Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Contributing Commuting Routes to a Visual Catalog



I've added a big step forward with the ability for others to add their routes to the visual catalog. Routes in bikely.com routes may be added directly. Leave a comment if you've got a route in a different tool if you'd like me to upload your route.

These are the steps for adding your route from Bikely.com:

  1. If you're using Firefox, drag the following link to the Bookmark Toolbar. If you're using IE, right-click the following link and "Add to Favorites ...". IE will prompt you asking if the link is safe because it contains the javascript for saving the bikely route. You'll click on this bookmark later to save the bikely.com route that is being displayed (Add to Catalog).
  2. Visit the bikely.com page that displays the route you want to add to the catalog.
  3. Click on the bookmark and your route is saved to the catalog. The browser then shows the complete catalog.
  4. You may add as many as you like.


You can also view the current catalog without adding a new route.

This is being published on the Facebook page "Bike Commuters of Atlanta" so routes for bicycle commutes in Atlanta would certainly be preferred, but it would be good to see other utility cycling routes. I plan to add a second catalog of routes for recreational and group rides. Who knows, if this takes off, I may add more categories, but I'd like to start with commuting and utility routes.

There's a performance reason for starting with this type of catalog. Commuting and utility routes are generally much shorter and load much faster. When the catalog has long routes (50+ miles), the performance is sluggish. If your commute is 50 miles however, I'd like to see it in here.

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5 Comments:

At 5/5/09, 11:11 AM, Blogger Michael Kelly said...

I added a route using the link you gave. It took me to the URL http://routes.cycling.jettmarks.com/showRoutes.html?save=Perimeter-Center-to-Georgia-Tech
But when I refresh the map of all routes, it does not show up. Here's the link to the bikely.com route, maybe someone else can make it work.
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Perimeter-Center-to-Georgia-Tech

 
At 5/5/09, 6:23 PM, Blogger Jett said...

Hey Michael, while adding your route, you've helped me find a bug. Thanks for adding your route and thanks for showing me a scenario I didn't consider.

 
At 5/15/09, 1:45 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I might be moving to Atlanta and staying in Decatur (north of route 20) and working at Clairmont Rd NE, Atlanta. My question is whether this (which looks like about a 10 mile ride) posses any unusual problems for commuting by bike. Also, is it worth using a bike to avoid driving a car for traffic reasons? I can handle the physical but don't know if this is just a nasty area to bike through.


thanks.

 
At 5/15/09, 4:42 PM, Blogger Jett said...

Decatur is a great place to ride bikes. Many Decatur residents and motorists are cyclists as well.

Since Clairmont comes right into Decatur, and since Clairmont might barely extend for 10 miles, I'm guessing you would be headed somewhere around the intersection of Clairmont and Peachtree Industrial.

Clairmont is four lane and busy in spots. You didn't say where you were coming from, but most people who move here are surprised at how hilly Atlanta is. Clairmont by the VA Hospital is a fine hill.

You may also want to try this tool: http://new.atltransit.com/. Use the Bike Only option and adjust the "Triangle" to tune your route. It suggests some less busy alternatives to Clairmont that I can also recommend.

If you're a recreational rider, you'll find every other direction (E, W, S) has better riding, but in Decatur, cycling is pretty good.

 
At 6/28/09, 5:18 PM, Blogger Craig said...

Thanks for creating this excellent resource! I'm commuting from Midtown to GT right now (only a mile) but am considering a commute from downtown Decatur. Would you recommend the southern route (going west via Howard, McClendon, PATH, Park 5th or alternatively Howard, McClendon, North Highland, Virginia, 8th, 5th) or the northern route (Coventry, Clifton around the Druid Hills Golf Course, The By Way, Stillwood, Virginia, 8th, 5th)? I have never ridden this northerly route. Thank you!

By the way we met when my buddy and I were heading to the Pizza ride a month ago. Thanks for the excellent bloggage!!!

 

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