Making Maps Better

How does one improve online mapping? Here's how. Yahoo is adding local traffic information to its maps service, including roadwork and accident reports as well as the approximate speed at which traffic is proceeding along specific roads. The service, which was launched today as part of Yahoo Maps, will offer accident reports and road construction information for about 70 U.S. metropolitan areas. The service will also provide driving speed information for about 22 of those areas.

The traffic information is layered on top of a map at the user's request. Icons are used to indicate accidents or construction, while color codes are used for the speed information.

A Yahoo partner (whose name executives declined to disclose) aggregates traffic information from a variety of sources, including road sensors, traffic cameras, and local police and transportation departments. Yahoo packages and presents the information to its users.

To enhance and extend the service in the future, Yahoo plans to provide it via wireless devices and to add the capability of launching alerts and updates, and of offering users alternate driving routes. Offering the service abroad is also a future possibility.

I wish I would have had this service yesterday. I sat on Interstate 5 for three hours near Marysville as their was a fatal accident involving three cars about half a mile ahead of me. I was heading north to Bellingham to be with my son for a few days who is home on leave from Kuwait.