Is the stupid traffic AI finally fixed a or mod that does it?

[¯\_(ツ)_/¯]

I enjoy the game but last time I've played it the traffic management was a PITA because the stupid traffic AI in this game causes vehicles to line up in a single lane of a road with no matter how many lanes. So no matter how much lanes there are, the aweful routing AI caused traffic jams by lining the vehicles all up on one lane.

[onezerorising]

The basic AI hasn't changed. There is this
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=583429740
which can help I suppose, but it will impact performance.

The point is, if you zone your city and lay your roads in such a way that the traffic all wants to use a particular road, multiple lanes won't solve the basic problem. You can have a long single lane queue, or you can have a short six-lane queue if the AI understood overtaking. Either way you have a jam, and not because the AI is awful.

[Reyske]

yeah, metro lines, trams, all public transport solves that issue, cable cars are op and monorails are lame, leave the streets to trucks.

[%AppData%]

ouch OUCH, monorails lame? I get they have their limitations, but they dont lame... I kinda like them. At least they get to avoid all traffic on surface (metro already takes underground). Lame? Taxis and blimps. Ferries are... middle ground.

[¯\_(ツ)_/¯]

Originally posted by onezerorising:

The basic AI hasn't changed. There is this
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=583429740
which can help I suppose, but it will impact performance.

The point is, if you zone your city and lay your roads in such a way that the traffic all wants to use a particular road, multiple lanes won't solve the basic problem. You can have a long single lane queue, or you can have a short six-lane queue if the AI understood overtaking. Either way you have a jam, and not because the AI is awful.

I'm already using a traffic manager mod, probably an older version of the one you linked.

And it's not an issue of the road layout. For example you can have a highway and even cars that don't need to leave the highway pile up in the queue instead of switching to one of the free lanes to their left. You basically propose to build traffic in a way that you don't need mutli lane roads.

I don't understand what the problem to get this fixed is. I assume the programm knows the queue on the lane and each car it's destination. Both information together would already give the required information to trigger cars that don't need to exit the next node of the traffic network but are stuck in the queue should switch to the next lane?

[onezerorising]

Originally posted by burzum:

... it's not an issue of the road layout. For example you can have a highway and even cars that don't need to leave the highway pile up in the queue instead of switching to one of the free lanes to their left. You basically propose to build traffic in a way that you don't need mutli lane roads.

Well I can build a highway that will work the way you say. But I can also build a highway that doesn't.

I don't propose to build networks that don't need multi-lane roads, but the keyword right there is need. A six-lane road that ends at a T-intersection? Center lane won't get used. A six-lane with no exits to the left? Left lane won't get used.

The only thing the basic AI doesn't understand is overtaking, and we're stuck with that, but once you realise that we are stuck with that, it's pretty easy to build multi-laned networks where most lanes get used most of the time, and all lanes get used some of the time.

The question is not whether the AI is dumb: It is. The question is whether you want to work with it, or against it.

Originally posted by burzum:

I don't understand what the problem to get this fixed is. I assume the programm knows the queue on the lane and each car it's destination. Both information together would already give the required information to trigger cars that don't need to exit the next node of the traffic network but are stuck in the queue should switch to the next lane?

The way the game works now, every vehicle spawns with a destination and a route to get there. At this point even the lane choices are predetermined.

In order for the game to dynamically recalculate optimum routes for thousands of individual vehicle agents, there would have to be a massive performance penalty. This game can already bring even quite highly specified machines to their knees. Put in that performance penalty (so that you don't have to play by the 'rules'), and pretty much everybody not running server-class hardware would be out in the cold.

[OneJasonBradly]

In every case of “Single Lane back-ups” or traffic jams, the issue is at the front of the jam. Solve that issue whatever it may be and traffic will flow again. This single lane traffic thing is a visual cue to alert you to an issue. Are they having difficulty getting off the highway? Then investigate why, at the front or the first intersection after the off-ramp or the next one. Find the very front of the issue. Don’t let the long line of vehicles distract intimidate, go to the front of it.

This clip I have a huge Single lane backup that gets solved.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1308740009
Examine the front of these line ups examine the traffic a while there. Pay attention to lane arrows on streets. Don’t just throw down roads cause vehicles need them. The game is more involved than that. I think this is the reason people think the traffic is broken.
My profile is filled with clips that show how well traffic will travel without mod help. Perhaps I have something that can help you understand.

