[ravenofdoom]

I'm disappointed with the stock Google Maps traffic widget and was wondering what better alternative might exist. I have two freeway options to get to work - take the 101S (30mi.) or the 280S (37mi.) - the former generally takes 32 min w/o traffic, whereas the latter takes 44 min pretty much always. Very often around rush-hour or if there's an accident, the former could take 55+ minutes (and is a more stressful drive), so I'd always prefer the latter if takes the same amount of time or is shorter.

There is no way with the Google Maps traffic widget to choose route options/alternatives (much like there's no way to do this outside of navigation mode within just the maps app like you can on the web - it presents on the shortest time path). Because of this, I can't determine which way to go from the widget - it only shows a time but doesn't indicate which path/route.

Is there anything that will allow me to set distinct route paths and get the estimate real-time (e.g. having 4 widgets - the two route options from home to work and the two route options from work to home).

[meyerweb#CB]

I'd love to see this to. My biggest gripes about Google Nav are that you can choose a route and it doesn't understand HOV restrictions.

[ravenofdoom]

Does the Google maps API allow for selection of routes at all? (I think it just forces the #1 route pick always).

What's interesting is that you can extract the HTML link for a particular route choice - try this... go into google maps on the web, choose start and end points, then pick the first route and hit the HTML link button... do the same for the second and copy the HTML link. If you later paste those links into the web, you'll get the distinct routes. I wonder if somebody couldn't create something that extracts the data (like RSS) from that so that you get the distinct route times.

What's ridiculous about the google maps traffic widget is it doesn't even tell you WHICH ROUTE is the shortest time - if i lived between 3 equidistant roads and used the widget, I'd have absolutely no idea which "10 minute" / quickest way it's referring to without going into maps and re-selecting all the details for origin/destination.

[joggy]

Is there anything that will allow me to set distinct route paths and get the estimate real-time (e.g. having 4 widgets - the two route options from home to work and the two route options from work to home).

While not a widget, INRIX allows for two routes for two destinations on its free version. Super accurate as well.

[cadzilla74]

Inrix is quite good as "joggy" mentioned, it was better when it was free since you could save multiple destinations and no nagging about "upgrading to premium". The $24.99 pay version is far too expensive IMHO for what it does.

Beat the Traffic is pretty accurate as well. I use the free version just to check what my commute looks like before I head out. Their premium version shows as $3.99 but it's useless unless you also pay a $20 subscription for a Desktop version.

A lot of people swear by Waze but it is completely dependent on other "Wazers" inputting reports on the fly.

I've used them all, the free versions, and still have Waze and Beat the Traffic on my phone. (I actually got Beat the Traffic Plus paid version as free app of the day from Amazon. When I tried to take advantage of the extra content is when I discovered the subscription requirement Rather sneaky marketing strategy there..)