Included in this tutorial:

Accessing the Make a Service Area Analysis Layer tool
Make Service Area Analysis Layer parameters and options
Running the tool and examining the results, including the sublayers and analysis layer properties

Software version in examples: ArcGIS Pro 3.0.0

Tutorial Data: The tutorial includes demonstration with the Network Tutorial Data available here.

Credits: L. Meisterlin with Varisa Tanti and Nikolas Michael (2022)

A service area calculates the region to or from a point when measured along a network. In ArcGIS, a service area is calculated through a Service Area Analysis Layer. This tutorial demonstrates using the Make Service Area Analysis Layer tool.

Related Tutorials:

For more on network analysis layers in ArcGIS Pro, see Working with Network Analysis Layers, Adding Locations to a Network Analysis Layer, and Solving a Network Analysis Layer.
This tool requires the Network Analyst Extension in ArcGIS Pro. To verify that you have the Network Analyst Extension, see Which Esri Extensions Is My Software Licensed to Use?

Accessing the Make a Service Area Analysis Layer tool

Access the Make Service Area Analysis Layer tool by clicking the Geoprocessing toolbox in the main ribbon, and clicking through Network Analysis Tools > Analysis > Make Service Area Analysis Layer. You can also search for “Make Service Area Analysis Layer” in the search bar.

accessing the Make Service Area Analysis Layer tool

Make Service Area Analysis Layer Parameters & Options

In the Make Service Area Analysis Layer dialogue box, you will see several fields (some of which require expanding the option toggles). These are described briefly below.

the Standard Inputs

Network Data Source: The network dataset or service on which the network analysis will be performed. By default this option is pre-populated to use Esri’s online street network dataset, which will consume geoprocessing credits. Use the drop-down menu or the browse button (yellow folder icon) to select your own network dataset.
Layer Name: The name of the network analysis layer to be created.
Travel Mode: The type of travel mode to use in the analysis. Travel mode options are defined by the network dataset source. (You can access or change your network dataset’s travel modes in its properties.) If specific travel modes are not defined within the network dataset (if, for example, it is built for only measuring distance along the network as in the example above), then this option will be blank.
Travel Direction: Specifies the direction of travel as to or from the facilities. The default option is to calculate service area distances moving away from facility locations.
Cutoffs: Specify a minimum of one service area distance to measure, in the units defined by the travel mode. In the screenshot example above, the travel cost is distance measured in feet. You can add more cutoff values (or remove some).

Additional Options

Expand the toggles beneath the list of standard inputs to access additional parameters.

Time of Day and Time Zone: If, for example, your network dataset models different traffic conditions or transit schedules, you can use these parameters to establish the date and time for which to generate service areas.
Output Geometry: The options listed under “output geometry” allow you to choose the results of the service area analysis generated by the new analysis layer.

Output Type: Specify the type of output to be generated. The options are Polygons, Lines (generated along the network, from the facility to the cutoff distance), or Polygons and Lines.
Polygon Detail: Specify the precision of results. Options include Standard, Generalized, or High.
Geometry at Overlaps: Specify the rules which this analysis layer will use if and when generated service areas overlap with one another (if, for example, service areas are generated from multiple nearby facility locations). The options include allowing the overlap, dissolving overlapping service area features, or splitting the overlapping service area features (such that service areas will be limited to the area closest to each facility and never overlap with one another).
Geometry at Cutoffs: Specify the rules which this analysis layer will use if and when generating service areas at multiple cutoff values simultaneously. The options include Rings (which creates service areas at the distances between cutoff distance) and Disks (which creates service areas from the facility location to each cutoff distance). Put another way: Larger disks overlap with the smaller-cutoff disks; Rings do not.
Polygon Trim Distance: In instances where network edges are isolated from others (for example, a solitary rural road), this parameter specifies how far from the edge the service area polygon should extend around it. This distance is given in the units of the network dataset’s CRS.

Locations > Ignore Invalid Locations at Solve Time: Specify whether to ignore any invalid facility locations when the analysis is solved (and thus completing the analysis without them).

Examining the Results

The tool results is an empty service area analysis layer added to the map project. It will be visible in the Contents panel.

the Sublayers

Its sublayers include Facilities, Polygons, Lines, Point Barriers, Line Barriers, and Polygon Barriers. The symbology colors in the example screenshot may be different than yours.

These sublayers are empty until locations are added to them (and thus will not be visible on the map).

The Facilities, Point Barriers, Line Barriers, and Polygon Barriers can each accept locations (using the Add Locations tool).

The Polygons and Lines sublayers will contain the temporary outputs (the service areas) once the analysis is solved. To save these

Accessing and Changing Service Area Analysis Layer Properties

Many of the service area analysis layer properties and settings can be edited or changed (after the service area anlaysis layer has been created) from the “Service Area Layer” tab in the main menu ribbon.

the Service Area Layer tab in the main menu ribbon

Additionally, many of the service area analysis layer settings established with the Make Service Area Analysis Layer tool can be accessed and changed within the layer’s properties.

Like any other layer in the Contents panel, the service area analysis layer’s properties can be accessed by right-clicking on the layer’s name in the Contents panel, and clicking “Properties.”

Making a Service Area Analysis Layer

Accessing the Make a Service Area Analysis Layer tool