[sweavo]

Single lane queues are an issue if it's stopped up waiting for a chance to turn left and half the people in the single lane want to turn left

[ebrumby]

Which mods were those?

[Xuhybrid]

Originally posted by KidAutism:

What we really need to do is bring back the old mods somehow. Remember back in 2017 how beautiful this game was and how smooth and perfect it was? We need to go back to those glory days. These days this game makes me pull my hair out. I just want to go back to when mods made this game a beautiful simulated heavenly paradise for your eyes to gaze upon.

There's a key distinction here. Being aware of the problem now, doesn't mean the problem didn't exist back then. You could work around the traffic but eventually at a certain size, it wouldn't matter.

[dunkelziffer]

Originally posted by OneJasonBradly:

In every case of “Single Lane back-ups” or traffic jams, the issue is at the front of the jam. Solve that issue whatever it may be and traffic will flow again. This single lane traffic thing is a visual cue to alert you to an issue. Are they having difficulty getting off the highway? Then investigate why, at the front or the first intersection after the off-ramp or the next one. Find the very front of the issue. Don’t let the long line of vehicles distract intimidate, go to the front of it.

This clip I have a huge Single lane backup that gets solved.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1308740009
Examine the front of these line ups examine the traffic a while there. Pay attention to lane arrows on streets. Don’t just throw down roads cause vehicles need them. The game is more involved than that. I think this is the reason people think the traffic is broken.
My profile is filled with clips that show how well traffic will travel without mod help. Perhaps I have something that can help you understand.

Yes, traffic jams are always caused by stuff at the front. However, if all the cars wait in a single lane instead of evenly spreading across three lanes, the traffic jam will be three times as long. And that causes further "unnecessary" traffic jams at intersections further back.

It would be best to avoid traffic jams at all, but if I can roughly predict the volume of "jammed" cars at rush hour and know the distance to the next intersection, I could in real life provide enough lanes to accomodate all these cars and prevent propagating the jam to other intersections. C:S takes this option from me.

[OneJasonBradly]

Originally posted by dunkelziffer:

Originally posted by OneJasonBradly:

In every case of “Single Lane back-ups” or traffic jams, the issue is at the front of the jam. Solve that issue whatever it may be and traffic will flow again. This single lane traffic thing is a visual cue to alert you to an issue. Are they having difficulty getting off the highway? Then investigate why, at the front or the first intersection after the off-ramp or the next one. Find the very front of the issue. Don’t let the long line of vehicles distract intimidate, go to the front of it.

This clip I have a huge Single lane backup that gets solved.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1308740009
Examine the front of these line ups examine the traffic a while there. Pay attention to lane arrows on streets. Don’t just throw down roads cause vehicles need them. The game is more involved than that. I think this is the reason people think the traffic is broken.
My profile is filled with clips that show how well traffic will travel without mod help. Perhaps I have something that can help you understand.

Yes, traffic jams are always caused by stuff at the front. However, if all the cars wait in a single lane instead of evenly spreading across three lanes, the traffic jam will be three times as long. And that causes further "unnecessary" traffic jams at intersections further back.

It would be best to avoid traffic jams at all, but if I can roughly predict the volume of "jammed" cars at rush hour and know the distance to the next intersection, I could in real life provide enough lanes to accomodate all these cars and prevent propagating the jam to other intersections. C:S takes this option from me.

I still play this game and I can say every single lane back up or "traffic jam" that has ever happened on my game or anyone else's has been repaired by me without mods. It is a lack of understanding of the game that still get folks into issues with traffic. "We need" we need, we need, a mod for this and that cause we don't want to learn. Is the bottom line after four years. It's not your fault. Most who host YouTube show the glitz and glam and never the meat and potatoes. Most who watch YouTube to learn this game get a very big shock when they learn that traffic is one the only challenges in the game and they want a mod for that too. This is a game of creativity and traffic management. It's not one OR the other but both. As for the old mods from back then, Traffic ++ never worked, ever and neither did Traffic Manager. And even now Traffic Manager's last attempt is named "Stable edition", wonder why?

Originally posted by dunkelziffer:

]

Yes, traffic jams are always caused by stuff at the front. However, if all the cars wait in a single lane instead of evenly spreading across three lanes, the traffic jam will be three times as long. And that causes further "unnecessary" traffic jams at intersections further back.

