Viewer comments point out two things I'd missed in Springvalley's farm district: rocks sitting in the middle of roads, and the whole area being one huge cul-de-sac. I clear the rocks with Move It and give the area a second exit with proper lane changes. A cargo train terminal replaces a useless rail warehouse, warehouse traffic is separated, and an elevated roundabout goes into the industrial area. Half-empty silos are deleted. The city passes 51,000, and a forestry district gets renamed after a viewer's suggestion.
What happens in this episode
The farm district from Episode 20 still jams. Two viewers left great suggestions in the comments, so this episode starts with those. Another longtime viewer asked me to rename one of my industries, so Myrtlewoods becomes Ramasaki Industry. The woodworking industry will move soon anyway, so the name will come to life in a new place. Renaming districts makes the city personal. Send me your names!
How it was built
Rocks in the road
The first tip: rocks lying in the roads. Rocks sat at intersections and right in the middle of Chapman Street. I’d never paid attention to that detail. I removed every one I could find with Move It, plus an unnecessary storage building and a tree.
The area was a cul-de-sac
The second tip: the whole industrial area is one huge cul-de-sac. I hadn’t even thought of that. So it gets a second exit:
- Start with an outgoing connection.
- Give vehicles about three nodes to change lanes.
- Set lane arrows with TM:PE. Shift + S shows what the game suggests as a starting point.
Far more trucks used it than I expected.
A cargo terminal and a post office
I tried a rail warehouse near the tracks, levelling the ground with the landscaping tool, but it wasn’t used. It was replaced by a cargo train terminal. A post office goes in because the last episode had lots of mail coming from out of town. Tracks crossing too close together made trains block each other, and moving them a tiny bit helped. A new on-ramp was added, with lane management redone.
Separating the warehouse traffic
Traffic to the warehouses and silos is separated with an extra road. The barn and a few silos go, and the bakery moves so the flour mill and bakery sit better. A one-way forces a small detour, which is one of the few good reasons for a one-way. I wish I could ban pedestrians for a whole district.
An elevated roundabout
One intersection kept piling up, so the industrial area gets an elevated roundabout. It’s not beautiful, but traffic suddenly ran smoother. The standard intersections are almost never set up properly for lanes, which is why I usually rebuild them. I also shortened some connections, so cars get more distance to choose their lane. That cleared far more traffic than I thought.
Fewer silos
Several grain silos were half empty, so I deleted some to reduce truck trips. Springvalley has 51,000 citizens and 9 of 25 tiles. Next up is the new Ramasaki Industry district, with an interchange to lead traffic up there.
Video chapters
- 00:00Viewer tips and a district rename
- 04:07Rocks in the road and a huge cul-de-sac
- 08:15A second exit and a rail depot
- 12:32A post office and a cargo terminal
- 16:57Trains over trains
- 21:36Lane management on the new ramp
- 25:53Separating warehouse traffic
- 29:59Moving the bakery
- 34:03Forcing a detour with a one-way
- 38:29An elevated roundabout
- 47:07Shorter links, more room for lane changes
- 52:20Fewer silos and 51,000 citizens
Clicking a chapter starts the video above at that point.
FAQ
Can rocks on roads cause traffic problems?
Yes. Decorative rocks left on junctions or in the middle of a street can block vehicles. Delete them with Move It wherever you find them.
Why is a cul-de-sac industry area a problem?
If an industry area only has one way in and out, every truck uses the same junction. A second exit spreads the load and removes detours.
How many nodes do vehicles need to change lanes?
I give them about three nodes after a ramp to change lanes, then set lane arrows so they stick to the right lane before the next junction.