Creating a maximum walkshed around each point

[LauraCulp]

Hello! I am trying to determine if a network analysis is the best way to solve this problem or if there is another ArcGIS Pro tool that would get me the result I am looking for. 

I work in bikeshare and a 1000-foot buffer is standard for a station's service area. Currently, we create a regular buffer to look at a 1000-foot radius around the station. However, this method only considers "as the crow flies" and doesn't take into account the network that pedestrians would have to take to access the station. We are looking to create a shapefile that shows every possible way that people could walk 1000 feet or less to access a station assuming they are using the sidewalks. I imagine this will look like multiple lines all joining at the center point that follow the street network and are 1000 feet in length. 

Based on my research, it seems that a network dataset and analysis are the steps to get my desired result. Does anyone have any advice on whether this is the right process or if there is another tool I can use to create this dataset? 

[MelindaMorang]

Yes, the Network Analyst Service Area solver seems like the correct approach.

Here's a tutorial to get you started: https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/help/analysis/networks/service-area-tutorial.htm  Note that Service Area gives you the option to produce two different outputs: polygons and lines.  The polygon output visualizes the area that's reachable, similar to a buffer but representing travel constrained to the road network.  The line output returns the actual road (or sidewalk) segments in your network that were reached.  You may want to experiment with both to see what works best for your needs.

Key for you will be creating (or purchasing) a network dataset that adequately represents pedestrian walking paths, particularly for an analysis as fine-grained as 1000 meters.  I'm not sure our Streetmap Premium data will be adequate.  It contains some information about whether pedestrians can travel on streets and includes some separated walking paths, but it doesn't include sidewalks and crosswalks and stuff like that.  You are likely to have to create a network dataset for your city using sidewalk and street data from the city or county government, if it's adequate.  Here's a tutorial to get you started on how to create a network dataset in general: https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/help/analysis/networks/how-to-create-a-usable-network-datas...

You may get some benefit from this set of Tasks for creating a local government network, although the network that comes out of this is fairly simplistic and doesn't include sidewalks: https://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=9e321cf94d2b43b991cc5109189b2c26 

[Ben-RESA]

Thank for for sharing the service area tutorial. It was very easy to follow. What are the next steps to display that map online? Would web users be able to add points and change parameters?

[JaySandhu]

Adding on to what Melinda posted, here is what a 1000 foot service area lines and polygon with a 10 meter trim looks like using Network Analyst:

Jay Sandhu