So at the intersection instead of using a single lane in that direction study the intersection and use a piece that allows more lanes so that the turners have their own lane. The pieces to do this come with the base game. Use them. I have said it before, all intersections should be considered custom for they handle a specific collection of vehicles using that intersection. Figure out what they need and build it for them. Everything you need comes with the base game. Even if you are like me and enjoy large volumes of traffic driving around.
As for left turners stopping Opposing traffic get the turners to do their turns somewhere else if you can.

[Rictus Erectus]

It is irritating that the AI does not fill up all the lanes that are available.
Traffic is like a liquid in a pipe. The bigger the diameter the pipe is the more volume of water you get for a given velocity of flow. Cars being the water, diameter being the number of lanes and volume being the number of cars. Given that there are no issues at the end of the road, no bottlenecks, the cars should try to fill all the lanes to achieve a greater volume of cars through.
For instance why can't I get two two lane hwy to join to a four lane hwy filling all the lanes. No matter what I do they choose to fill opposing lanes

[jhughes]

Filling all lanes doesn't matter. If you fill all lanes to a given point.. But all the cars need to turn right at a specific intersection.. You will have 3 full lanes of traffic, 1/3 the size of the original traffic jam, all waiting to turn on a single lane.

The issue is, you are trying to send more cars to one spot than can handle that traffic. You have to fix that one underlying issue to fix the traffic jam.

Yes, the base AI calculates the full route based on distance at the beginning when it starts. TM:PE can help that in 2 ways.. One way is that it uses actual traffic congestion, as well as speed limits and distance to calculate the route. It also has an advanced setting for DLS that can dynamically change lanes for some traffic.

But none of that changes the fact that you have one cargo train station or that you created a short cut between two external cities right through your town.

This is one thing I see more than any other. External cities send traffic between themselves. Cars and trains (probably planes and ships too). But for sure trains and trucks and car traffic.

If you create a shorter / faster route than the current highway route that the external cities are using through your town or through your industrial area.. Then all that external city traffic will detour through your area.

If you understand electrical curciuts.. Think of it like a short circuit. If you create a short in the line.. The traffic will use it.

[OneJasonBradly]

Originally posted by xocolatl:

It is irritating that the AI does not fill up all the lanes that are available.
Traffic is like a liquid in a pipe. The bigger the diameter the pipe is the more volume of water you get for a given velocity of flow. Cars being the water, diameter being the number of lanes and volume being the number of cars. Given that there are no issues at the end of the road, no bottlenecks, the cars should try to fill all the lanes to achieve a greater volume of cars through.
For instance why can't I get two two lane hwy to join to a four lane hwy filling all the lanes. No matter what I do they choose to fill opposing lanes

They do fill all lanes and it does matter because filling the lanes means they get through quicker. This clip is from 2016. it is from the map River Run(comes with the game). It is a road way connecting two highways so in fact a short cut for highway traffic wanting to get to the other highway. So lots of external traffic running on this road.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=776084563

This clip I change from a two lane bi-directional road to a four lane and then to a six lane to find the road arrow set up that gives me a right turn only lane.
(@2:00 point in the clip) Watching the traffic in that spot notice they went from having only one lane to having three and they used all three immediately after it was built or changed!
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1812918486
Did you notice the six lane one way road in that clip?

This clip I show "a" reason (Not the reason but one of them) why the agents or A.I. will choose a single lane to drive upon creating a single lane back up or traffic jam. From using all six lanes of the one-way to only using one lane all because I change the type of road pieces ahead of it. The road markings or arrows are important.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1829703708
This shows a different view of the same highway
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1429565631
Highways, in this clip I take a three lane highway and expand it to four then five then a six lane and then back down to three lanes again along a length of it. There too they use all the lanes. Do they not?
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1253458639
They have rules they follow and most times odd behaviour is there to bring attention to the issue.

I don't use Traffic manager though I do use Network Extension in the event you think these clip to be rigged. I use vanilla rules.

[me22ca]

TMPE (especially 11 with personal driving styles) solves a bunch of the dumb problems where there are two lanes doing exactly the same thing and the AI uses only one of them because it's 1mm shorter.

No traffic mod will fix that one exit being a bottleneck because it's by far the best way to get to a large area that needs lots of traffic.

(Please try not to conflate the two. Lots of people complaining about the former get answers about the latter.)