Route plan with Google Map / Earth, need tech savvy help

Normy wrote:

azdryheat wrote:
Google Maps usually gives me real good routes. BUT. You gotta check these routes on an actual map to make sure they are feasible routes. Earlier this month I didn't verify the route and Google Maps routed me down Main Street in Mt Vernon, Wash. Sometimes the quickest route isn't the best.

The hard map I use is the Motor Carriers Atlas, which the truckers use. Suitable roads are highlighted in orange.

I just picked up the AAA Atlas because we are members, but what you are suggesting is a truckers Atlas? I didn't really know they existed lol.


The AAA maps to me have very small text or my eyes are really bad. is the Atlas you mention have good size text you mentioned it highlight best routes for truck? Is it a apple and oranges difference?


Also, where can I find one? The closet Pilot station possibly?


Thanks for the info

Normy

paulj wrote:



Another trick with GM, is to specify a departure time. It's probably best for shorter segments. For example if you want to explore travel times through/around Chicago at various times of the day, pick a route from Elkhart IN to Madison WI. It may also show you where to expect most congestion.

paulj wrote:
Is there a particular reason you need to use Earth? For route planning I find GMaps enough. Earth just gives more of a 3d look, which may help in visualizing some mountainous routes. But GMaps has both a Sat view, and Terrain mode (current found in a left menu, or the layers icon on Android). And for this route there aren't any mountains to worry about. The Black Hills are the first ones you come to (after leaving the NY Catskills).

GMaps gives several alternatives, highlighting the one that is fastest. Equally important it shows the distance. If alternatives rank differently in distance and time that means the estimated speeds are different.

Boston to Rapid City is about 1900 miles, and 28 hrs. GM also shows some construction and slow downs.

Do you know that you can tweak the routes to explore alternatives? For example if I grab a route near Chicago and drag it down to Indianapolis, miles increases by 40, and time by 1 hr. It is still all freeway, using 71, 70 and 74.

An alternative that stays on 80 past Chicago, turning north at Iowa City has about the same time and distance as the originals.

Some suggest taking I39 north to Wisconsin (as sort of a outer beltway for Chicago). But that is a bit further than the Iowa route, and hits the construction and rough road others mention for I90 in Wi and Minn.

So on a long run like this, alternatives don't change the travel time by much - a hour or so either way, 60 miles plus or minus. How long you stop for meals and lodging will affect the travel time more than the route.

As for safety - maps aren't going to tell you anything about that.

Another trick with GM, is to specify a departure time. It's probably best for shorter segments. For example if you want to explore travel times through/around Chicago at various times of the day, pick a route from Elkhart IN to Madison WI. It may also show you where to expect most congestion.

As for bypassing Chicago:

I80 still goes though the industrialized south side and NW Indiana; it has typical rushhour traffic, as well as being a funnel for EW truck traffic. But it often moves, sometimes too fast for comfort.

There isn't a good alternative. US30 is the next highway to the south, but it's stop and go urban city street for a long ways. There are more rural state roads further south, and US24. But it's hard to tell which ones a reasonably through roads. But you can pick a route, zoom in, and get as close as a Streetview to see how many cornfields you'll be passing.

azdryheat wrote:
Google Maps usually gives me real good routes. BUT. You gotta check these routes on an actual map to make sure they are feasible routes. Earlier this month I didn't verify the route and Google Maps routed me down Main Street in Mt Vernon, Wash. Sometimes the quickest route isn't the best.

The hard map I use is the Motor Carriers Atlas, which the truckers use. Suitable roads are highlighted in yellow.

Normy wrote:
Hi,

(I posted in this forum rather than Tech discussion being that my issue should be a quick thing to resolve with you very savvy Google Map and Google Earth folks. I will then continue discussing routes as I come up to a question).

I have been planning a trip from MA to SD and asking a bunch of questions from experienced travelers that know how to avoid area's like Chicago etc. I have another post about using the Good Sam Trip Planner that I touched upon the google products, so if you would like to reference prior conversations to get perspective, please do so.

I have been using Good Sam Trip planner and I find it is lacking some features I think would be great to have. Anyway, I read old posts and some new posters were kind enough to suggest trying google maps and google earth together via importing into Earth.


Here is my dilemma: I assume I have the latest version of both googles and I assume I have the latest version of Chrome on my PC laptop. I viewed some really old you tube videos showing how to import a route planned in Map into Earth. The problem is the version in video are older, different and I think Apple version. Unfortunately I don't have those tabs, buttons, choices etc that they show. I find the Map help is almost useless to me (and it just might be me not knowing enough).

I would like to create a trip from Mass to South Dekota. I am trying to find the fasted and safest route and avoid heavy traffic as possible like Chicago, just interested in far enough away that makes sense but not add too much time or miles. Not a fan of gridlock, but is it worth putting up with some than going way around. I've got quite a few choices from feedback on my original post about using Good Sam Trip Planner to take shots of my screen. So I want to use this post as the offical for tweaking my route East to West.


At this time I need help trying to import the Google Map route into Earth. For whatever reason I can't get Earth to find Map routes. I swear I did something right yesterday, but not today?


Anyone have patience ready to tackle this?

Thanks in Advance!

Thanks
Normy