Today Google is introducing the Cities in 3D Program, an effort to help local governments share their 3D data with the public by adding a model of their city to Google Earth. Available at www.google.com/3dwarehouse/citiesin3d, the Cities in 3D program provides local governments with information about the benefits of sharing 3D data and tools for uploading their data to Google Earth.
Google Earth enables individuals to explore and learn about their world, about places both foreign and familiar, and to gain new understandings of geography, topology, urbanism, development, architecture, and the environment. By enriching the 3D representation of a city on Google Earth, local governments can reach over 350 million Google Earth users, fostering economic development and boosting tourism. Currently much of the 3D data held by local governments reaches a limited audience. With the Cities in 3D Program, we’re seeking to expand access to this public resource.
For more information on today’s announcement, please see the Lat Long blog post at: http://google-latlong.blogspot.com/2008/03/got-3d-data.html