Roads Layer

The Roads map layer shows a green line for every road that's traversable on bike or on foot. Zoom in, and arrows along a line mark a one-way street, pointing the way traffic goes. A one-way street that bikes may ride both ways gets no arrows.

One way to make GPS art is to stare at a map and looking for pictures that pop out (pareidolia). However, conventional maps made for driving and cycling aren't the best for this. Driving maps highlight freeways and hide small roads. Cycling maps highlight bike lanes only. These maps don't fully match the set of roads you can use for GPS art.

RouteDoodle's Roads Layer is made specially for GPS art. Unlike a driving map or cycling map, it shows every usable road, whether it's a cycleway or driveway, and it hides freeways. If you zoom out, the Roads Layer doesn't hide small roads, since they are just as important as the big roads. You can combine the Roads Layer with a conventional map base layer, or use the Blank layers for zero distractions. You can also print out the Roads Layer for sketching on paper.

How RouteDoodle picks roads

Most route apps look for the quickest or most comfortable way there. RouteDoodle looks for the way that best matches your picture. So it will send you through a parking lot, along a footpath, or up a short flight of stairs if that keeps the line on shape.

It never uses freeways or roads closed to the public. It will use any other road, but it prefers easier, safer ones and takes a harder one only when the picture needs it.

What RouteDoodle avoids when it can
  • Private roads: used only when there's no other way.
  • Roads with cars: the more dangerous the road, the more RouteDoodle avoids it. Bike paths without cars come first.
  • Rough surfaces: gravel, dirt and anything that isn't smooth pavement.
  • Footpaths and stairs (Bike Mode): you might have to get off and walk your bike.
  • The wrong way down a one-way street (“salmoning”, Bike Mode): used only when needed. Walk your bike on the sidewalk there.

Why did my Route take this road?

To see why your Route used one road and not another, click or tap the road on the Roads Layer. A popup shows what the map knows about that road and how RouteDoodle rates it.

Road popups are off at first. To turn them on, open the menu, choose All settings, then, under Map, Show advanced settings, and check Road popups.


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