Montana is scheduled to get a Google Street View update in 2022
Details on the 'when' are a little murky but it looks like all Montana counties are on the list to get an updated Google Street View this year.
If you're like me, Google Street View is an often used tool. Not just for work or research but for day-to-day directions in unfamiliar towns. There's a restaurant in Portland I should try? I always end up checking out the street view too.
You can't just ask for and receive a Street View update. It doesn't work that way. There is a place where you can suggest that an update really is needed, but mapping the world is a big job. There has to be some order to it. That's why it's pretty neat when Google announces where it's camera cars are going next.
So how does Google deal with 'Street View' updates and stuff? There are four simple steps that they follow. 1) Collect pictures by actually driving around communities, 2) Align the images with GPS and other tools, 3) Turn the collection of aligned photos into a 360 degree view so you can 'turn around' on the street view to see what's around you, 4) Select and provide the best final images for each location.
There has been so much growth around Montana since the last update, and it will be interesting to see new images of the completed big projects of the last few years.
According to Google's "Where we're headed" section, they have a VERY busy 2022 on their hands. Some states will only have a few of their counties updated, but under the tab for Montana, its says they'll be visiting and photographing:
Beaverhead, Big Horn, Blaine, Broadwater, Carbon, Carter, Cascade, Chouteau, Custer, Daniels, Dawson, Deer Lodge, Fallon, Fergus, Flathead, Gallatin, Garfield, Glacier, Golden Valley, Granite, Hill, Jefferson, Judith Basin, Lake, Lewis and Clark, Liberty, Lincoln, Madison, McCone, Meagher, Mineral, Missoula, Musselshell, Park, Petroleum, Phillips, Pondera, Powder River, Powell, Prairie, Ravalli, Richland, Roosevelt, Rosebud, Sanders, Sheridan, Silver Bow, Stillwater, Sweet Grass, Teton, Toole, Treasure, Valley, Wheatland, Wibaux, Yellowstone
The kicker here is that we're still not sure WHEN they'll be in-state. Heck, they might already be here. Have you seen the Google vehicles? The website simply states that they'll be in Montana between 1/2022 - 12/2022...so, not sure :-)