Interesting Google Map Data Prediction

[Ben]

So I'm in Mammoth this week and usually get here via Tioga Road in Yosemite. They are closing the road tonight due to snowstorms coming in from tonight through the weekend. That's making me take a long route home tomorrow through the desert, so I just popped up Google maps to doublecheck travel time.

Usually when I do that, it gives me the Yosemite route as my default, with the desert  one of the optional routes. When I did it this morning, it didn't even show Yosemite as a route. The closure has only been announced (I only caught it on a news site - Yosemite hasn't put it on their website yet), and all the electronic traffic signs still say it's open this morning,  but somehow Google knows it's shutting down today.

I wonder what data sources they use to get that kind of route information?

[TechMan]

http://money.cnn.com/2017/09/08/technology/google-maps-hurricane-irma/index.html

Google already uses algorithmic and manual methods to update emergency road closures each day, but Gov. Scott noted the state will continue to work with the tech company's emergency response team to mark closed roads in the aftermath of the storm.