Creating a new route within a network dataset and creating a route layer than uses that new route

[EmmaButzler]

I know how to create a new route by adding a new line segment to existing roads and making sure they are connected correctly. I was able to successfully add another route. What I want to do is create a ne route layer that then uses that new route i proposed. 

Is there a way i can create a route layer and specify the route segment i want to be included in the route layer. 

[DavidPike]

I think you'd need to rebuild the Network Dataset.

[MelindaMorang]

I think what you're asking is how to force a route analysis to use the new street you added to your network dataset.  Is that correct?

The Route solver will always find the least-cost path between points, meaning that it minimizes the cost attribute used by the travel mode.  There's no option to force it to use a particular road.  It will use the road if doing so minimizes the overall travel cost.

However, you could add barriers to the route to make other potential routes through the network impossible and thereby force the route to use the new road.

[EmmaButzler]

Thanks for the response. I wonder if i add stops along the route that i want to create I will make the route have to choose that route as well. The idea is that someone can have a route based on the current network but if you decide to add a road, it will return the time saved or spent by travelling on that new road. 

[MelindaMorang]

Yes, you could also strategically use stops to force a route to use the new road.

If your goal is to see how the new road impacts travel times from origins to destinations, though, it would be better to NOT force the solver to use the new road.  If you want an accurate picture of whether the new road is valuable, you can check the results to see whether it's been chosen as the optimal path from A to B.  If not, then the new road isn't actually improving travel times.

[EmmaButzler]

Melinda,

That is a good point. My overall goal is for my client to create a "Time Savings" tool to compare the current route to a hypothetical route. So even if that route would be slower, that information would still be valuable to the client.