Modelling Accessibility

In this example scenario, I was tasked to model accessibility of hospitals in Singapore. I was provided with a pre-generated Network Dataset based on OpenStreetMap’s data and the locations of hospitals in Singapore.

1. Route Analysis

Route analysis allows me to generate the shortest route from one point to another. In this case, if one hospital is at full capacity, this tool can inform me of the nearest hospital and how to get there. I added a 'new route' under Network Analyst and loaded the locations of the hospitals. This allowed me to generate the least cost route from one hospital to another using the network data of roads in Singapore. Depending on the data available, cost or impedence could refer to distance, time or fuel costs.

2. Service Area Analysis

Creating a Euclidean buffer around the hospitals would not be an adequate analysis of the service area of the hospitals, as the hospitals may not be accessible. Hospitals that are close by Euclidean distances (straight line distances) may not be the closest if the roads are winding around it instead of leading directly to it. Hence, service area analysis based on network data is used to model the service area of hospitals.

Using the 'service area' tool in Network Analyst, I could add the existing hospitals as 'facilities' and creating a service area coverage of 5 minutes, 10 minutes and 15 minutes from the hospitals.

This tool is important in informing planning - in order to decide where to build a new hospital to increase Singapore's hospital coverage.

References

GE3238 Lab 1 Manual by NUS Geography Department