Jun 08
17
Google Maps Traffic, Photos and Local Information
GOOGLE MAPS – Traffic, Photos and Local Information
Ever want to avoid heavy traffic and traffic accidents during your daily commute (or wherever you’re going)? Ever want to see photos related to the locations at or near where you are traveling? Well evidently the folks over at Google maps figured out we do!
GOOGLE MAPS: Traffic Button
Ok, I’m going to call them new because I just noticed them tonight and the first one is the Traffic button. To the left of the customary Map, Satellite and Terrain buttons you will now see a Traffic button (see screen capture below). According to Stuck in traffic? posted on the Official Google blog, you can get traffic info for over 30 major US cities – certainly more now since that post was made over a year ago! Even if you can’t get specific traffic info in your area concerning the flow of traffic you should be able to get at least some information about blocked roads, traffic accidents and road construction. Below left to right are some thumbnails from a Google map of Atlanta, Georgia showing traffic conditions (live traffic, reporting expected travel speed) Road construction and Blocked Road notifications. Don’t just go to and from work – go with as little traffic as possible.
Google Maps Traffic
GOOGLE MAPS: More button (photos and local info)
You can even see pictures people have taken and information from Wikipedia about many places. Especially if you are going somewhere you’ve never been and even if you have been they you are likely to find these pics and information interesting.
Wikipedia is a great source of info even by itself, but when connected to Google maps they are truly a winning combination!
Pictures taken by people like you and me can be uploaded to Panoramio and connected to the place where they were taken. Photos on Google maps were added last year and I’m sure at this point the issue isn’t finding enough photos in some places, but choosing which ones Google wants to show.
Traffic, Wikipedia information and local pictures make Google Maps more useful and interesting than ever before – check it out!
