🧭 Shortest Path Optimization - Canadian Airports
In this scenario, the goal is to identify the shortest route between two remote northern Canadian communities: Coppermine in the Northwest Territories and Kangiqsualujjuaq in Nunavik (Northern Quebec). How can the optimal path between these distant locations be determined?
Many thanks to Esri Canada for generously providing the foundational training data used in this project. The dataset includes airport locations and existing flight path information. It is important to note that this data has been significantly modified for educational purposes and does not represent actual air travel routes or real-world aviation data.
In this project, a network routing challenge is tackled to determine the most efficient path between two remote locations: Coppermine and Kangiqsualujjuaq. The objective is to identify the shortest possible route using real geographic data and ArcGIS Network Analyst tools.
To accomplish this, a network dataset is built from publicly available Canadian air transport data. This involves importing airport locations and existing flight paths into ArcGIS Pro, then structuring them into a connected network using Python. With the arcpy.na.CreateNetworkDataset() function, a routable network is created, and with arcpy.na.BuildNetwork(), it is activated to recognize all possible connections.
Next, the Route Solver from ArcGIS Network Analyst is used to calculate the optimal path. Coppermine is defined as the starting point and Kangiqsualujjuaq as the destination. The solver analyzes all possible routes, comparing distances and connections, and returns the shortest path along with key travel information such as total distance and recommended sequence of travel.
This approach demonstrates how geospatial technology can be used to solve real-world routing challenges—whether for transportation planning, logistics, or emergency response. The same method can be applied to road networks, shipping routes, or even hiking trails, providing a reliable and automated way to support navigation and decision-making.
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