topic Re: NA routing - generate loop at specified distance in ArcGIS Network Analyst Questions

NA routing - generate loop at specified distance

ChristopherGraff — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 13:49:11 GMT

Case: I want to generate a 5k run from my front door. The route would be a loop to end where I began.

Any ideas? I'd like to use our existing street network (we've got it optimized for pedestrian/bicycle traffic). I want to specify a start location and end location (although majority of time they'll be one in the same). And I want to specify a distance. Then poof, NA would return a route from start to end points as close to the specified distance as possible.

Is this possible? Any ideas on how to tackle it?

thanks,

-chris

Re: NA routing - generate loop at specified distance

ChrisDonohue__GISP — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 14:16:37 GMT

Adding ESRI Network Analyst Expert Melinda Morang in case she has ideas.

Chris Donohue, GISP

Re: NA routing - generate loop at specified distance

MelindaMorang — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 15:34:29 GMT

Hi Chris. Unfortunately, the Network Analyst Route solver simply isn't designed to solve this problem. The Route solver uses algorithms that are meant to optimize travel through the network: to find the fastest or shortest route from one place to another. Finding the best "scenic route" for running or cycling is a very different problem, and NA Route isn't really the right tool for that job.

Re: NA routing - generate loop at specified distance

ChristopherGraff — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 15:37:32 GMT

So my follow up would be: if NA isn't the right product, is there an off-the-shelf esri product more suited? Else am I totally on my own?

Re: NA routing - generate loop at specified distance

MelindaMorang — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 17:41:23 GMT

Sadly, no, we don't have an Esri product that does this. We might have a partner company that provides such a solution. I suppose it depends on what your goal is. Are you just trying to calculate this for yourself or some analysis project, or are you trying to build an app using Esri technology?