Roaders At Work  - The Hidden Heroes of Google Maps

Google Maps contribution stories
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Hey, a new restaurant just opened, do you want us to go there tonight? Sure, what time will we see you? Send me the link in Google Maps and I’ll reach you there.

How many times have we had this conversation? All we need is a link in Google Maps to start navigation and reach the place we want to go in the best possible way.

What’s behind the link?

Behind that link there is an address, which allows our navigator to set the roads to travel. Simple and perfect. When roads in Google Maps exist.

What if the streets in Google Maps were not there, or at least not all of them?

This takes me back to when I first started adding roads with the Road Editor for desktop. I remember perfectly a restaurant in the middle of the mountains, and Google Maps suggesting that I leave the car two kilometers away (the closest road) and climb into the woods with my suitcases for a difference in altitude of 700 meters. Today anyone who wants to go to that hotel can get there by car, because I added the road.

It was exactly two years ago. I was so happy that I wanted to make my first post related to adding roads: Roads for Everyone - Helping others with the New Road Editor

Therefore, to answer the question: if the roads are not there we can add them!

Caption: the image shows a screen taken from the road editor, with the orange dot lines of the inserted roads visible,. At the top the text “Roaders at work” with three "work in progress" signs and at the bottom “The Hidden Heroes of Google Maps”
Caption: the image shows a screen taken from the road editor, with the orange dot lines of the inserted roads visible,. At the top the text “Roaders at work” with three "work in progress" signs and at the bottom “The Hidden Heroes of Google Maps”1600×900 264 KB

How can we add roads in Google Maps?

There are many ways to do this, but we as Local Guides in particular are interested in two. Add roads with your mobile phone and add roads with a desktop computer.

Both methods work, and I use both, but I certainly prefer using a computer, because it’s easier and you avoid duplicates.

So think about it the next time someone sends you a link to a place. Maybe you are traveling along a road added by a Local Guide like you and me.

You will never know who added it, but the hidden heroes who are working to make everyone’s lives easier are many, and very active.

Explorers

“Local Guides is a global community of explorers” is what Google says in the Overview of the program. “Millions of people rely on contributions like yours to decide where to go and what to do.”

Maps were created for travel. Ancient maps were drawn by explorers to allow others to reach the places they had visited.

We, as modern explorers, can use other tools, and travel the world to discover places, near and far, where the roads have not yet been traced.

And when we find that roads are missing, we can add them, bringing connections to remote villages, or new urban areas.

Because adding roads is first and foremost about this: exploring.

Exploring remote areas of the planet to discover missing roads can be an incredible journey. If I hadn’t done it I would never have discovered places like the Cerro Dominador solar power plant.

Or the large writing in the desert at a thousand meters above sea level that you can see here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/tzMVheEzxFt4cnQH8

Warning: Exploring the planet in search of lost roads can be addictive, and you may never be able to stop. However, if you are still interested, please let us know in this post. There are many posts on how to add roads and I will be happy to share them with you.

Caption: the image shows a screen taken from the road editor, with the orange dot lines of the inserted roads visible. At the right top a small screenshot of the same area, where you see only a few existing roads, and on the left the text “TA Village appears in Google Maps”. At the bottom the text “Roaders at work” with three "work in progress" signs.
Caption: the image shows a screen taken from the road editor, with the orange dot lines of the inserted roads visible. At the right top a small screenshot of the same area, where you see only a few existing roads, and on the left the text “TA Village appears in Google Maps”. At the bottom the text “Roaders at work” with three "work in progress" signs.1600×900 337 KB

Hidden heroes

The hidden heroes of Google Maps are among us, and perhaps you who are reading this post right now are (or will soon be) one of them.

There are no badges for adding roads (at least not yet) but more than 200 thousand of my points have been obtained thanks to the added roads*.

There aren’t their names on the added streets, but there are plenty of people happy to be able to insert a link into Google Maps and reach their destination.

Caption: the image shows a screen taken from the road editor, with the orange dot lines of the inserted roads visible together with the solid white lines of the approved roads. At the top the text “Roaders at work” with three "work in progress" signs and at the bottom the text “When Magic Happens”
Caption: the image shows a screen taken from the road editor, with the orange dot lines of the inserted roads visible together with the solid white lines of the approved roads. At the top the text “Roaders at work” with three "work in progress" signs and at the bottom the text “When Magic Happens”1600×900 387 KB

When Magic Happens

However, when the magic happens and the dotted orange lines of an edit transform into solid white lines of a road, the satisfaction and joy are priceless.

