511 BikeMapper(SM) Makes Bike-to-Work Day Easy
OAKLAND, Calif., April 19 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of its ongoing effort
to
promote bicycling as a viable option for more travelers, the Metropolitan
Transportation Commission (MTC) today added an interactive online bicycle
mapping tool to its popular http://www.511.org Web site. The free 511
BikeMapper(SM)
service contains maps of all existing off-street bicycle paths, on-street
bike
lanes and designated bike routes in the nine-county Bay Area, allowing
cyclists to specify where they want to go, review what bikeways are
available
within the specified areas, and print the appropriate maps.
"511 BikeMapper(SM) helps bicyclists ride smarter and safer," commented
MTC Commissioner and Marin County Supervisor Steve Kinsey. "As a cyclist
myself, I know how important it is to locate available bikeways. It's
especially important when you're riding in an unfamiliar area, or if you're
looking for a new route near your home, school or workplace. And with
Bike-to-
Work Day coming up on May 19, the timing couldn't be better."
The 511 BikeMapper(SM) is part of a nationwide trend toward online
bicycle
mapping and is the first one-stop resource for bicycling maps that cover the
entire nine-county Bay Area. The 511 BikeMapper(SM) does not automatically
determine the best route or provide turn-by-turn directions. Rather, it
displays bike paths, bike lanes and bike routes within areas you specify --
by
city, zip code or address -- and provides tools to interact with the map and
to print maps yourself. This allows you to see all available options and
decide for yourself which route to take for bike trips.
Among the innovative features of the 511 BikeMapper(SM) is a "Show
Slope"
option that allows users to identify hilly portions of bike routes with
grades
of 5 percent or more. Varying slopes are identified by color. The 511
BikeMapper(SM) database encompasses more than 3,000 miles of bicycle paths,
on-street bike lanes and local streets that are designated as bike routes.
"511 BikeMapper(SM) is a dynamic resource that will become even more
powerful as time goes on," said Kinsey, explaining that some communities
have
not yet taken inventory of their bicycle facilities or have not mapped their
bike paths, lanes and routes. "We'll develop a richer database as more
cities
and counties take stock of their bikeways and start feeding that data into
511."
The database also will expand as new bike paths are built, new on-street
bike lanes are striped and additional streets are designated as bike routes.
Kinsey stressed that computer users play a key role in fine-tuning the
511
BikeMapper(SM) database as well. "We've carefully screened the information,
but it's a brand new product. So a few inaccuracies could still turn up.
We're
urging BikeMapper(SM) users to e-mail us if they have a correction or
addition, and to check back with http://www.511.org for periodic updates."
The e-
mail address for 511 BikeMapper(SM) feedback is [email hidden].
The 511 BikeMapper(SM) is the latest in a suite of new traveler
information services, such as transit trip planning and up-to-the-minute
driving times on Bay Area freeway routes, that have been added to the
http://www.511.org Web site since its launch in late 2002. Information about
Bike-to-
Work Day, as well as the location of bicycle facilities, links to bicycle
clubs and coalitions, and the Bike Buddy matching program -- which helps
match
experienced bicyclists with novice riders who want to make bicycling part of
their regular travel patterns -- can be found on the http://www.511.org
bicycle home
page. Information about carrying bikes on Bay Area trains, buses and ferries
can be found on both the bicycle and transit pages at http://www.511.org.
Comprehensive Bay Area travel information also is available toll free via
phone at 511.
MTC is the transportation planning, financing and coordinating agency
for
the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area. Funding for the 511 BikeMapper(SM)
is
provided by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District.
SOURCE Metropolitan Transportation Commission
Web Site: http://www.mtc.ca.gov