🎯 Learning Objectives
- Understand the difference between Euclidean Distance and Network Distance.
- Build or use a Network Dataset with impedance (Time/Speed Limits).
- Calculate Service Areas (e.g., 5, 10, 15-minute drive times).
- Perform Location-Allocation to choose the most efficient facility locations.
📂 Scenario: The Golden Hour
In emergency medicine, the "Golden Hour" is the critical period for trauma patients. You are analyzing ambulance coverage in Harris County. Which neighborhoods are outside the 10-minute response zone?
lab08_network.zip
Contains: Streets_Network.gdb, Hospitals.shp, Population_Blocks.shp
🛠️ Step-by-Step Instructions
Select your preferred GIS platform to view instructions:
Create Network Analysis Layer
1. Go to Analysis tab > Network Analysis > Service Area.
2. Ensure your Streets_Network is the active network data source.
3. A new group layer "Service Area" appears in Contents.
Load Facilities
1. In the Service Area tab, click Import Facilities.
2. Input Locations: Hospitals.
3. Run. The hospitals are now "Facilities" in the network solver.
Solve Polygons
1. In the Service Area tab settings, set Cutoffs to: 5, 10, 15 (Minutes).
2. Direction: Away from Facilities.
3. Click Run.
4. Result: Colorful polygons showing how far an ambulance can drive in each time window.
✅ Submission & Assessment
To complete this lab, you must submit:
- Service Area Map: Showing the 5, 10, and 15-minute zones centered on hospitals.
- Gap Analysis: A paragraph describing which neighborhoods are OUTSIDE the 15-minute zone (Service Gaps).
- Population Count: How many people live in the "Gap" areas? (Use Select by Location or Intersection).