[GIS] Hiding Overlapping Lines in ArcMap

arcgis-desktoparcmapcartographyoverlapping-features

I am trying to figure out the best solution to hide overlapping lines. I have a layer of polygons representing crustal plates. I have a polyline layer of fault lines that overlap some of the polygon boundaries. The fault lines are represented by dotted lines and the polygon boundaries which have solid lines are showing through the dotted lines.

How can I make the boundary lines not show through the polylines?

Currently I can either turn off the borders on the polygons which causes additional problems or I can offset the polylines which is not an accurate representation of the line.

There doesn't seem to be a solution that satisfies my client entirely. Basically the image shows a similar situation. The two blue polygons are bordered in white and the fault line in dotted black which he doesn't want to have white behind. Basically he wants to have no border where there is a dotted line which is impossible. My advise to him is to either remove the borders all together or live with the overlap. enter image description here

Best Answer

The answer is in your question.

  1. Convert polygons to lines (features to lines)
  2. Merge them with fault line
  3. Dissolve output from step 2 into single part polylines
  4. Select and delete from DISSOLVED lines that share line segment with FAULT line

RESULT:

enter image description hereenter image description here

NOTE solution applicable for topologically correct geometries, i.e. fault lines truly follow boundaries and there are no slivers/overlaps in polygon layer.

Some manual editing possible, consider fault line going up a bit from uppermost point.

Related Question