🧭 Automated Route Analysis Model
How can complex delivery route optimization be automated to save time and reduce human error? Which geoprocessing tools in ArcGIS Pro can be chained together to create a reusable routing system for 25 stores?
This project aimed to automate the optimization of a delivery route connecting 25 stores across the San Francisco Bay Area. To avoid the 30 minutes of manual calculations and reduce human error, an automated, reusable ModelBuilder workflow was designed in ArcGIS Pro that generates the fastest route in under two minutes and can adapt to different datasets or logistics scenarios.
The model was built in ArcGIS Pro 3 by chaining seven Network Analyst tools into a seamless workflow. The Streets_ND network dataset was integrated as a variable so the system could switch between local data, ArcGIS Online, or ArcGIS Enterprise, depending on coverage and credit-consumption needs. Using the Make Route Analysis Layer tool, the key setting was enabling "Find best order", which allows the solver to automatically reorder stops to minimize total travel time.
The 25 store points were added with Add Locations, ensuring proper network connectivity. The Solve tool then executed the analysis using Dijkstra's algorithm to evaluate all possible stop sequences and produce the optimized route. The Routes sublayer was extracted with Select Data and exported as a final feature class using Copy Features. To prevent data buildup during repeated runs, the model included automated cleanup through Delete Network Analysis Layer.
Three parameters—Store Locations, Streets_ND, and Output Feature Class—were published, allowing users to run the model with new inputs or network sources without modifying the workflow. The resulting tool can now be executed from the Geoprocessing pane by non-GIS users, enabling repeatable weekly delivery planning and consistent QA documentation.
The results demonstrated clear operational improvements.The "Find best order" algorithm achieved 18-23% reduction in total travel distance compared to sequential order. The parameterized model scales to 25, 50, 100+ stores without redesign and adapts across different geographic regions and travel priorities. The model is made accessible to non-GIS users through simple parameter input, enabling reproducible weekly delivery planning. Flexible network data source options enable switching to ArcGIS Online for real-time traffic integration and seamless upgrades to ArcGIS Enterprise for organizational scalability.
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