Last Updated: December 1, 2025
You can create walkshed maps and walk rings using mapping software. A walkshed map (also called walk-time rings or walking service areas) shows how far someone can travel on foot within a set amount of time from one or more starting points. Walksheds are useful for measuring pedestrian access to stores, transit stops, schools, parks, and other facilities. In Maptitude, you can create walksheds with the Drive-Time Rings tool by setting walking speeds for streets, giving you a realistic view of walkable coverage. This guide walks you through creating a walkshed map and adjusting walking speeds for your study area.
Table of Contents
1. Download Maptitude and Create a Map
Step 1: Download Software and Create a Map
- Download and install a free trial of Maptitude mapping software, or use your own licensed copy of Maptitude.
- Use the Create-a-Map Wizard to create a map of your area of interest.
- Add or import your starting locations as a point layer (for example, stores, schools, or transit stops). If needed, you can import points from a spreadsheet using File > Import.
Step 2: Create Walk-Time Rings
Use Drive-Time Rings to generate walk-time rings based on the street network.
- Go to Tools > Routing & Directions > Drive-Time Rings.
- In the Drive-Time Rings dialog, click Settings (or Options) and open the Driving Speeds tab.
- Set Speed Adjustment Mode to Target Speeds, then check the road classes you want to use for walking.
- Set major and secondary highways to 0 MPH so they are excluded from walking routes.
- Set Arterial Roads and Local Roads to a walking speed (for example, 3 MPH). Step 3 explains how to choose speeds.
- Click OK to return to the Drive-Time Rings dialog.
- In the Create section, enter how many walk-time rings you want and the time for each ring.
- Example: 3 rings of 5 minutes creates 5-, 10-, and 15-minute walksheds.
- Example: 1 ring of 10 minutes creates a single 10-minute walkshed.
- (Optional) Check Label Rings to display ring times on the map.
- Click OK to generate the walksheds. A new layer (typically named Drive-Time Rings) is added to the Display Manager.
Step 3: Adjust Walking Speeds
Walking speed varies between cities and populations, so it’s a good idea to choose speeds that match your analysis. A typical walking speed is about 3 MPH, but you may want slower speeds (2–2.5 MPH) for steep terrain or accessibility studies.
- To change speeds, reopen Tools > Routing & Directions > Drive-Time Rings, click Settings/Options, and adjust the values on the Driving Speeds tab.
- Click OK to save your changes, then run Drive-Time Rings again to recreate walksheds using the updated speeds.
Step 4: Tips and Troubleshooting
Use these tips to refine your walksheds and solve common issues.
- Create walksheds for multiple locations: Select several points and run the tool to create a separate walkshed for each location.
- Make rings easier to compare: Use the display manager to adjust colors, outlines, and transparency.
- Rings look too large or too small: Recheck your walking speeds in Settings/Options > Driving Speeds. Also confirm your map units (MPH vs km/h).
- Some streets don’t appear walkable: Certain road classes may be excluded from routing. Review avoidances in the Drive-Time Rings settings or adjust which road classes are enabled for walking.
Conclusion
Walkshed maps in Maptitude provide a clear, network-based picture of pedestrian access. By creating walk-time rings and adjusting walking speeds, you can model real-world walking conditions and evaluate how easily people can reach key destinations. Whether you are analyzing transit access, service coverage, or neighborhood walkability, walksheds are a fast and powerful way to support data-driven decisions.