diff --git a/SConstruct b/SConstruct
index 5c679f1c1..c05404919 100644
--- a/SConstruct
+++ b/SConstruct
@@ -49,58 +49,73 @@ def CheckProtobuf(context, version):
     context.Result(ret)
     return ret
 
+
 AddOption('--cxx', dest='cxx', type='string', nargs=1, action='store', metavar='STRING', help='C++ Compiler')
 AddOption('--stxxlroot', dest='stxxlroot', type='string', nargs=1, action='store', metavar='STRING', help='root directory of STXXL')
 AddOption('--verbosity', dest='verbosity', type='string', nargs=1, action='store', metavar='STRING', help='make Scons talking')
 AddOption('--buildconfiguration', dest='buildconfiguration', type='string', nargs=1, action='store', metavar='STRING', help='debug or release')
-env = Environment(ENV = {'PATH' : os.environ['PATH']} ,COMPILER = GetOption('cxx'))
-if sys.platform.startswith("freebsd"):
-	env.ParseConfig('pkg-config --cflags --libs protobuf')
+
+env = Environment( ENV = {'PATH' : os.environ['PATH']} ,COMPILER = GetOption('cxx'))
+conf = Configure(env, custom_tests = { 'CheckBoost' : CheckBoost, 'CheckProtobuf' : CheckProtobuf })
+
+
 if GetOption('cxx') is None:
     #default Compiler
     print 'Using default C++ Compiler: ', env['CXX']
 else:
     env.Replace(CXX = GetOption('cxx'))
     print 'Using user supplied C++ Compiler: ', env['CXX']
-if GetOption('stxxlroot') is not None:
-   env.Append(CPPPATH = GetOption('stxxlroot')+'/include')
-   env.Append(LIBPATH = GetOption('stxxlroot')+'/lib')
-   print 'STXXLROOT = ', GetOption('stxxlroot')
-if sys.platform == 'win32':
-    #SCons really wants to use Microsoft compiler
-    print "Compiling is not yet supported on Windows"
-    Exit(-1)
-else:  #Mac OS X
-    if sys.platform == 'darwin':
-        print "Compiling is experimental on Mac"
-        env.Append(CPPPATH = ['/opt/local/include/', '/opt/local/include/libxml2'])
-	env.Append(LIBPATH = ['/opt/local/lib'])
-    elif sys.platform.startswith('freebsd'):
-        env.Append(CPPPATH = ['/usr/local/include', '/usr/local/include/libxml2'])
-        env.Append(LIBPATH = ['/usr/local/lib'])
-    else:
-        env.Append(CPPPATH = ['/usr/include', '/usr/include/include', '/usr/include/libxml2/'])
+
 if GetOption('buildconfiguration') == 'debug':
 	env.Append(CCFLAGS = ['-Wall', '-g3', '-rdynamic'])
 else:
-	env.Append(CCFLAGS = ['-O3', '-DNDEBUG', '-march=native'])
-#print "Compiling with: ", env['CXX']
-conf = Configure(env, custom_tests = { 'CheckBoost' : CheckBoost, 'CheckProtobuf' : CheckProtobuf })
-if not conf.CheckHeader('omp.h'):
-	print "Compiler does not support OpenMP. Exiting"
-	if sys.platform == 'darwin':
-		print "Continuing because we are on Mac. This might be fatal."
