DrawRadius
Single-page mapping platform that draws drive-time isochrones, radius circles, and custom overlays on interactive maps. Built for franchise territory analysis and site selection with shareable URL state, print export via Mapbox Static Images, and OpenRouteService-powered drive-time calculations.
The Problem
Franchise operators, field sales teams, and site selection analysts need to visualize drive-time catchment areas without paying for enterprise GIS software.
Approach
Pure client-side JavaScript with Leaflet.js for the map layer. Drive-time isochrones call OpenRouteService. All map state is encoded in the URL so any view is instantly shareable. Print export uses Mapbox Static Images API for high-quality output.
Outcome
Shipped at drawradius.com across 15 sprints. Used for real franchise territory analysis.
What I Learned
URL state encoding for complex map objects requires careful compression. Naive JSON encoding bloats URLs past browser limits. Custom encoding reduced URL length by 60%.