Spatial Analysis
Due to the many technical problems I encountered (and doing most of my HTML in Notepad--shameless plug, I know), I was only able to do four separate maps. I performed an analysis for each bridge because I usually decide on what route to take in the morning by traffic reports telling me about stalls on the bridges. I don't know why stalls always seem to happen on the bridges, but they do.
I focused on the commute to SFU instead of the commute home because I am usually more concerned about being late for school than I am about being late to get home (no one makes me dinner anymore anyways).
Shortest Route from Home to SFU via the Alex Fraser Bridge
This route is only slightly different from my preferred late morning route. The route that Network Analyst chose through New Westminster is through mostly residential areas that are speed control (that means HUGE speed bumps).
The total distance of this route is 41 kilometers. This is the longest route.
Shortest Route from Home to SFU via the Patullo Bridge
This route is similar to my preferred early morning route, but with two major differences. First, this route turns off of King George Highway onto Old Yale Road, which it follows down to Scott Road. I almost always take the King George Highway in the morning, and have occasionally taken Scott Road, but I have never taken Old Yale Road. This is the kind of new information I was hoping to obtain with this project. The second major difference occurs after exiting the Patullo Bridge. My usual route takes me further into New Westminster up McBride, but the Network Analyst route exits onto Columbia. Most of the routes that I played around with using Network Analyst preferred to take North Road instead of Cariboo. I have recently begun to prefer the North Road route over Cariboo as well.
The total distance of this route is 36 kilometers. This is the shortest route.
Shortest Route from Home to SFU via the Port Mann Bridge
I rarely take any route that brings me to the Port Mann Bridge, unless it is extremely late at night--and even then there can be traffic back-ups. I might try this route someday if I get up really early in the morning (as if that will ever happen).
The total distance of this route is 38 kilometers. That is much shorter than I thought it was to take that route.
Fastest Route from Home to SFU (no bridge preference)
This route is almost identical to the route I take during late morning or early morning commutes. The only difference is where it cuts off up 8th to meet Cariboo. The time calculated to take this route is 36 minutes. I have done a commute this fast, but it was very early in the morning. This calculation assumes that I run into no red lights, run every stop sign, and corner right at the speed limit. An amazingly accurate representation of the truth if I am in a hurry. An actual commute taking this route averages around 47 minutes.