Symbology of Routes

RachelColby

I am creating a large scale map (36x48) displaying individual plow routes along with displaying who is the site lead for that said route. My first rendition of this map was to keep it simple. There are a total of 30 routes and 5 site leads. I color coded the site lead uniquely but then went to create different hues of that color to denote the individual routes within that site lead area, of course with using black and white. It's been requested to color each route differently. I am unsure how to accommodate this as I do not have a strong background in cartography. I was curious if anyone had any best practice suggestion for color, or reasons as to why this cannot be done. I've suggested individual maps for each site lead area, but have been requested to stick with one large scale for now. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. 

RouteMap.PNG

Network Properties with Disable Topology Time.png

AlfredBaldenweck

Having 30 different colors is not going to be great for you as the cartographer or for the reader. Honestly, your first move of varying value (light and dark) by site lead sounds better for this case. 

I'm torn here because it sounds like you probably have two routes per site lead, so that sounds like 15 colors, but that is, quite frankly, too much.

What you can do is pick 5ish (max 8, imo) colors and then change the texture by adding marker symbols or dashes or something. Another trick I often use is adding a white center to the line to help it stand out.

Bonus points if you can group them somehow, e.g. "every route in this area is dashed", or by the terminus of each route or something (like, if 4 of them start at the school, that makes sense to group them that way). It's what you were doing when you were changing the hue, but this is a little more color-blind proof. (Also: Use the colorblind simulation on the View Tab to help you out)

Maybe you could put some sort of letter along the line to label it somehow? 

This is not an amazing example (that light green is way too light) but each set is distinct so long as you aren't completely colorblind, and even that isn't awful, according to the simulator.

To make this easier on yourself:

1) Make each symbol, e.g. "Color with black border".

2) Make sure the colors you don't want to change are locked

3) Save that symbol to a style.

4) For set each route that needs to be that symbol to it using the gallery (Don't worry about their color just yet)

5) Set the color band across the entire layer. This will apply it to all unlocked symbols in each symbol class.

6) Adjust as needed

 

I hope this helps a little