Restrictions can be configured on a network data source such that, during an analysis, traversing roads with certain characteristics is prohibited entirely, avoided, or even preferred. For example, restrictions can be used to prevent pedestrians from walking on highways or to prevent tall trucks from traveling on roads with insufficient overhead clearance.
Restrictions can be turned on or off at solve time so that they are either obeyed or ignored for your particular analysis. The preferred method for controlling the restrictions that are used for a particular analysis is through travel modes. You can configure a travel mode with various analysis properties, including restrictions, to appropriately model the vehicle you are routing. At solve time, selecting a predefined travel mode allows you to efficiently and consistently set the restrictions and other properties that are appropriate for the mode of travel you intend to model.
A restriction attribute can be configured to have parameters with default values that can be overridden by a travel mode that uses that restriction. For example, you could add a Vehicle Height parameter to a restriction attribute. The parameter value indicates the height of the vehicle modeled in the analysis.
In all cases, a restriction attribute is configured to return a Boolean (true or false) value for each network element of the network data source. For a given network element, if the restriction returns true, it means the usage type is applied to that element during analysis for travel modes that include the restriction; false means the restriction has no impact on the particular network element being evaluated. Restrictions also have a Usage Type property that can be set to one of the following seven values:
- Prohibited
- Avoid (high)
- Avoid
- Avoid (low)
- Prefer (low)
- Prefer
- Prefer (high)
Restriction usage
The value assigned to the Usage Type property determines whether the restriction attribute prohibits, avoids, or prefers the network elements associated with it. Furthermore, the degree to which network elements are avoided or preferred can be defined by choosing High, Medium, or Low. The three sections below introduce the general restriction usages.
Prohibit network elements
The most common use of a restriction is to prohibit traversal. For example, one-way streets can be modeled with a restriction attribute so they can only be traversed from one end to another, but not in the reverse direction. Similarly, a restriction attribute on walkways can completely prohibit traversal so that the network elements identified as walkways are excluded from any route that is generated for a motorized vehicle.
Avoid network elements
Instead of prohibiting traversal on certain network elements, you may want to lessen a prohibit restriction whereby the solver avoids traversing the elements, unless it is impossible or too costly to do so. For instance, if you are routing commercial delivery vehicles and want them to avoid driving on private roads, you can use a restriction attribute and set its Usage Type property to Avoid. This way, private roads are avoided in most cases, but if a delivery happens to be on a private road, the route can still reach the destination. Also, if avoiding a private road while en route to a stop is too costly (that is, the detour around the private road is too long), the solver allows the exception and sends the vehicle through the private road.
Prefer network elements
The third type of restriction attribute usage type is a prefer restriction. Restriction attributes can be configured with a prefer usage type. Consider a truck carrying hazardous materials (hazmat). There are some roads where transporting hazmat is illegal, some where it is allowed, and some where it is preferred because an accident occurring along those roads would be easiest for emergency responders to reach and contain. You can model these rules by configuring a restriction attribute with a Usage Type value of Prohibited on roads where it is illegal to transport hazmat and configuring another restriction attribute with a Usage Type value of Prefer on roads where hazmat transport is favored. The result is that your vehicles will never be routed on prohibited roads and will tend to be routed along preferred roads.
Properties
The Restrictions tab displays the restriction attributes that are available with the network data source in the upper section, and in the lower section, properties associated with the selected restriction are displayed.
The Properties section displays how the selected restriction is configured. It lists the metadata associated with the restriction attribute and the details on how the parameters and evaluators are configured.
The following are the restriction attribute properties:
- Name—The name of the restriction attribute.
- Usage Type—The usage type of the restriction attribute. This specifies whether the restriction attribute prohibits, avoids, or prefers the network elements if the evaluator value is True.
- Parameters—These are placeholders for values that you can change for a particular analysis. They each have a meaningful default value that can be overridden when necessary.
- Evaluators—Each attribute defined in the network must provide values for each source and direction (along and against for edges) participating in the network. An evaluator assigns values for the attribute of each source and travel direction, and a default evaluator for each element is used for those sources and directions that do not have an assigned evaluator for an attribute.
Note:
The best practice for editing network attributes in a network dataset is to edit them in a project that does not include layers that use the network dataset. Some editing may be blocked on the network dataset properties dialog box if there are layers in the project that use this network dataset. It is recommended that you create a blank project, add connection to the geodatabase that contains the network dataset, and make edits in this project. When the layers using this network dataset are opened in an ArcGIS Pro session, you won't be able to add, delete, or rename a cost or a restriction attribute. This is to ensure that the network dataset schema updates succeed and that the layers using it are initialized properly when opened.
Note:
When you change any network attributes, you must build the network dataset to reestablish the connectivity, recalculate affected attributes, and update the network elements.
Create a restriction attribute
You can configure a restriction attribute to use with a travel mode. Follow the steps below to create a restriction attribute:
- Access network attributes from the Network Dataset Properties dialog box.
- Click the Restrictions tab.
- Click the Options button
in the upper right corner of the dialog box. - Click the New button
from the menu, or press Ctrl+N.A new row is added to the Restriction section.
- In the Properties section, type the name for the new restriction attribute in the Name field.
- Choose the usage type from the Usage Type drop-down list.
- If necessary, expand the Parameters section to add a new parameter.
- In the Evaluators section, assign an evaluator to the source features.
- Click the Travel Modes tab.
- Expand the Restrictions section if necessary.
The new restriction attribute is added to the list.
- Click OK.
The restriction attribute is saved to the network dataset.
Copy a restriction attribute
Follow the steps below to make a copy of the selected restriction attribute:
- Access network attributes from the Network Dataset Properties dialog box.
- Click the Restrictions tab.
- Choose a restriction attribute to copy.
- Click the Options button in the upper right corner of the dialog box.
- Click the Copy button
, or press Ctrl+Shift+N.A copy of the selected restriction attribute is created and a new row with the similar restriction name is added (For example, if you copy a restriction attribute named Oneway, a new restriction attribute with the name Oneway 2 will be added). All the properties for this new restriction attribute are inherited from the one you copied.
- Click OK to save the changes to the network dataset.
Delete a restriction attribute
Follow the steps below to delete a restriction attribute:
- Access network attributes from the Network Dataset Properties dialog box.
- On the Restrictions tab, select the restriction attribute to delete.
- Click the Options button in the upper right corner of the dialog box.
- Click the Delete button
, or press Ctrl+D.The selected restriction attribute is deleted.
Note:
If the restriction attribute is used by other travel modes or attributes, the Delete option is unavailable. To access the Delete button, remove the selected restriction attribute from all travel modes and attributes.Edit a restriction attribute
Restriction attributes can be edited to change the properties or other attributes related to the restriction. Follow the steps below to edit a restriction attribute:
- Access network attributes from the Network Dataset Properties dialog box.
- Click the Restrictions tab.
- Choose a restriction attribute to edit.
- In the Properties section, make necessary edits to the Name and Usage Type properties.
- Edit the parameters associated with the restriction attribute if necessary.
- Edit the evaluators of the restriction attribute if necessary.
- Click the Travel Modes tab.
The changes made to the restriction attribute are reflected in the Restrictions section.