• by Gavin O'Malley  @mp_gavin, July 9, 2010

Late last month, AOL relaunched MapQuest with a new brand identity and features to support consumers' increasing demand for locally relevant Web content. Not stopping there, the mapping service is now embracing open-source mapping on a grand scale.

On Friday, AOL debuted the beta launch of Open.MapQuest.co.uk, which is built on OpenStreetMap data for the UK. The beta platform will be a stand-alone offering, and will live alongside MapQuest's existing UK platform, which is based on commercially available map data.

But, AOL isn't stopping there. "We believe that open source is ultimately the future for AOL's local and mapping applications," said Randy Meech, head of engineering for AOL Local and Mapping.

AOL has not yet set a date to expand the program stateside, but the company is clearly thinking big, and encouraging broad participation. "Not only is the map data open, but also this beta map stack uses popular open-source mapping software, including Mapnik for tile rendering, TileCache for caching, and Nominatim for geo-coding and search," said Meech. "We are now employing developers to contribute back to these projects for the benefit of the community."

Also on Friday, AOL announced a $1 million fund to support the growth of open-source mapping in the United States. The new fund is expected to support projects in specific communities over the next year to help expand the geographic data available to developers, designers and other users as part of AOL's commitment to open-source technology.

OpenStreetMap powers the maps behind Patch, AOL's local news and information platform.

"Allowing users to improve the areas they know and care about like streets in their neighborhood, in addition to hiking trails, parks and bike paths, we believe, will lead to the best mapping experience for all users," Meech added.

AOL's $1 million grant will fund local initiatives to identify and plug gaps in information in open-source mapping data about specific U.S. communities covered by Patch.

Patch offers news, business listings, recreation, events and other information in communities across America. The Patch network currently covers communities in California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York, with new sites constantly coming online.

MapQuest reached more than 49.1 million users in May, according to comScore. Still, the service has faced competition from Google Maps, and newcomer Bing Maps.

Trying to stay one step ahead of mobile rivals, MapQuest recently announced the availability of basic voice guidance on MapQuest 4 Mobile for iPhone.

As part of AOL's broader local push, the company recently announced plans to revive its City's Best brand in 25 markets by September. City's Best is an eight-year-old brand, which AOL stopped funding in late 2008. The site, which features entertainment recommendations, is expected to combine professional editorial with consumer opinions and straightforward voting features.