Google Maps historical mix-ups

[TheHighwayMan3561]

On Google Maps, has anybody else found a route on there that has been decommissioned or had a terminus change, etc.? I was looking at Google Maps' satellite view of Duluth, MN, which shows MN 23 continuing north (east) of its present terminus at I-35 to its old terminus at MN 61 and E 60th St. MN 23 was cut back to I-35 in 1997. It also shows MN 194 on its old E 6th Ave. routing prior to being rerouted onto Mesaba Ave. in 1997 as part of the changes made in the Duluth highway system. Has anybody else found something like this? I think it's strange that this happened considering Google Maps didn't exist in 1997 and one would think that they would have up-to-date information.

[usends]

Google Maps didn't exist, but the geo-data provider that they are using (TeleAtlas) existed, although under a different company's name.  Lots of geographic data was originally created decades ago, and subsequent revisions have not managed to correct numerous things that have changed since then.

[Duke87]

Google maps still shows CT 106 following Belden Hill Rd in Wilton {link}, which it hasn't done in about ten years. It follows Wolfpit Rd now, instead.

I'm sure there must be tons of these little bits of outdatedness all over the place.

[ComputerGuy]

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=48.239309,-122.188568&spn=0.259299,0.527344&z=11

Apparently WA-530 goes northwest to Conway again (decomissioned, 1992)

[D-Dey65]

In Center Moriches, New York, they've mislocated the St. John's Catholic Church at the St. John's Episcopal Church.

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.8006573,-72.7888147,341m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en

https://www.stjohnscentermoriches.org/

http://www.stjohntheevangelistcm.com/

[TheGrassGuy]

Google Maps still labels "Rte 24" from Morristown to Hackettstown (albeit as a street name, not as an actual numbered route), even though said segment was decommissioned long ago.

[Brian556]

On Google Maps, has anybody else found a route on there that has been decommissioned or had a terminus change, etc.? I was looking at Google Maps' satellite view of Duluth, MN, which shows MN 23 continuing north (east) of its present terminus at I-35 to its old terminus at MN 61 and E 60th St. MN 23 was cut back to I-35 in 1997. It also shows MN 194 on its old E 6th Ave. routing prior to being rerouted onto Mesaba Ave. in 1997 as part of the changes made in the Duluth highway system. Has anybody else found something like this? I think it's strange that this happened considering Google Maps didn't exist in 1997 and one would think that they would have up-to-date information.

The most out-of-date info that I have found was for something that changed in the early 40's. In Argyle, Texas, Country Club Rd was US 377 up until the early 40's. Google Maps called it something like " Denton-Fort Worth Highway". This has been fixed

[TheGrassGuy]

These aren't current examples, but there were times when:
*US 66 was labeled as an actual route
*US 52 was completely unsigned
*US 30 was multiplexed with QC 366
*I-22 ended in a dead end next to I-65 as an actual route (this predated the "under construction" texture)
*In the western states, many maintenance gaps were patched over, sometimes haphazardly
*Mexico federal routes became interstates every time they happened to touch the border
*(this is still true) Somehow, there were two US 202s in Norristown, PA

[Eth]

GA 160 is still alive and well on Google Maps in Forest Park, despite being decommissioned around 1996.

[formulanone]

Lots of decommissioned routes in Georgia appear on Google Maps (342, 346, 361, 381). There's probably a few more, but some of these have been dropped since the 1980s.

The historical accuracy is nice, but they should really mark them as secondary rectangular markers...if at all, since they're not signed in the field.

[hotdogPi]

Apple Maps has a lot more of them (nationwide, not Georgia in particular).

[US 89]

despite being decommissioned around 1996

There's far worse in Utah. To name a few, SR 129, 144, and 158 were all decommissioned in 1969 and yet still appear on Google Maps. What's even worse is that all three of those numbers have since been re-assigned to routes elsewhere in the state.

This is why I never trust Google for route designations.

[kphoger]

Google Maps still labels "Rte 24" from Morristown to Hackettstown (albeit as a street name, not as an actual numbered route), even though said segment was decommissioned long ago.

Between Chester and Ralston, Route 24 is still the name of the road.

Example:  The address of Parks Farms is 525 Route 24.

[Terry]

despite being decommissioned around 1996

There's far worse in Utah. To name a few, SR 129, 144, and 158 were all decommissioned in 1969 and yet still appear on Google Maps. What's even worse is that all three of those numbers have since been re-assigned to routes elsewhere in the state.

This is why I never trust Google for route designations.

I had a look at all 3 on GSV to look for any signage. While there are no Utah highway signs, the intersection tabs still refer to "Hwy 129" and "Hwy U-144" on those 2. 158 had no signage but there's a reference to "Route 1980" at the south end just before the railway overpass.

129: https://goo.gl/maps/coAAVDKFWMPwm2Em9
144: https://goo.gl/maps/GytfVJBmjpBKo8bx9
158: https://goo.gl/maps/ghfEueJ6fDdbfiWz8

[cwf1701]

And near Toledo, US-24A has made a comeback according to google maps, considering US-24A has been decommissioned since 1960: https://www.google.com/maps/@41.7369024,-83.4945951,15.08z?hl=en

[US 89]

despite being decommissioned around 1996

There's far worse in Utah. To name a few, SR 129, 144, and 158 were all decommissioned in 1969 and yet still appear on Google Maps. What's even worse is that all three of those numbers have since been re-assigned to routes elsewhere in the state.

