ArcGIS Network Analyst can find the best way to get from one location to another or the best way to visit several locations. The locations can be specified interactively by placing points on the screen, by entering an address, or by using points in an existing feature class or feature layer. The best route can be determined for the order of locations as specified by the user. Alternatively, ArcGIS Network Analyst can determine the best sequence to visit the locations.
Whether finding a simple route between two locations or one that visits several locations, people usually try to take the best route. But best route can mean different things in different situations. The best route can be the quickest, shortest, or most scenic route, depending on the impedance chosen. If the impedance is time, then the best route is the quickest route. Hence, the best route can be defined as the route that has the lowest impedance, where the impedance is chosen by the user. Any valid network cost attribute can be used as the impedance when determining the best route. In the example below, the first case uses time as impedance. The quickest path is shown in blue and has a total length of 4.5 miles, which takes 8 minutes to traverse, was shown in Figure 2.17 (http://webhelp.esri.com, online, 2012).