You’re the one behind that link

So, the next time you enter a link into Google Maps, think about what’s behind that link. One day you might surprise everyone and say: I’m the one behind that link!

*Note: The over 200,000 points obtained by me are not a record. There are Local Guides who have added many more roads than me. Some I know, but others are truly hidden heroes

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Wonderful post sir @ErmesT

Note: The over 200,000 points obtained by me are not a record. There are Local Guides who have added many more roads than me. Some I know, but others are truly hidden heroes… milestone Note sir @ErmesT such a great words for hidden Hero :pray:

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Your posts were the ones that got me making the road edits on Maps @ErmesT . Prior to that, I was working on Waze (pre-acquisition). So, it’s reassuring to know that you feel the same joy that I do about being “Hidden” in this process that most people would never think about.

When you suggested that we check satellite images for recently cleared areas, that led to the discovery of massive growth in the Phoenix area. I used the County Property Assessor maps to find the permits, property lines, community plans, and road names to meticulously draw out these new areas. I get such a kick out of knowing that all of the Maps directions to the “House-Warming Parties” will include the information I put in. It’s like I rolled out the red carpet.

I’ve mentioned before how much I like the anonymous nature of this hobby. So, I like the Hidden part, but I excuse myself from the Heroes title. I just enjoy doing things that can benefit others, or even bring a little anonymous joy. As all of the Amazon, or postal packages start showing up with holiday presents to the kids in these new homes on these new roads, I know what the few of us here know. That’s all the gratification I need.

Thanks for all you’ve done to ignite my hobby, @ErmesT .

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Thank you @ShailendraOjha :pray:

@JustJake , I had to think for a long time before deciding whether to write and post, torn between keeping this activity “almost confidential” or trying to encourage others to do the same. I said to myself: after all, what can these few “heroes” do with their thousands of added roads that couldn’t be done by thousands of Local Guides even just by adding a few roads each day?

We were talking about it with @MarcoDavoli a few days ago: Is it worth it for Google to encourage the work of a few by improving the editor, when a huge group of Local Guides can do the same even by contributing little?

Then I thought that, as you and I and Marco know well, millions and millions of roads are missing in the world. So perhaps we need to write, talk, create curiosity about this activity, to encourage others to contribute, even just for the points.

I totally understand what you mean about the new areas in Phoenix. The screenshot I used as the cover of the post is about a small city in Peru, which is doubling its surface area with new residential areas. I think I will have to work at least a month around there just to have 90% of the roads approved.

I still believe that adding roads is addictive, but as you say, it also causes great pleasure, just when we think of a package that has been delivered, a customer that has reached the hotel, or an ambulance that has reached a sick patient.

From time to time I get lost in the middle of the Andes, looking at the Milky Way in the photos of those who have been there, using paper maps to reach the Acatama observatories. So I think: when I go there, I will do it using Google Maps.

I am happy that you’ve found mi posts helpful, it is a great pleasure to read your words.

Hope Google will forgive me for the invention of “Roaders” (Road makers) to define ourselves, but I think it sounds good, don’t you agree?

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@ErmesT I think the point value is too high for Google to not want people to do this work. Plus, that annoying 0 sits there on many profiles. They’re inviting all of us to participate in the activity. Even Waze had special Icons that were only for those of us who edited the map. It becomes part of the gamification of the LG program.

I’m proud to proclaim myself a Roader.

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Haha, @JustJake

Okay, so let’s go with Roader. I just discovered a hotel chain with the same name, but I let them keep it, as it can be an advertisement for us.

A Roader Badge sounds interesting too.

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@ErmesT Road Warrior Badge sounds pretty tough, too. :muscle:

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Road Warriors? I love the Idea @JustJake , but I don’t know if google will think the same :sunglasses:

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@ErmesT Great content. Appreciated the read :1st_place_medal:

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Can’t agree more @ErmesT … Roaders are indeed heroes and what they have done by adding the roads, especially in remote areas, will certainly help a lot of people. I’m still working on adding more roads although in a very slow pace, yet I love doing it.

Cheers from Jakarta

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