-	else:
+	env.Append(CCFLAGS = ['-O3', '-DNDEBUG'])
+
+
+if sys.platform == 'darwin':	#Mac OS X
+	#os x default installations
+	env.Append(CPPPATH = ['/usr/include/libxml2'] )		
+	env.Append(CPPPATH = ["/usr/X11/include"])			#comes with os x
+	
+	#assume stxxl and boost are installed via homebrew. call brew binary to get folder locations
+	import subprocess
+	stxxl_prefix = subprocess.check_output(["brew", "--prefix", "libstxxl"]).strip()
+	env.Append(CPPPATH = [stxxl_prefix+"/include"] )
+	env.Append(LIBPATH = [stxxl_prefix+"/lib"] )
+	boost_prefix = subprocess.check_output(["brew", "--prefix", "boost"]).strip()
+	env.Append(CPPPATH = [boost_prefix+"/include"] )
+	env.Append(LIBPATH = [boost_prefix+"/lib"] )	
+elif sys.platform.startswith("freebsd"):
+	env.ParseConfig('pkg-config --cflags --libs protobuf')
+	env.Append(CPPPATH = ['/usr/local/include', '/usr/local/include/libxml2'])
+	env.Append(LIBPATH = ['/usr/local/lib'])
+	if GetOption('stxxlroot') is not None:
+	   env.Append(CPPPATH = GetOption('stxxlroot')+'/include')
+	   env.Append(LIBPATH = GetOption('stxxlroot')+'/lib')
+	   print 'STXXLROOT = ', GetOption('stxxlroot')
+	if GetOption('buildconfiguration') != 'debug':
+		env.Append(CCFLAGS = ['-march=native'])
+	#print "Compiling with: ", env['CXX']
+	if not conf.CheckHeader('omp.h'):
+		print "Compiler does not support OpenMP. Exiting"
 		Exit(-1)
+	env.Append(CCFLAGS = ['-fopenmp'])
+	env.Append(LINKFLAGS = ['-fopenmp'])
+elif sys.platform == 'win32':
+	#SCons really wants to use Microsoft compiler
+	print "Compiling is not yet supported on Windows"
+	Exit(-1)
+else:
+	print "Unknown platform.."
+	env.Append(CPPPATH = ['/usr/include', '/usr/include/include', '/usr/include/libxml2/'])
+
+
 if not conf.CheckLibWithHeader('bz2', 'bzlib.h', 'CXX'):
 	print "bz2 library not found. Exiting"
 	Exit(-1)
-if not conf.CheckLibWithHeader('png', 'png.h', 'CXX'):
-	print "png library or header not found. Exiting"
+if not conf.CheckLibWithHeader('libzip', 'zip.h', 'CXX'):
+	print "Zip library not found. Exiting"
 	Exit(-1)
-if not conf.CheckLibWithHeader('pthread', 'pthread.h', 'CXX'):
-        print "pthread not found. Exiting"
-        Exit(-1)
 if not conf.CheckLibWithHeader('protobuf', 'google/protobuf/descriptor.h', 'CXX'):
 	print "Google Protobuffer library not found. Exiting"
 	Exit(-1)
@@ -120,16 +135,10 @@ if not conf.CheckLibWithHeader('xml2', 'libxml/xmlreader.h', 'CXX'):
 if not conf.CheckLibWithHeader('z', 'zlib.h', 'CXX'):
 	print "zlib library or header not found. Exiting"
 	Exit(-1)
-if not conf.CheckLibWithHeader('zip', 'zip.h', 'CXX'):
-	print "Zip library not found. Exiting"
-	Exit(-1)
 #Check BOOST installation
 if not (conf.CheckBoost('1.41')):
 	print 'Boost version >= 1.41 needed'
 	Exit(-1);
-if not conf.CheckLib('boost_system', language="C++"):
-	print "boost_system library not found. Exiting"
-	Exit(-1)
 if not conf.CheckLibWithHeader('boost_thread', 'boost/thread.hpp', 'CXX'):
 	if not conf.CheckLibWithHeader('boost_thread-mt', 'boost/thread.hpp', 'CXX'):
 		print "boost thread library not found. Exiting"
@@ -139,14 +148,21 @@ if not conf.CheckLibWithHeader('boost_thread', 'boost/thread.hpp', 'CXX'):
 		env.Append(CCFLAGS = ' -lboost_thread-mt')
 		env.Append(LINKFLAGS = ' -lboost_thread-mt')
 if not conf.CheckLibWithHeader('boost_regex', 'boost/regex.hpp', 'CXX'):
-	print "boost/regex.hpp not found. Exiting"
-	Exit(-1)
-if not conf.CheckCXXHeader('boost/array.hpp'):
-	print "boost/thread.hpp not found. Exiting"
-	Exit(-1)
-if not conf.CheckCXXHeader('boost/asio.hpp'):
