best (compact) service interchange without TMPE

[azuarc]

I've watched a lot of C:S videos in my downtime, and there's videos from folks who will tell you to use interchanges like an A4/B4 parclo, for instance. The problem with these junctions is that they break down to a really bad diamond interchange if you don't have lane control because you can't make the traffic drive where it's supposed to.

I'm trying to decide what the best general option is if I don't use Traffic Manager to control the traffic. I value flow, but also the size of the intersection. There are a TON of system interchanges on the workshop, but far fewer service interchanges, so I often either accept using a "bad" parclo or SPUI, or just building my own diamond since those can be made really tiny if you don't use long ramps. They're not great for high volume, though.

Regardless, whatever choice I make, traffic will inevitably back up *somewhere* due to the AI and left-turn behavior. Suggestions?

[MaxFX]

Perhaps you can find a design to your liking in my collection. You don't have to use them (my interchanges are quite big), but you could get some inspiration from them.

That said; Without TM:PE probably all interchanges function poorly. Even a simple Diamond Interchange functions 10 times better with some lane connections and a good timed traffic light setup...

The Milwaukee A&B interchanges for example have about the same footprint as a regular Diamond, but due to the two additional ramps they have, the traffic lights on the intersections only have two steps per cycle, where the lights on a regular Diamond would have three or four steps per cycle. Again, not possible to setup like that without TM:PE.

https://steamcommunity.com/workshop/filedetails/?id=2541418185

[MarkJohnson]

Originally posted by azuarc:

Regardless, whatever choice I make, traffic will inevitably back up *somewhere* due to the AI and left-turn behavior. Suggestions?

Your only real option is to better manage your traffic with district placement, otherwise you'll end up needing TMPE to to force traffic around.

I know of no left turn behavior. Cims use whatever lane they need. The only thing I know that uses left is the highways will favor the left lane on long distance travels to keep the other lanes free for local traffic.

Mostly, you'll need to balance your districts so your traffic stays local and walk as much as possible. Manage your freight system. You should have imports/exports as low as you can get them.

high density buildings have up to four times the cims as low density. So make sure they're in somewhat balance.

Worker ratios. you need twice as many residential as jobs.
Offices only need ~1.5 times as many residential.
zonable generic industry counts as high density, and specialized as low density.

Use all of your transportation options. They act as pseudo-outside connection within your city. Make use of passenger and freight station to teleport cims off the map from within the district.

For example, if you have a large industrial complex, use cargo trains, planes, and ships within the districts to teleport vehicles out of your district.

[azuarc]

Originally posted by MaxFX:

Without TM:PE probably all interchanges function poorly. Even a simple Diamond Interchange functions 10 times better with some lane connections and a good timed traffic light setup...

That's really sad. I tried TMPE once and it bogged down my computer. It's also way more complexity than I want most of the time. I'd literally just be using it to force turn-only lanes.

Originally posted by MarkJohnson:

I know of no left turn behavior.

I phrased that poorly. I simply meant that left turns cutting across traffic naturally cause bottlenecks, and I'm not aware of a service interchange in vanilla that doesn't have this (besides a roundabout.)

[WhiteKnight77]

You could try this one. I like it in place of a cloverleaf.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1743909444

[MaxFX]

Originally posted by azuarc:

That's really sad. I tried TMPE once and it bogged down my computer. It's also way more complexity than I want most of the time. I'd literally just be using it to force turn-only lanes.

TM:PE doesn't require a strong computer unless you enable all kinds of options this mod provides.

Options like 'Dynamic Lane Selection', 'Enable more realistic parking' and increasing the simulation accuracy tend to ask quite a lot of your processor.

The use of TM:PE functions provided by the little menu from its UI, like 'lane connections', 'priority signs', 'parking restrictions', etc. do not ask a lot of extra computing power.

Perhaps you should try again with the mod enabled, but not with the options as mentioned above enabled.

[MarkJohnson]

Originally posted by azuarc:

Originally posted by MarkJohnson:

I know of no left turn behavior.

I phrased that poorly. I simply meant that left turns cutting across traffic naturally cause bottlenecks, and I'm not aware of a service interchange in vanilla that doesn't have this (besides a roundabout.)

I find most fast lane changing happening from not using on/off ramps (i.e. using multi-lane roads) to connect to highways or road nodes being too close together, so the lane switch happens quickly or sometimes not all from too little space/time to switch. TMPE's lane control is needed in a lot of interchanges from these issues.

[MaxFX]

Originally posted by MarkJohnson:

I find most fast lane changing happening from not using on/off ramps (i.e. using multi-lane roads) to connect to highways or road nodes being too close together, so the lane switch happens quickly or sometimes not all from too little space/time to switch. TMPE's lane control is needed in a lot of interchanges from these issues.

Indeed, applying lane mathematics results in dedicated turning lanes (visible by the road arrows).

Besides the collection I linked in my previous post, I've also made the following collection (linked below). It contains various interchanges where lane mathematics are applied. No mods needed, perhaps an additional road asset now and then. They're a lot smaller compared with the interchanges from the collection I linked earlier. Perhaps you'll find something to your liking: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2437530104

[joeball123]

Originally posted by WhiteKnight77:

You could try this one. I like it in place of a cloverleaf.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1743909444

As built, that's a system interchange (i.e. highway-to-highway); azuarc is looking for a service interchange (i.e. highway-to-local).

[WhiteKnight77]

Originally posted by joeball123:

Originally posted by WhiteKnight77:

You could try this one. I like it in place of a cloverleaf.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1743909444

As built, that's a system interchange (i.e. highway-to-highway); azuarc is looking for a service interchange (i.e. highway-to-local).

I add roundabouts to them to branch off to residential and to industry on the other side.

[caseyas435943]

Originally posted by MaxFX:

Perhaps you can find a design to your liking in my collection. You don't have to use them (my interchanges are quite big), but you could get some inspiration from them.

That said; Without TM:PE probably all interchanges function poorly. Even a simple Diamond Interchange functions 10 times better with some lane connections and a good timed traffic light setup...

The Milwaukee A&B interchanges for example have about the same footprint as a regular Diamond, but due to the two additional ramps they have, the traffic lights on the intersections only have two steps per cycle, where the lights on a regular Diamond would have three or four steps per cycle. Again, not possible to setup like that without TM:PE.

https://steamcommunity.com/workshop/filedetails/?id=2541418185

They are beautiful and probably were a lot of work. But I never make highway interchanges that crossover. Or force traffic across traffic.

Now it the interchange isn't busy ok. But if it's not busy you don't need it.

[MaxFX]

Originally posted by caseyas435943:

They are beautiful and probably were a lot of work. But I never make highway interchanges that crossover. Or force traffic across traffic.

Now it the interchange isn't busy ok. But if it's not busy you don't need it.

Thanks!

You mean you only use 'free-flow system interchanges' like these? https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2541537713
As I've allready posted two collections in this thread, I might as well post a third.