Google Adds Biking Directions to Google Maps

Google has announced that they have added biking directions and extensive bike trail data to Google Maps for the U.S.

My team has been keeping close tabs on all the public support for biking directions that’s been steadily coming in, but we knew that when we added the feature, we wanted to do it right: we wanted to include as much bike trail data as possible, provide efficient routes, allow riders to customize their trip, make use of bike lanes, calculate rider-friendly routes that avoid big hills and customize the look of the map for cycling to encourage folks to hop on their bikes. So that's exactly what we've done.

Information about bike trails, lanes and recommended roads is added directly onto the map. This can help you get a better sense of your route, or let you find trails nearby for a recreational ride. When you're zoomed into a city, click on the "More" button at the top of the map to turn on the "Bicycling” layer. You'll see three types of lines appear on the map:


- Dark green indicates a dedicated bike-only trail;
- Light green indicates a dedicated bike lane along a road;
- Dashed green indicates roads that are designated as preferred for bicycling, but without dedicated lanes

Thanks to a partnership with the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, Google now has more than 12,000 miles of trails included in biking directions and outlined directly on the map. They also have data on bike lanes and recommended streets for 150 cities across the country.

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