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Civil Engineering Transportation GIS Workshop

workshop guide

Lab Exercise: Finding the best route & closet fire stations.

Finding the Best Route

Prepare Display

  1. Open BestRoute.mxd.
  2. Enable the ArcGIS Network Analyst extension.
    • Click Customize > Extensions. Check Network Analyst.
  3. On the Network Analyst toolbar, click the Network Analyst window button. Dock it.

Add Stops

  1. In the Network Analyst window, click Stops (0).
  2. On the Network Analyst toolbar, click the Create Network Location Tool.
  3. Click anywhere on the street network to define a new stop location.
  4. Add two more stops anywhere on or near the streets. The first stop is treated as the origin, and the last as the destination.

Setting Up the Parameters

  1. Click the Analysis Layer Properties button on the Network Analyst window.
  2. Click the Analysis Settings tab. Set settings.

The Analysis Settings tab should look like the following graphic; however, your Use Start Time properties may be different:

Properties in the Analysis Settings tab

Computing Best Route

  1. Click the Solve button on the Network Analyst toolbar.
  2. Click the Directions Window button on the Network Analyst toolbar.

Adding a Barrier

  1. In the Network Analyst window under Point Barriers (0), click Restriction (0).
  2. Click the Create Network Location Tool on the Network Analyst toolbar.
  3. Click the Solve button on the Network Analyst toolbar.

Finding the Closet Fire Stations

Prepare Display

  1. Open ClosetFireStations.mxd​.

Adding an incident

  1. In the Network Analyst window, right-click Incidents (0) and choose Find Address.
  2. Make sure that SanFranciscoLocator is chosen in the Choose a locator drop-down list.
  3. In the Full Address text box, type 800 Jackson St. Click Find.
  4. Right-click the row and choose Add as Network Analysis Object.

Setting up parameters for the analysis

  1. Click the Analysis Layer Properties button on the Network Analyst window.
  2. Click the Analysis Settings tab. Set settings.

Your Analysis Settings tab should look like the following graphic:

Properties on the Analysis Settings tab

Identifying the closest facilities

  1. Click the Solve button on the Network Analyst toolbar.
  2. Click the Directions Window button on the Network Analyst toolbar.

Source and Additional Information: ArcGIS Network Analyst Tutorial

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