The Friends of Haverford Trails sent out a how-to email with a step-by-step guide using Google Maps to highlight bike routes in the region. Here's how you do it (all quoted from the Friends of Haverford Trails email newsletter): The "Bicycling" layer of Google Maps highlights three types of facilities: readily bikeable trails, dedicated bicycle lanes, and bicycle-friendly roads. The roads indicated on Google Maps are generally selected for casual, local cycling. They avoid major roads with heavy traffic and high speed limits, mainly using pleasant residential “minor” roads that penetrate the neighborhoods, offer parallel alternatives to major roads, cross major roads at the best places, and/or go past parks, schools and other attractions. Roads shown specifically in Haverford Township match those roads, including bikeable major roads, which were identified in the analysis performed by the Haverford Walks and Bike committee and presented to our township's Board of Commissioners in October 2012. If you are a seasoned, experienced cyclist traveling longer distances, you will probably be comfortable on roads beyond those highlighted on the map. If you are not that comfortable with motor traffic, or are looking for a basis for discussion with younger bicyclists, you can use the map as a resource in your decision-making. Note that nearly all minor residential streets within our suburban neighborhoods are generally bike-friendly; we've just shown certain ones that work well as part of a larger network. To begin: Go to maps.google.com . On "Classic" Google Maps: (with a white area to the left of the map) 1. Search on “Haverford Township” or similar area. 2. Move pointer to “Traffic” box at upper right of map. 3. After box expands, click on down arrow. 4. Click on “Bicycling.” On the "New" Google Maps: (the map fills the whole window) 1. Search on “Haverford Township” or similar area. 2. Click on “Bicycling” below the search … [Read more...]