This is why I never trust Google for route designations.

I had a look at all 3 on GSV to look for any signage. While there are no Utah highway signs, the intersection tabs still refer to "Hwy 129" and "Hwy U-144" on those 2. 158 had no signage but there's a reference to "Route 1980" at the south end just before the railway overpass.

129: https://goo.gl/maps/coAAVDKFWMPwm2Em9
144: https://goo.gl/maps/GytfVJBmjpBKo8bx9
158: https://goo.gl/maps/ghfEueJ6fDdbfiWz8

In the case of 129 and 144, those are just street names, not route designations, so Google should just be labelling them with names and avoiding the route shields. Should also be noted that the road currently named "Hwy 129" doesn't exactly follow the old SR-129, which turned east back to 21 on Cates Road.

The Route 1980 sign on old 158 is the shield for Utah's federal aid route system, which is essentially a large system of non-state maintained secondary roads. Signage for those is inconsistent and essentially does not exist in urban areas, but you can find a few endpoint markers in the more rural parts of the state.

[Terry]

despite being decommissioned around 1996

There's far worse in Utah. To name a few, SR 129, 144, and 158 were all decommissioned in 1969 and yet still appear on Google Maps. What's even worse is that all three of those numbers have since been re-assigned to routes elsewhere in the state.

This is why I never trust Google for route designations.

I had a look at all 3 on GSV to look for any signage. While there are no Utah highway signs, the intersection tabs still refer to "Hwy 129" and "Hwy U-144" on those 2. 158 had no signage but there's a reference to "Route 1980" at the south end just before the railway overpass.

129: https://goo.gl/maps/coAAVDKFWMPwm2Em9
144: https://goo.gl/maps/GytfVJBmjpBKo8bx9
158: https://goo.gl/maps/ghfEueJ6fDdbfiWz8

In the case of 129 and 144, those are just street names, not route designations, so Google should just be labelling them with names and avoiding the route shields. Should also be noted that the road currently named "Hwy 129" doesn't exactly follow the old SR-129, which turned east back to 21 on Cates Road.

The Route 1980 sign on old 158 is the shield for Utah's federal aid route system, which is essentially a large system of non-state maintained secondary roads. Signage for those is inconsistent and essentially does not exist in urban areas, but you can find a few endpoint markers in the more rural parts of the state.

True about the street names. Doesn't help when a sign like this appears near the south end of "Hwy 129": https://goo.gl/maps/E2mB7ww34ZHtgfce7. Looks like 129 has homes and businesses that have the "State Route 129" as part of their address. 144 and 158, are mistakes.

I'm curious as to why the entire length of 129 was given that name, though, if the original route went that far south. Part of researching the history of the area.

[MNHighwayMan]

Many of the short Iowa state routes that were decommissioned in 2003 still (or, have always) show(n) up.

[Terry]

One thing about these mixups is that, at one time, any data problems reported went to regional "data managers". I had reported a road in southern B.C. that had signage that was different from the GM name. I got a reply that the person wasn't going to correct the error due to the person getting their info from a logging road map, instead of any local municipality map.

That got dropped and replaced by Google in favour of "area guides", who had little to nothing to do with roads.

[Max Rockatansky]

Google displays CA 179 and CA 122 when neither of them were actually ever built.  In the case of CA 179 it is displayed on Pleasant Valley Road near Fairfield, CA 122 appears on Pearblossom Highway between CA 14 and CA 138 near Palmdale.  Aside from a deep drive into historic Legislative Route description the Google errors are some of the only causal evidence most people will see that those highways were planned. 

[TheGrassGuy]

An obvious example no one has mentioned yet:

NY 17 and the Hillburn Bypass.

[ErmineNotyours]

On the old 1995 DeLome Street Atlas CD-ROM, sometimes when they got to an I Street, they would post an Interstate shield with "ST" in the middle out of a misinterpretation of "I-St."

[jt4]

These aren't current examples, but there were times when:
*(this is still true) Somehow, there were two US 202s in Norristown, PA

This is actually true: Northbound US 202 follows Dekalb St/Pike while southbound US 202 follows W Johnson Hwy and Markley St. You can see it marked on this map from PennDOT: http://www.dot7.state.pa.us/BPR_pdf_files/Maps/Statewide/OTM/web_philly_enlg.pdf

[Joshua Whitman]

Google displays CA 179 and CA 122 when neither of them were actually ever built.  In the case of CA 179 it is displayed on Pleasant Valley Road near Fairfield, CA 122 appears on Pearblossom Highway between CA 14 and CA 138 near Palmdale.  Aside from a deep drive into historic Legislative Route description the Google errors are some of the only causal evidence most people will see that those highways were planned.

the 179 is no longer displayed as of 2021
https://google.com/maps/@38.3637812,-122.0396305,11.99z

but the 122 still is
https://google.com/maps/@34.5302621,-118.0858701,12.75z

EDIT: as of 3 July 2021, the 122 is no longer displayed either

[Joshua Whitman]

Google Maps still displays US 99 on an old alignment in washington state
https://www.google.com/maps/@48.4435723,-122.335317,19.57z

and it seems to have done the same with US 91 on an old alignment near Brady in Montana after it was decomissioned long ago
https://www.google.com/maps/@48.0223778,-111.8216122,14.84z