-	print "boost/thread.hpp not found. Exiting"
-	Exit(-1)
+	if not conf.CheckLibWithHeader('boost_regex-mt', 'boost/regex.hpp', 'CXX'):
+		print "boost/regex.hpp not found. Exiting"
+		Exit(-1)
+	else:
+		print "using boost_regex -mt"
+		env.Append(CCFLAGS = ' -lboost_regex-mt')
+		env.Append(LINKFLAGS = ' -lboost_regex-mt')
+if not conf.CheckLib('boost_system', language="C++"):
+	if not conf.CheckLib('boost_system-mt', language="C++"):
+		print "boost_system library not found. Exiting"
+		Exit(-1)
+	else:
+		print "using boost -mt"
+		env.Append(CCFLAGS = ' -lboost_system-mt')
+		env.Append(LINKFLAGS = ' -lboost_system-mt')
 if not conf.CheckCXXHeader('boost/bind.hpp'):
 	print "boost/bind.hpp not found. Exiting"
 	Exit(-1)
@@ -189,18 +205,25 @@ if not conf.CheckCXXHeader('boost/tuple/tuple.hpp'):
 if not conf.CheckCXXHeader('boost/unordered_map.hpp'):
 	print "boost thread header not found. Exiting"
 	Exit(-1)
+#if os.sysconf('SC_NPROCESSORS_ONLN') > 1:
+#	env.Append(CCFLAGS = ' -D_GLIBCXX_PARALLEL');
+if not (conf.CheckBoost('1.41')):
+	print 'Boost version >= 1.41 needed'
+	Exit(-1);
+#check for protobuf 2.3.0, else rebuild proto files
+if not (conf.CheckProtobuf('2.3.0')):
+	print 'libprotobuf version >= 2.3.0 needed'
+	Exit(-1);
+if not (env.Detect('protoc')):
+	print 'protobuffer compiler not found'
+	
 
 protobld = Builder(action = 'protoc -I=DataStructures/pbf-proto --cpp_out=DataStructures/pbf-proto $SOURCE')
 env.Append(BUILDERS = {'Protobuf' : protobld})
 env.Protobuf('DataStructures/pbf-proto/fileformat.proto')
 env.Protobuf('DataStructures/pbf-proto/osmformat.proto')
-env.Append(CCFLAGS = ['-fopenmp'])
-env.Append(LINKFLAGS = ['-fopenmp'])
 
 env.Program(target = 'osrm-extract', source = ["extractor.cpp", Glob('DataStructures/pbf-proto/*.pb.cc'), Glob('Util/*.cpp')])
 env.Program(target = 'osrm-prepare', source = ["createHierarchy.cpp", 'Contractor/EdgeBasedGraphFactory.cpp', Glob('Util/SRTMLookup/*.cpp'), Glob('Algorithms/*.cpp')])
-env.Append(CCFLAGS = ['-lboost_regex', '-lboost_iostreams', '-lbz2', '-lz', '-lprotobuf'])
-env.Append(LINKFLAGS = ['-lboost_system'])
 env.Program(target = 'osrm-routed', source = ["routed.cpp", 'Descriptors/DescriptionFactory.cpp', Glob('ThirdParty/*.cc')], CCFLAGS = env['CCFLAGS'] + ['-DROUTED'])
 env = conf.Finish()
-
diff --git a/ThirdParty/PngImage.cc b/ThirdParty/PngImage.cc
index 9034663b8..b004974ff 100644
--- a/ThirdParty/PngImage.cc
+++ b/ThirdParty/PngImage.cc
@@ -22,321 +22,107 @@ OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN
 THE SOFTWARE.
 =============================================================================*/
 
-#include "PngImage.hh"
+#ifndef PNG_IMAGE_HH
+#define PNG_IMAGE_HH
 
-#include <png.h>
+#include <string>
+#include <cassert>
 
-#include <cstdio>
-#include <csetjmp>
-#include <cstring>
-
-PngImage::PngImage():
-    mImageData(0), mImageWidth(0), mImageHeight(0)
-{}
-
-PngImage::PngImage(int width, int height,
-                   unsigned char red, unsigned char green,
-                   unsigned char blue, unsigned char alpha):
-    mImageData(0)
+class PngImage
 {
-    createImage(width, height, red, green, blue, alpha);
+ public:
+    // Constructor, destructor and copying
+    // -----------------------------------
+    PngImage();
+    PngImage(int width, int height,
+             unsigned char red = 0, unsigned char green = 0,
+             unsigned char blue = 0, unsigned char alpha = 255);
+    ~PngImage();
+
+    // If there is image data, these will perform deep copying.
