google maps adds “street view”

Google Maps added a new feature allowing a “street view” of a few of the larger cities in the U.S. This view is literally what you would see if you were standing in the middle of the street that is completely navigable.
For example, you can start at the Paulist Residence on 59th Street in New York City. From the above link, turn right (by using the mouse or the right arrow- you may have to click once within the street view image) and follow 59th Street (clicking the white arrow in the windows or the up arrow). After a few clicks forward, you’ll run into Columbus Ave, aka as 9th Ave. As you step into the middle of the street, you’ll see a superimposed line for Columbus. You can turn left and follow that.
Right before you reach 60th Street, you can look left at see the steps into St. Paul the Apostle, the mother church, or the “home” church, of the Paulist Fathers.
So far, the feature is only in NYC- most of The City is up, some of the outer boroughs- Denver, Las Vegas, Miami and San Francisco. After this feature is a bit more mature, imagine integration with Google Transit (which, sadly, does not serve any of the cities featured by “Street View”), where you can track a bus/subway route and see exactly where the stop is located. Have driving directions and want to literally see where you are going? You could either “drive the route” or just look at your destination.
Very cool.