santa Monica in Bicycle Mode | View this map here
Big news from Google came this morning in the form of beta bicycle data on their popular Google Maps program. From routes that consider biking infrastructure and uphill/downhill slopes to marking where off-street, bike lanes and preferred routes are, this is a welcome tool. And, of course, they are welcoming your feedback because they know there's much room for improvement.
This map should help put the pressure on the city of Los Angeles. Looking at Google's bicycle version of the city is like looking at a wasteland of nothingness. Scroll on over to Irvine or Huntington Beach and you'll see a more dense overlay of supposed bicycle friendly streets. At the very least, the city should be making efforts that are presented within the L.A. Bike Working Group's Backbone Bikeway Network, which envisions a basic framework for to get cyclists around the city on a series of prioritized thoroughfares.
A video primer on how Google Maps with bicycle data works is below:
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our connected community. We are free to tell the full truth, to hold power to account without fear or favor, and to follow facts wherever they lead. Our only loyalty is to our audiences and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen our community.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive before year-end will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive before year-end will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