+    PngImage(const PngImage&);
+    PngImage& operator=(const PngImage&);
+
+    // Delete the image data, freeing the memory
+    void deleteImageData();
+
+
+    // Load image
+    // ----------
+    bool loadImage(const char* filename, bool printErrorMsg = true);
+    bool loadImage(const std::string& filename, bool printErrorMsg = true);
+
+    bool loadImageFromMemory(const unsigned char* data, unsigned dataSize);
+
+
+    // Create image (rather than loading one)
+    // --------------------------------------
+    void createImage(int width, int height,
+                     unsigned char red = 0, unsigned char green = 0,
+                     unsigned char blue = 0, unsigned char alpha = 255);
+
+
+    // Save image
+    // ----------
+    bool saveImage(const char* filename, bool printErrorMsg = true) const;
+    bool saveImage(const std::string& filename,
+                   bool printErrorMsg = true) const;
+
+
+    // Image data access
+    // -----------------
+    int width() const;
+    int height() const;
+
+    unsigned char* rawImagePtr();
+    const unsigned char* rawImagePtr() const;
+
+    void setPixel(int x, int y,
+                  unsigned char red, unsigned char green, unsigned char blue,
+                  unsigned char alpha = 255);
+
+    unsigned char getColorComponent(int x, int y, int component) const;
+
+
+    void drawImageAt(const PngImage&, int x, int y);
+
+
+
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ private:
+    unsigned char* mImageData;
+    int mImageWidth, mImageHeight;
+};
+
+inline int PngImage::width() const { return mImageWidth; }
+inline int PngImage::height() const { return mImageHeight; }
+
+inline unsigned char* PngImage::rawImagePtr()
+{ return mImageData; }
+
+inline const unsigned char* PngImage::rawImagePtr() const
+{ return mImageData; }
+
+inline void PngImage::setPixel(int x, int y,
+                               unsigned char red, unsigned char green,
+                               unsigned char blue, unsigned char alpha)
+{
+    assert(x >= 0 && mImageWidth > x && y >= 0 && mImageHeight > y);
+
+    unsigned char* ptr = mImageData + 4 * (x + y*mImageWidth);
+    ptr[0] = red;
+    ptr[1] = green;
+    ptr[2] = blue;
+    ptr[3] = alpha;
 }
 
-PngImage::~PngImage()
+inline unsigned char
+PngImage::getColorComponent(int x, int y, int component) const
 {
-    delete[] mImageData;
+    assert(x >= 0 && mImageWidth > x && y >= 0 && mImageHeight > y);
+    assert(component >= 0 && component < 4);
+
+    return mImageData[4 * (x + y*mImageWidth) + component];
 }
 
-PngImage::PngImage(const PngImage& rhs):
-    mImageData(0),
-    mImageWidth(rhs.mImageWidth), mImageHeight(rhs.mImageHeight)
-{
-    if(rhs.mImageData)
-    {
-        const int size = mImageWidth*mImageHeight*4;
-        mImageData = new unsigned char[size];
-        std::memcpy(mImageData, rhs.mImageData, size);
-    }
-}
-
-PngImage& PngImage::operator=(const PngImage& rhs)
-{
-    if(mImageData != rhs.mImageData)
-    {
-        delete[] mImageData;
-        mImageWidth = rhs.mImageWidth;
-        mImageHeight = rhs.mImageHeight;
-        if(rhs.mImageData)
-        {
-            const int size = mImageWidth*mImageHeight*4;
-            mImageData = new unsigned char[size];
-            std::memcpy(mImageData, rhs.mImageData, size);
-        }
-        else
-            mImageData = 0;
-    }
-    return *this;
-}
-
-void PngImage::deleteImageData()
-{
-    delete[] mImageData;
-    mImageData = 0;
-    mImageWidth = mImageHeight = 0;
