Maximal Coverage Location Problem

The maximal covering location problem was first introduced by Church and ReVelle in 1973 at the North American Regional Science Council meetings and subsequently published in Papers in Regional Science (formerly Papers of the Regional Science Association) in 1974. It has proven to be a seminal contribution to location analysis and modeling, in terms of both technical merit and practical significance. With more than 1,500 citations in the academic literature, it has truly stood the test of time and may actually be as relevant or more so today than when it was first presented/published. Not only is it the subject of broad application and extension, but it has also been integrated in a number of geographic information system–based commercial software packages, including ArcGIS and TransCAD, for general use. This article provides an overview of the maximal covering location problem, highlighting the use, application, solution, evolution, and extension of this important location analytic approach.