Boyd's Map of the Pines beta available

[Boyd]

Gibby, unfortunately I'm limited by the available options in the software I'm using (Globalmapper). For this application, I am getting the best results by defining roads/trails as having a fixed width in meters. There are lots of different options for road styles, but not sure if they can also be defined as fixed widths - looking into this right now.

Actually I have the options wrong for state highways and county routes in the current version and the roads are the same width at all zoom settings. I am fixing this right now. If you just zoom in farther the roads and trails become easier to see. I just made the Batona Trail one meter wider and it shows up a little better now.

I am also changing the zoom levels in the update for later today. The maximum zoom now is 17 (last number in the URL) but this is actually "overzoom" and is just making the pixels bigger without providing any additional detail. Since each level requires 4x as many tiles as the previous one, the 17 level is also generating lots of files.

At a zoom setting of 17 each pixel represents 1.2 meters but the LIDAR data maxes out at 3 meters. So the new version will have a max zoom of 16 which is 2.4 meters per pixel, more than good enough to show everything in the data. I will still offer 4 zoom levels but the smallest will be 13 (19 meters/pixel) instead of the current level 14 (9.6 meters/pixel).

Check back later today and hopefully the update will be complete and will also include a larger area of the map.

 

[ecampbell]

Can the crosshairs provide any other information such as height?

 

[Boyd]

Unfortunately no, I don't think the Google API supports that kind of feature (but I'm still learning). Too bad because it would be handy - I can see the height displayed at the cursor position on my source data here. The elevation legend on the top right will give you a pretty close idea, within perhaps 10 feet.

Do you think it would help if the elevation legend was longer (taking up more screen width) and calibrated in smaller increments, such as 10 ft or 20 ft?

 

[ecampbell]

I'm not sure because if the range of colors stays the same I don't think I will beable to discern the color differences.

 

[Boyd]

Ah, too bad. I would like to enhance this map with lots of features, but right now my focus is just to get it online. I don't know that I will stay with the Google API in the long run since I don't feel a need for their map products or geocoding. But it provides a convenient platform to put my maps online at the moment.

But really, if you want to measure elevations then this is probably not the map that you want. When I get all the LIDAR online, I will see about adding layers for my other maps like the topo with contour lines.

 

[ecampbell]

Boyd, that is a beautiful map. I find myself zooming out and trying to understand what created our mountain ranges. My first impression is that the whole area was higher and that some of it, most of it, was eroded away. I don't think we have the geology to lift mountains.

 

[Boyd]

New imagery just went online at 8:00 PM.

https://boydsmaps.com/#lidar,39.773144,-74.455150,16

The coverage area has doubled since yesterday. Here's a map of all the quads in South Jersey. The yellow area is currently online, the pink area is available LIDAR imagery.

If you aren't seeing the new imagery, quit and restart your browser. I don't think you will need to clear your cache (I didn't), but it's possible. As you pan East you will notice a dramatic lowering of quality, for example:

https://boydsmaps.com/#lidar,39.930997,-74.469816,15

This is as far the the LIDAR goes, or at least that was the case last time I checked. After I get more of the map online, I'll check again for new data. The low resolution area is my own "cocktail" made by blending traditional USGS 1/3 arc second DEM and NASA SRTM data (Shuttle Radar Topography Mission). Leaves a lot to be desired, but that's the best I can do for now.

Enjoy.

 

[Boyd]

Here's an update. The yellow quads are now available on the site.

 

[manumuskin]

I hadn't seen this link,missed it somehow.Once again thanks Boyd,this must take a lot of time and head banging to get it right,it must be a labor of love.Aetna furnace shows up on here quite well.

 

[manumuskin]

yes I have south and west all the way to Belleplain (tuckahoe quad)

 

[manumuskin]

Something new for 2013...

It's a little late for a Christmas present, but better late than never. I've been looking for a way to share the wealth of Pines LIDAR imagery so last year I introduced a Garmin map, but the level of detail was low and you need a GPS to use it.

