Google Street View Update

Upon realizing that large chunks of Boston neighborhoods were left unmapped by Google Street View, Bostonist e-mailed Google HQ to find out why. We received a fairly standard response that the neglected areas would be mapped soon:

We generally start collecting imagery at the metropolitan center (in this case Boston) and move out from there, which explains why the more outlying areas you mentioned are not covered in as much detail. However, we plan on making Street View more comprehensive as time goes on and will be adding Street View imagery for new cities on an ongoing basis.

Uh, it's not like Dorchester is that far from the city center. But the Google rep said that new Street View zones would be announced on the Google Lat Long blog.

So Bostonist took a Google Street View trip to the intersection of Blue Hill and Columbia Road. There's not much mapped there, but we took a shot of the intersection and a sign of the Franklin Park Zoo. Note that the Google Street View team seemed to have missed a spot. If you rotate yourself at the intersection of Blue Hill and Columbia, much of it turns into a smudge:

121207-blue-hill-columbia.JPG

That might be something Google Street View should consider on its next trip through the city.

Image from Google Street View.

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Comments [rss]

  • OldProfessorBear

    Cambridge seems to be totally covered, likewise Somerville as far as I can tell. Possibly even Watertown and Arlington, not sure.



    There are a few holes even in Boston Proper, however. Parts of Chinatown seem to be missing, for example, and some other downtown bits and pieces. Curious.



    Too bad they don't cover pedestrian-only streets. I find the automobile orientation irritating. (But, then, I don't own one myself.)

  • Caroline Roberts

    HarmyG, you have a point that not everyone would want to roam around aimlessly in Dorchester. But not all of Dorchester is a BPD-labeled "hot spot." And I probably should have mentioned that chunks of other places were left out, like Roslindale.



    The main point is that Google's decisions appear arbitrary, and I'm still not quite satisfied with their answer. But, if Google's goal is to get street view for practically every city, then those neighborhoods will get mapped eventually.

  • MapsRus

    Hmmm...Certainly it would appear some of the seedier areas have been missed...especially in Detroit:



    Google Street View Sightings

  • MapsRus

    Hmmm...Certainly it would appear some of the seedier areas have been missed...especially in Detroit:



    Google Street View Sightings

  • HarmyG

    Chill out about Dorchester already. Would BOSTONIST like to drive up and down all of the streets of Dorchester?

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