

Google Maps Adds Live Traffic Support for Additional 130 Cities Across America - esolyt
http://www.droid-life.com/2012/08/07/google-maps-adds-live-traffic-support-for-additional-130-cities-across-america/

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yonran
Actual announcement: [http://google-latlong.blogspot.com/2012/08/know-traffic-
to-s...](http://google-latlong.blogspot.com/2012/08/know-traffic-to-speed-up-
your-trips-in.html)

How do people actually use the traffic layer on Google Maps? It’s not obvious
how a red highway compares to a green side street. And how stale are the data?
My friends just ignore the traffic layer and use Caltrans’ website directly
because the source is known and presumably the information delays are more
deterministic.

How many Android phone owners walking down the street does it take before that
street is marked red?

Google has been putting a lot of focus on expanding traffic coverage, but it’s
not as useful without any transparency about its source and quality.

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Ogre
Well, the main reason I would choose Google over Caltrans is that it really
never occurred to me to go to Caltrans' site. Who expects a government site to
be worth a damn?

Snarkiness aside, I've looked at Caltrans now, and Google has more info.
There's been ongoing roadwork overnight on the freeway not far from here.
Google and Caltrans both show that stretch in red. Additionally, however,
Google has icons that when clicked give the hours and exact lanes that are
closed. They do the same thing for accident related closures. I don't see
anything but the traffic speed on Caltrans' site even with all the checkboxes
turned on.

If you tell me that info is on Caltrans site somewhere, I will believe you. I
will even believe you if you tell me Google is just pulling their data from an
API Caltrans provides. But as the sites themselves go, that info is
immediately obvious on Google and not at all obvious on Caltrans.

