Post date: Sep 16, 2014 7:36:13 PM
Isochrones are lines of equal travel times. They serve to connect points on a map which something occurs or arrives at the same time. Isochrones have been used in mobility studies to understand time-parameterized networks. In this context, given a starting point and a defined amount time, an isochrone map will show destinations reachable from the starting point within the given time frame.
Through the use of an Application Program Interface (API) and a few lines of code, one can create a simplistic isochrone map. An example of this using the Google Maps API can be seen below.
With database of historical speed profiles and a sophisticated algorithm, groups have developed much more elaborate isochrone mapping applications. One of such applications is called Isoscope created by an urban mobility class at the University of Applied Sciences in Potsdam Germany. Featured below are some images from the application.
A 6 minute isochrone map originating from the Rialto in Venice, Italy.
The dark blue indicates travel time by foot.
A 6 minute isochrone map originating from the center of Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) in Worcester, MA.
The dark blue indicates travel time by foot and the light blue by car.