Google Maps Steering Milford Drivers in the Wrong Direction

It is a mapping misery in Milford.

"Someone needs to get in touch with Google (and) fix Google Maps," Marie Sweetman tells NBC Connecticut Troubleshooters. 

Sweetman is passing out her own set of directions to Walnut Public Beach in Milford.

"I stick these in the back of my windshield and when my sister is here, she gives them out. These are our directions to Walnut Beach," Sweetman added.

Residents in a quiet section of town are asking the NBC Connecticut Troubleshooters to play traffic cop with Google.

The homeowners say beach-goers looking to catch some rays at Walnut Public Beach are instead. Ending up in their neighborhood.

Dan Perrone said the problem has been persistent for months. "All summer long, we’ve had cars coming by. A lot of people are confused."

Eileen Jess lives in the neighborhood as well.  "They just keep asking where Walnut Beach is."

Sweetman added, "And there’s clearly no beach!"

It’s been a busy summer for neighbors near Milford Point, in the quaint, quiet, Devon section of town.

But not in a good way.

Perrone stated, "People seem generally confused. They know something is wrong, but they don’t seem to understand why they’re getting bad directions."

Sweetman told the NBC Connecticut Troubleshooters, "We’ve given out more directions to Walnut Beach then you could imagine... they tell us the GPS’s are directing them to down the street there.”

Jess added, “To Ron’s garage, on Fairfield Street.”

Turns out the unwanted traffic, according to residents, is caused by a gaff on Google maps.

"On the weekends, my little niece and nephew visit and run around and the traffic, there’s maybe four houses on the street and the traffic is just unbelievable," Sweetman said. 

Drivers are telling these homeowners when they type in Walnut Beach on Google maps, they wind up here.

"And I’m usually outside, so I decided to put a sign at the end of the driveway. And I’ve actually printed out some directions that I occasionally give out," Sweetman said.

Others have signs posted too.

"It’s funny, because they can’t find it, but it’s just dangerous because it’s a dead end and the kids are around," Jess said.

The drivers end up right here on the corner of Fairfield and Vincent streets, when in reality Walnut Public Beach is about a mile away.

And while these folks don’t mind doling out directions, they want the issue fixed.

"I’ve tried to actually correct it on Google instructions, how to send them information so they correct the GPS point, but it hasn’t worked," Sweetman said.

The NBC Connecticut Troubleshooters reached out to Google multiple times but the company has not responded. 

Residents just want for Google to get it right on the maps.

"I tell them look around, do you see water? It doesn’t look like there’s a Beach around here to me. But usually it’s a pleasant conversation after that and they move on," Perrone said. 

The NBC Connecticut Troubleshooters checked a number of different mapping systems that bring you to the right address.

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