Create equally spaced transects perpendicular to a line feature in ArcGIS Pro

Summary

In some cases, it is necessary to derive information from equally spaced transects perpendicular to a main line feature (roads, pipelines, rivers). For example, to study the distribution of amphibians along a coastal swamp, or to determine the water velocity along a river. In ArcMap, transects are created using multiple geoprocessing tools, as detailed in How To: Create equally spaced transects perpendicular to a line feature in ArcMap. In ArcGIS Pro, transects are created using the Generate Transects Along Lines tool.

The image below shows a 3000-meter portion of the Middle Fork Kaweah River in Sequoia National Park, California. The effect of changing river velocity on soil composition is examined by studying the soil composition at transects along the river at regular intervals.

Procedure

Use the following steps to create equally spaced transects perpendicular to a line feature in ArcGIS Pro:

1. In ArcGIS Pro, create a line feature class. Refer to ArcGIS Pro: Get started editing for more information.

Note:
Unlike in ArcMap, creating transects in ArcGIS Pro does not require the creation of a route feature class. It is possible to create transects using a simple line feature class (without M-values and the route identifier field).

2. Drag the line feature class from the Catalog pane onto the map.
3. Create a main line feature by tracing a portion of an existing feature, which in this example is the Middle Fork Kaweah River. Name the line feature River_velocity.
4. In the Geoprocessing pane, search and open the Generate Transects Along Lines tool.
5. Configure and run the Generate Transects Along Lines tool.
   1. In Input Features, specify the line feature as River_velocity.
   2. In Distance Between Transects, specify the distance between two transect lines as 200 Meters.
   3. In Transect Length, specify the overall length of one transect line. Half of this length extends from the input line to each side of the input line. In this example, it is 100 Meters.
   4. Check the Generate transects at line start and end option to include the transects at both ends.

The image below shows equally spaced transects perpendicular to the line feature, River_velocity, at 200 meters intervals.