Urban Network Analysis Toolbox for ArcGIS
GIS software
Urban planning and design software
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What is Urban Network Analysis Toolbox for ArcGIS
Urban Network Analysis (UNA) Toolbox for ArcGIS is an extension for Esri ArcGIS Desktop that adds network-based urban analysis tools for evaluating accessibility and spatial relationships along street networks. It is used by urban planners, designers, and researchers to measure metrics such as reach, gravity, betweenness, and straightness for points and street segments. The toolbox is typically applied to scenarios like walkability analysis, access to amenities, and evaluating the network effects of proposed developments. It differentiates from general-purpose web mapping tools by focusing on urban network metrics within the ArcGIS geoprocessing workflow.
ArcGIS geoprocessing integration
The toolbox runs inside ArcGIS Desktop and fits into standard ArcGIS geoprocessing and data management workflows. Users can work directly with common GIS datasets (e.g., street centerlines and point layers) without moving analysis to a separate platform. Outputs can be stored as GIS feature classes and joined back to other layers for mapping and reporting. This is useful for teams already standardized on ArcGIS for spatial analysis.
Urban network metrics included
UNA provides purpose-built measures used in urban analytics, including reach, gravity, betweenness, and straightness. These metrics support questions about access to destinations, likely movement corridors, and network centrality at multiple radii. The focus on network-based measures makes it suitable for planning and design studies where Euclidean buffers are insufficient. Results can be compared across scenarios when inputs and parameters are held constant.
Scenario and radius analysis
The toolbox supports analysis across different distance thresholds and impedance assumptions, which is common in walk/bike/transit accessibility studies. Users can test how results change when adding or removing destinations, changing network connectivity, or adjusting search radii. This enables iterative planning workflows where alternatives are evaluated quantitatively. It complements mapping-centric GIS products by emphasizing repeatable, parameterized analysis.
Requires Esri ArcGIS Desktop
UNA is not a standalone product; it depends on an ArcGIS Desktop environment and compatible licensing. Organizations that primarily use browser-based GIS or non-Esri stacks may face additional cost and setup effort. This dependency can also limit deployment to users who have local desktop installations. Fit-for-purpose use typically assumes existing ArcGIS data governance and administration.
Desktop-centric deployment model
Because it is designed for desktop workflows, scaling analyses to many users or automating them as shared services may require additional GIS infrastructure and scripting. Collaboration features are largely those of the underlying ArcGIS environment rather than the toolbox itself. Teams seeking lightweight sharing, embedded web apps, or turnkey APIs may find the workflow less direct. Operationalizing results for non-GIS stakeholders often requires extra packaging and publishing steps.
Data preparation can be significant
Network-based metrics are sensitive to street network quality, connectivity, and topology, so inputs often need cleaning and validation. Analysts may need to standardize travel assumptions (e.g., one-way restrictions, barriers, or pedestrian-only links) to avoid misleading outputs. Interpreting centrality-style measures also requires methodological care to match metrics to planning questions. These factors can increase analysis time compared with simpler mapping or buffer-based approaches.
Plan & Pricing
| Plan | Price | Key features & notes |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | Distributed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0); downloadable ZIP includes toolbox (.tbx), help (UNA_help_v1_1.pdf), license file and source; requires ArcGIS Desktop (ArcMap) 10 / 10.1 / 10.2 and the ArcGIS Network Analyst extension; licensed for non-commercial use. |
