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Flatten SF, a route-planning page by Drew Edwards, lets users compare San Francisco paths across a trade-off between distance and cumulative climbing. It says routes are computed in the browser from more than 160,000 street segments, elevation data and street maps; the page does not provide independent accuracy or adoption figures.
Users enter a starting point and destination, then move a slider across routes that represent different trade-offs between walking distance and climbing. According to the site, the slider spans options from the shortest route to a flatter route that may be worth the extra walking. Moving it to the right does not shorten a route or add climbing, the page says.
Flatten SF says it computes routes in the browser using USGS one-meter lidar elevation and a street graph based on Overture and OpenStreetMap data. It describes its map as covering more than 160,000 street segments. The page also says place search works offline, with San Francisco intersections, places and addresses built into the page.
The displayed climbing figure is cumulative elevation gain, rather than the net elevation difference between the endpoints. The site says stairways are included for walking routes and excluded for bicycle routes. Faint lines on the map represent other routes in the distance-and-climbing trade-off.
Choosing Between Hills and Distance
San Francisco’s steep streets can make the shortest path a demanding one. A tool that presents routes across a distance-versus-climbing trade-off can help people decide whether saving distance is worth taking on more ascent, or whether a longer walk better suits their plans.
The distinction may matter to walkers and cyclists differently. Flatten SF says its route rules treat stairs differently by travel mode, which can change which streets or paths appear in a result. The page offers route comparisons, but the supplied report does not include user testing, independent accuracy checks or evidence about how widely the tool is being used.
bike computer with elevation tracking
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How Flatten SF Builds Routes
The page attributes its mapping to a combination of USGS elevation measurements and street-network data from Overture and OpenStreetMap. It says calculations run locally in the user’s browser and that searches for San Francisco places and addresses are built into the page for offline use.
Its slider represents routes that cannot be beaten on both distance and climbing, according to the site’s explanation. The page gives a conversion of one foot of climb costing 200 feet of walking for its flatter-route threshold, while describing the slider as covering the trade-off from the shortest path to a flatter walking option. No publication date or detailed methodology beyond the page’s summary was provided in the source material.
““Routes are computed in your browser over 160,000 street segments, using USGS 1 m lidar elevation and the Overture / OpenStreetMap street graph.””
— Flatten SF website
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Questions About Route Accuracy
The supplied source does not state when the tool launched, how often its street and elevation data are refreshed, or how its results have been checked against actual journeys. It also gives no figures for usage or user feedback. The page describes a 200-foot walking cost for one foot of climbing, but the source does not explain how that trade-off was selected or whether users can change it.
It is also unclear from the source whether the tool accounts for temporary street closures, construction, accessibility barriers or conditions that may affect a particular trip. Users should treat the displayed paths as route comparisons based on the site’s data and rules; the source does not establish that every suggested route is suitable for every traveler.
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Using the Route Comparison Tool
Users can try Flatten SF by entering two San Francisco locations and adjusting the slider to compare routes. The page links to its source, data and full analysis, which may provide further detail about its methods. The supplied report does not announce a schedule for updates or identify a future milestone.
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Key Questions
What does Flatten SF do?
It compares routes between San Francisco locations by distance and cumulative climbing, allowing users to explore options between a shorter route and a flatter one.
What data does the tool use?
The site says it uses USGS one-meter lidar elevation and a street graph based on Overture and OpenStreetMap, covering more than 160,000 street segments.
How does it count climbing?
It reports cumulative elevation gain, not the net elevation difference between the start and destination.
Does it include stairs?
According to the site, stairs are allowed for walking routes and excluded for bicycle routes.
Can it be used offline?
The page says its place search is offline because San Francisco addresses, places and intersections are built in. It also says route calculations run in the browser.
Source: hn
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