What is the purpose of the [NetworkName]_Junctions feature class created with my network?

Answer

Note:
This article pertains to ArcGIS versions 8.x and 9.x only. Later versions of ArcGIS may contain different functionality, as well as different names and locations for menus, commands and geoprocessing tools.

The purpose of this feature class, also called the orphan junction feature class, is to maintain topological integrity within the geometric network.

Each edge in the network must be connected to a junction at its start and stop end points. During network building, line features that do not have points that are geometrically coincident with its endpoints will have orphan junctions added. Likewise, any snapping of endpoints along complex edge features will have orphan junctions inserted.

Orphan junction features can be removed from the network by subsuming them with standard junction features. A standard junction feature class is any point feature class that a user has added to the network. Orphan junctions can be subsumed manually or with the ‘Subsume Junctions’ and ‘Subsume Multiple Junctions’ samples provided in the ArcObjects Developer Help.