Using Arcmap 10.5.1, I need to buffer a line feature class with varying buffer widths, according to the values in one of the feature class attributes. The buffer ends must be flat.
When the line (or portions of it) are straight, the buffering works well, as in this hand-drawn representation:
However, when the line bends, the resulting buffers have an overlap on the inside of the curve, and a gap on the outside:
The overlaps and gaps are a problem. The output feature class must have the overlaps reduced to a single polygon and the the gaps filled in.
I can flatten the overlaps to single polygons using a combination of unioning and dissolving. However, I do not know how to fill in the gaps with new polygons. I'm envisioning one possible solution with the following graphic; the grey areas represent the "fill-in" polygons:
I have thousands of such lines, so hand editing is out. Any thoughts on how to create polygons in the gaps?