Quick Start Guide: Map

Learn the basics about using the Map in Transect.

Transect’s Map tool makes it easy to find suitable sites for your renewable energy projects. In this article, we’ll review how the Map functionality can help you pinpoint and de-risk project locations.

In this article, you'll learn how to:

• Start a New Project
• Navigate the Map
• Review Map Layers
• Order a Report from the Map

Getting Started

The Map can be accessed by selecting Map from the top navigation bar or by clicking Open Map from the Dashboard. Within the Map, you can use your mouse to zoom in and out, or click and drag to specific areas. You can also right-click to populate additional details about that area.

Starting a New Project

Within the "Start a new project" modal, you can locate an area of interest by uploading a KML, drawing a boundary, or by using the Parcel Filter. If you've already identified your area of interest, you can use the search field in the upper right-corner to locate that area by address, coordinates, or APN.

Navigating the Map

You can navigate the Map using your mouse or the right-side toolbar. From the toolbar you can complete the following actions:

1. Search: Search for ideal project sites using an address, APN, or coordinates.
2. Export: Export your drawn polygons to a KML file.
3. Zoom: Use the +/- icons to zoom in and out on the Map. You can also zoom using the scroll bar on your mouse.
4. Ruler: Measure the distance between points with the ruler. Simply click on the Map to add a vector, then click again to measure the distance between points.
5. Print: Download a PDF of your current map view for easy reference.
6. Full screen: Click to view Transect in full screen. To exit, click the icon again or use the ESC key.
7. Trash: Delete drawn items (polygons/lines) from the Map.

Reviewing Map Layers 

The Map provides various layers that can help you de-risk and visualize potential impacts within your area of interest. Within the “Layers” modal, you can check or uncheck boxes to add or remove a layer from view. To learn more about a layer, select the down arrow to the right of the layer name:

From here, you can adjust the opacity of the layer, add labels to the map, and view both the legend and the layer description.