-}
-
-void PngImage::createImage(int width, int height,
-                           unsigned char red, unsigned char green,
-                           unsigned char blue, unsigned char alpha)
-{
-    assert(width > 0 && height > 0);
-
-    delete[] mImageData;
-    const int size = width*height*4;
-    mImageData = new unsigned char[size];
-    mImageWidth = width;
-    mImageHeight = height;
-
-    for(int i = 0; i < size; i += 4)
-    {
-        mImageData[i] = red;
-        mImageData[i+1] = green;
-        mImageData[i+2] = blue;
-        mImageData[i+3] = alpha;
-    }
-}
-
-namespace
-{
-    struct FilePtr
-    {
-        std::FILE* fp;
-
-        FilePtr(): fp(0) {}
-        ~FilePtr() { if(fp) std::fclose(fp); }
-    };
-
-    struct PNGStructPtrs
-    {
-        png_structp read;
-        png_structp write;
-        png_infop info;
-
-        PNGStructPtrs(): read(0), write(0), info(0) {}
-
-        ~PNGStructPtrs()
-        {
-            if(read)
-            {
-                if(info) png_destroy_read_struct(&read, &info, 0);
-                else png_destroy_read_struct(&read, 0, 0);
-            }
-            else if(write)
-            {
-                if(info) png_destroy_write_struct(&write, &info);
-                else png_destroy_write_struct(&write, 0);
-            }
-        }
-    };
-
-    void readPngData(PNGStructPtrs& ptrs,
-                     unsigned char* & imageData,
-                     int& imageWidth, int& imageHeight)
-    {
-        png_read_info(ptrs.read, ptrs.info);
-
-        imageData = new unsigned char[4 * ptrs.info->width * ptrs.info->height];
-        imageWidth = ptrs.info->width;
-        imageHeight = ptrs.info->height;
-
-        png_set_expand(ptrs.read);
-        png_set_filler(ptrs.read, 0xff, PNG_FILLER_AFTER);
-        png_set_palette_to_rgb(ptrs.read);
-        png_set_gray_to_rgb(ptrs.read);
-        png_set_strip_16(ptrs.read);
-
-        unsigned char* addr = imageData;
-        for(int i = 0; i < imageHeight; ++i)
-        {
-            png_read_rows(ptrs.read, (png_bytepp) &addr, 0, 1);
-            addr += imageWidth * 4;
-        }
-
-        png_read_end(ptrs.read, ptrs.info);
-    }
-}
-
-bool PngImage::loadImage(const char* filename, bool printErrorMsg)
-{
-    deleteImageData();
-
-    FilePtr iFile;
-    iFile.fp = std::fopen(filename, "rb");
-    if(!iFile.fp)
-    {
-        if(printErrorMsg)
-        {
-            std::fprintf(stderr, "Can't open ");
-            std::perror(filename);
-        }
-        return false;
-    }
-
-    png_byte header[8];
-    std::fread(header, 1, 8, iFile.fp);
-    if(png_sig_cmp(header, 0, 8))
-    {
-        if(printErrorMsg)
-            std::fprintf(stderr, "%s is not a PNG file.\n", filename);
-        return false;
-    }
-    std::fseek(iFile.fp, 0, SEEK_SET);
-
-    PNGStructPtrs ptrs;
-    ptrs.read = png_create_read_struct(PNG_LIBPNG_VER_STRING, 0, 0, 0);
-    if(!ptrs.read)
-    {
-        if(printErrorMsg)
-            std::fprintf(stderr, "Initializing libpng failed.\n");
-        return false;
-    }
-
-    ptrs.info = png_create_info_struct(ptrs.read);
-    if(!ptrs.info)
-    {
-        if(printErrorMsg)
-            std::fprintf(stderr, "Initializing libpng failed.\n");
-        return false;
-    }
-
-    if(setjmp(ptrs.read->jmpbuf)) return false;
-
-    png_init_io(ptrs.read, iFile.fp);
-    readPngData(ptrs, mImageData, mImageWidth, mImageHeight);
-    return true;
-}
-
-bool PngImage::loadImage(const std::string& filename, bool printErrorMsg)
