Google Innovates with Routing

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May 25
2007

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Google Innovates with Routing

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Google has released a cool, new routing feature that enables you to skip highways. This is something that none of the other mapping portals has.

When you click the the "Avoid Highways" checkbox, the route instantly updates to one that tries very hard to stay off of interstates, motorways, and other major roadways. This may give you a much longer path, but one that you may find more suitable. If it isn't what you want, you can uncheck the box and quickly revert to the normal route to help plan your trip.

A good example of such a route can be found here, from Seattle to Google's office in Kirkland. The route skips the I-90 and WA-520 floating bridges across Lake Washington, taking the scenic route around the lake through Juanita instead.

This is a handy feature. There are many times I know that the highway is backed up and i want to take the backroads.

Google really needs a routing API. Right now Virtual Earth is the only team that has a routing API freely available to developers. The problem is every set of directions shown costs money. Microsoft has their own routing engine so they can do it without accruing major costs. Yahoo! does as well, I expect that they will soon offer a routing API. I can't believe that Google isn't also making plans in this area.

Updated: In the comments Ian lets me know that I was wrong about the exclusivity of the feature. Mapquest has had this for years -- just as they've had their own routing engine for years. MapQuest has had an "Avoid Highways" feature in addition to a "Avoid Tolls" and "Avoid Seasonally-Closed Roads" feature for many years. (Go to http://www.mapquest.com and click on the "Advanced Options" link in the directions section of the page.)

tags: geo, web 2.0 | comments: 11 | Sphere It
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Comments: 11

Ian Crew [05.25.07 12:55 PM]

MapQuest has had an "Avoid Highways" feature in addition to a "Avoid Tolls" and "Avoid Seasonally-Closed Roads" feature for many years. (Go to http://www.mapquest.com and click on the "Advanced Options" link in the directions section of the page.) I'm still glad Google Maps has done this though--I much prefer Google's interface.

Chance McClain [05.25.07 01:26 PM]

Actually...WAY back in the day mapsonus.com used to do this...hell they might still. I have not been to their site since like 2000 or so but even back then they had 'favor highways' or 'backroads'.

Ben Greenberg [05.25.07 01:47 PM]

Yes, I was using a feature like this on mapsonus.com many years go. Unfortunately, they didn't keep up with the times; their UI blows. And it looks like they took away the highway avoidance feature.

Anonymous [05.25.07 02:10 PM]

I've wanted this feature for a long time for planning bike routes. Alas, with "Avoid Highways" checked, it still sends me on many roads where it is no only unconducive for cycling, but illegal.

Justin Watt [05.25.07 03:57 PM]

Ask maps has had a walking directions option for some time (hmm, mewonders whether they'd direct me to walk the wrong way up one way streets?).

But that Google option would have been helpful *last* weekend when I needed to drive a Vespa from Los Gatos to SF! It was the first time I used MapQuest in years.

Alex Kuruz [05.26.07 01:19 AM]

In Europe the popular site map24 has had this features for years.
If everything that comes from the Google house a real innovation? I would say - by far "not".

Rocky Agrawal [05.26.07 06:33 AM]

With portable navigation devices getting cheaper and cheaper by the day (you can get a very functional unit now for $200), this is going to be less and less relevant. I wouldn't be surprised to see basic units at $99 in time for Christmas.

These typically offer the ability to avoid highways, specific roads or toll roads.

Marco Louro [05.26.07 08:56 AM]

Also in Europe www.viamichelin.com has been around for at least a couple of years

Lar [05.27.07 12:40 AM]

Sorry for adding to the noise, Brad, no intention of humbling you even further ;) - but routing has also been in Ireland for quite a number of years at:
http://www.aaroadwatch.ie/routes/