Issue 4: Off-road bike paths should be marked as trails not displayed as on-road routes
Summary: Most off-road bike paths that run alongside roads are currently marked up as on-road cycling infrastructure - either incorrectly as Dedicated lanes or confusingly as Trails running within the roadway. This is primarily because Google currently instructs Map Maker editors to mark up parallel trails as on-road features. It's also quicker to do this than manually mark the precise GPS route.The issue is that Google Maps Cycling layer can then only display these routes (which are mostly much safer alternatives) on the roadway itself. Cyclists unfamiliar with the off-road path and precisely where to access it will often end up riding along the road expecting a safe cycling lane and finding only an unsafe road. And Google's Cycling Directions do not ever say exit the road here and join the trail on your left, they misleadingly indicate continuance along the roadway.
The solution is to invest the time to manually mark up all off-road bike paths consistently as Trails with the precise GPS route then being able to be displayed on Google Maps Cycling layer. Importantly, the access points (often only periodic or unobvious) should be clearly marked up too as many parallel trails are only accessible at specific points - once you ride past them you can't just hop on later from any point.
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