Placepoint

Line measurement

Line measurement is a measuring tool that lets you draw a line between two or more points on the map and read off the distance in metres or kilometres. It is a basic GIS function found in most map services, both public ones such as Norgeskart from Kartverket and Geonorge, and commercial solutions.

The distance calculated is map distance: a straight line on the map projection, not the actual walking or driving distance along a road. Over short stretches the projection error matters little, but over longer distances you need to be aware that a geodetic distance (following the curvature of the earth) is more precise. Norwegian map services normally use UTM or Web Mercator in the map grid, and the distance measurement gives plane distance in metres.

In property analysis, line measurement is used to assess the distance to a public transport stop, to a sea or watercourse boundary (central to the 100-metre belt under the Planning and Building Act section 1-8), neighbouring buildings, the building line along a road, cultural heritage sites and nature types. If the distance along a road needs to be calculated more precisely, measurement is combined with route data from Nasjonal vegdatabank (NVDB). The shoreline and water line are taken from Kartverket and NVE. The geodata is available free of charge under Norsk lisens for offentlige data (NLOD).

In Placepoint, line measurement sits in the analysis toolbox in the map interface. You click a start point, point onwards, and get a running distance as you draw. Composite lines are added up, so you can quickly measure along a walking route or around a planning area without leaving the platform.

How it looks in Placepoint

In Placepoint you will find this in the map interface:

Line measurement in Placepoint

From Placepoint's dictionary: Line measurement

More information: Kartverket: Norgeskart, Geonorge: maps and geodata, Statens vegvesen: NVDB, Lovdata: the Planning and Building Act section 1-8

English: Line measurement (map distance tool).

Common questions we come across

What is line measurement in map tools?

Line measurement is a measuring tool in map platforms that lets you measure the distance between two or more points directly on the map. It is a useful tool when you want a quick estimate of the distance to a road, public transport or neighbouring boundaries.

How do I use the line measurement tool in Placepoint?

You use the line measurement tool in Placepoint by clicking a start point and dragging to the end point you want. Placepoint shows the running distance in metres or kilometres and calculates the total distance for composite lines.

When is line measurement useful in property analysis?

Line measurement is particularly useful for assessing distances to stops, roads, neighbouring buildings, the shore zone or nature areas. These factors affect development options and planning conditions.

What is the difference between line measurement and road distance?

Line measurement measures the straight-line distance (as the crow flies) between points on the map. The actual road distance will be longer and should be checked separately. For walking time, the distance to a stop along a footpath and cycle path is more relevant.

What is the 100-metre belt, and how does line measurement help with it?

The Planning and Building Act section 1-8 prohibits, as a general rule, measures within a 100-metre zone along the sea and watercourses. Line measurement lets you quickly check whether a planned location falls within this belt by measuring from the shoreline to the site directly on the map.