So I'm now in the process of putting the full resolution data on a new website where you can view it in your browser. It's been a LOT of years since I built a site and I'm sitting here with a copy of "Teach Yourself Javascript" next to the computer. The first couple days were frustrating, but in less than a week I've put together an alpha version that you can visit here:

http://boydsmaps.com

Remember, it's an alpha version meaning there will be some bugs and downtime, and things will change. Right now only a small area is online, but eventually all of Southern NJ will be available. The current coverage consists of 6 USGS 24k quads (Medford Lakes, Indian Mills, Chatsworth, Hammonton, Atsion and Jenkins).

I've tested it with Firefox and Internet Explorer on Windows and Safari on the Mac. There is one issue that I only see in Firefox. Whenever you move the map it adds links to the browser history. This doesn't happen in Safari or IE (anyone know why window.location.replace() is doing this when it shouldn't? ). I'm sort of a babe lost in the Pines when it comes to Javascript. My version of Firefox is pretty old, so maybe that's the problem.

Anyway, give it a try and see what you think. You can link to any location by just dragging/zooming the map until the crosshairs point to what you want. You cannot change the position of the crosshairs, they are always in the middle of the window. As you move the map you will see the coordinates in the browser address bar change. For example, this is Apple Pie Hill:

http://boydsmaps.com/#lidar,39.807076,-74.589303,16

Looking at the URL above, lidar is the type of map (only type available), 39.807076,-74.589303 are the lattitude/longitude and 16 is the zoom setting. Just copy the full address from your browser and paste it into a post to create a link. If you just go to boydsmaps.com, it will take you to a spot near the center of the map.

Notice that you are limited to 4 levels of zoom. Without getting too technical, each zoom level requires 4x the number of files as the previous level. Unlike the NJPB maps, these maps are stored in local files on my server and there are a lot of them - about 4,000 files (map tiles) for each USGS quad.

That's about it for now. Hope you enjoy the maps.

dr.whites cellar is clearly visible here.

 

[Boyd]

This is as far the the LIDAR goes, or at least that was the case last time I checked. After I get more of the map online, I'll check again for new data.

Just for fun I went to the USGS site and checked again on availability of LIDAR for the Eastern part of the pines. To my surprise, I was able to download the Keswick, Brookville, Westville and Tuckerton quads This is very cool, we now finally have high resolution imagery of the FRM area.

Will have this available soon, possibly tomorrow. Here are some samples in the meantime.

 

[Teegate]

dr.whites cellar is clearly visible here.

Yes it is. I looked for the sawmill holes in that area but they must be too small.

 

[Boyd]

Each pixel of the source data represents about 10 feet on the ground. But it has been re-sampled at a slightly higher resolution (~8 feet) to fit into Google's spec. As a point of reference, the NJ 2007 aerials are 1 foot per pixel and the old black and white terraserver aerials are 1 meter (3'-3") per pixel.

So the LIDAR is quite a bit lower res than the aerials we are accustomed to, but much better than any of the old DEM (digital elevation model) data.

 

[Teegate]

Boyd,

Ias there a flaw at this location? It just does not seem to be there on aerials. I can see Wescoat Bog above it.

https://boydsmaps.com/#lidar,39.684060,-74.685198,16

 

[Teegate]

Pretty close to here

http://maps.njpinebarrens.com/#lat=39.682981972131685&lng=-74.68377113342285&z=16&type=nj1995&gpx=

 

[Boyd]

Do you mean the straight lines that intersect there? I think that is the junction between LIDAR that was shot on two different missions. As I said earlier, it's a patchwork quilt of odd shaped chunks.

I noticed another small triangular area somewhere around the great swamp (I think) where there is no LIDAR and you see a very smooth looking area that is the low res DEM. When I get everything online I will go back and see if there is better (newer) imagery for areas like these.

 

[Teegate]

Thanks. I just was wondering if I had to make a trip out there

 

[Boyd]

Did a little quick checking, and yes that is the boundary between old and new imagery. Here is what was initially available back in 2011. It will give you an idea of where you are likely to see some odd lines

The area you show is one of the stair-steps right beneath the name "atsion" above. Here's a closer look at that specific problem spot.

 

[Boyd]

And here is that other missing triangle I mentioned, which is the "pie slice" in the image above, Northwest of your link: https://boydsmaps.com/#lidar,39.725843,-74.723436,16