-{
-    return loadImage(filename.c_str(), printErrorMsg);
-}
-
-namespace
-{
-    const unsigned char* gPngData;
-    size_t gPngDataSize, gCurrentPngDataIndex;
-
-    void pngDataReader(png_structp png_ptr, png_bytep data,
-                       png_size_t length)
-    {
-        if(gCurrentPngDataIndex + length > gPngDataSize)
-            png_error(png_ptr, "Read error");
-        else
-        {
-            std::memcpy(data, gPngData+gCurrentPngDataIndex, length);
-            gCurrentPngDataIndex += length;
-        }
-    }
-}
-
-bool PngImage::loadImageFromMemory(const unsigned char* data, unsigned dataSize)
-{
-    deleteImageData();
-
-    gPngData = data;
-    gPngDataSize = dataSize;
-    gCurrentPngDataIndex = 0;
-
-    PNGStructPtrs ptrs;
-    ptrs.read = png_create_read_struct(PNG_LIBPNG_VER_STRING, 0, 0, 0);
-    if(!ptrs.read) return false;
-
-    png_set_read_fn(ptrs.read, 0, pngDataReader);
-
-    ptrs.info = png_create_info_struct(ptrs.read);
-    if(!ptrs.info) return false;
-
-    if(setjmp(ptrs.read->jmpbuf)) return false;
-    readPngData(ptrs, mImageData, mImageWidth, mImageHeight);
-    return true;
-}
-
-bool PngImage::saveImage(const char* filename, bool printErrorMsg) const
-{
-    if(!mImageData) return true;
-
-    FilePtr oFile;
-    oFile.fp = std::fopen(filename, "wb");
-    if(!oFile.fp)
-    {
-        if(printErrorMsg)
-        {
-            std::fprintf(stderr, "Can't write to ");
-            std::perror(filename);
-        }
-        return false;
-    }
-
-    PNGStructPtrs ptrs;
-    ptrs.write = png_create_write_struct(PNG_LIBPNG_VER_STRING, 0, 0, 0);
-    if(!ptrs.write)
-    {
-        if(printErrorMsg)
-            std::fprintf(stderr, "Initializing libpng failed.\n");
-        return false;
-    }
-
-    ptrs.info = png_create_info_struct(ptrs.write);
-    if(!ptrs.info)
-    {
-        if(printErrorMsg)
-            std::fprintf(stderr, "Initializing libpng failed.\n");
-        return false;
-    }
-
-    if(setjmp(ptrs.write->jmpbuf)) return false;
-
-    png_init_io(ptrs.write, oFile.fp);
-
-    png_set_IHDR(ptrs.write, ptrs.info, mImageWidth, mImageHeight, 8,
-                 PNG_COLOR_TYPE_RGB_ALPHA, PNG_INTERLACE_NONE,
-                 PNG_COMPRESSION_TYPE_DEFAULT, PNG_FILTER_TYPE_DEFAULT);
-    png_write_info(ptrs.write, ptrs.info);
-
-    for(int i = 0; i < mImageHeight; ++i)
-        png_write_row(ptrs.write, mImageData + i*mImageWidth*4);
-
-    png_write_end(ptrs.write, 0);
-    return true;
-}
-
-bool PngImage::saveImage(const std::string& filename, bool printErrorMsg) const
-{
-    return saveImage(filename.c_str(), printErrorMsg);
-}
-
-void PngImage::drawImageAt(const PngImage& src, int x, int y)
-{
-    if(!mImageData || !src.mImageData) return;
-
-    for(int yInd = 0; yInd < src.mImageHeight; ++yInd)
-    {
-        const int destY = y + yInd;
-        if(destY >= 0 && destY < mImageHeight)
-        {
-            unsigned char* srcPtr = src.mImageData + 4*yInd*src.mImageWidth;
-            for(int xInd = 0; xInd < src.mImageWidth; ++xInd)
-            {
-                const int destX = x + xInd;
-                if(destX >= 0 && destX < mImageWidth)
-                {
-                    unsigned char* destPtr =
-                        mImageData + 4*(destX + destY*mImageWidth);
-                    for(int i = 0; i < 4; ++i)
-                        destPtr[i] = srcPtr[i];
-                }
-                srcPtr += 4;
-            }
-        }
-    }
-}
+#endif