Airports and Transit Links

[limeyfox 0]

Hi all,

When I create an airport, logic would suggest that you would need to maximise transit links - i.e. highway, rail, subway/el train/monorail etc to transport passengers to/from your city.  However the only traffic to/from the airport seems to be those sims who work at the airport itself.  I know that only commuting is simulated in SC4, but does this mean that the largest airport still only needs a road with a small busstop outside?

If thats true, is there any way to adjust the airport's numbers to simulate high useage numbers and therefore push up demand for transit links?  (i.e. by greatly increasing the number of jobs created or similar?)

Cheers

Seb

[tungston 19]

The game airports don't transport sims, as odd as that is.  They transport commercial freight, as the seaports do for industrial freight.

[Retep Molinari 68]

Originally posted by: tungston

The game airports don't transport sims, as odd as that is.  They transport commercial freight, as the seaports do for industrial freight.quote>

I don't think that's the question.

I think he point is that no one uses the airport. At least with seaports, the trucks gotta go to it. I don't know of any mod to help  drive more traffic, but I try to provide ample transit support just for looks!

[railfan88 1]

try this around your commercial area

this is btm, a mod that changes monorail to bullet trains! i took a snapshot of 2 trains over a bridge

[limeyfox 0]

What does this have to do with airport traffic (the topic)?

Seb

[Randomtaskk 1]

I wondered the same when I read it.

You could, as a workaround, find a building with a massive workforce (I'm sure one will be about on the STEX) and plop it next to the airport. Granted the people are not going to the airport but to a buidling next to it instead, but its better than just pretending you need to provide transport

[limeyfox 0]

Might do that

I'll have a browse.

Seb

[wilsonwilson 0]

I've got a slightly related question about airport function in regard to region design. I'm in the planning stages of a large region and have a large city which I'm going to be plopping the airport at some point. To the right, it's neighbor, is another large city. For busting demand caps and all the other functions that an airport provides, are multiple transit links sufficient or should I plan on building an airport in both cities?

More simply, can airports serve part of a whole region or are they simply limited to busting caps in individual cities alone?

In my region I'm going for a large metro design with continuity across cities, so ideally a single airport in a single city (metro area is going to be 5 or 6 clustered city tiles, mixed sizes) would be ideal.

Thanks in advance!

[ewd76 2]

Originally posted by: wilsonwilson

I've got a slightly related question about airport function in regard to region design. I'm in the planning stages of a large region and have a large city which I'm going to be plopping the airport at some point. To the right, it's neighbor, is another large city. For busting demand caps and all the other functions that an airport provides, are multiple transit links sufficient or should I plan on building an airport in both cities?

More simply, can airports serve part of a whole region or are they simply limited to busting caps in individual cities alone?

In my region I'm going for a large metro design with continuity across cities, so ideally a single airport in a single city (metro area is going to be 5 or 6 clustered city tiles, mixed sizes) would be ideal.

Thanks in advance!quote>

I have a large tile in the center of the map which has huge sky scrapers in the center surrounded by light residential. This tile has a regional airport and an International airport(both rquested by the game). The tiles all around it are mainly light residential and light commercial all feeding into the larger city. Only one of these tiles has requested an airport(the smallest one available).

[evertonforever1 7]

yeah mabye create a parking garage that Has a VERY large work force and plop it near a airport

[Tropod 144]

Originally posted by: limeyfox

Hi all,

When I create an airport, logic would suggest that you would need to maximise transit links - i.e. highway, rail, subway/el train/monorail etc to transport passengers to/from your city.  However the only traffic to/from the airport seems to be those sims who work at the airport itself.  I know that only commuting is simulated in SC4, but does this mean that the largest airport still only needs a road with a small busstop outside?

quote>

Yes, that's true.

If thats true, is there any way to adjust the airport's numbers to simulate high useage numbers and therefore push up demand for transit links?  (i.e. by greatly increasing the number of jobs created or similar?)

Cheers

Sebquote>

*scratches head*.....from memory....

Yes I believe there is a way to adjust the airport so it acts as a commute-hub (by transit enabling it); basically taking commuters in but not allowing them out. But like anything, doing this would have side-affects. Alternatively, one could probably significantly increase the amount of jobs there, thereby potentially increasing the traffic to it.

 

EDIT: some reason quotes aren't doing their thing properly ....maybe that's better

 

[Hendrick4life 1]

Originally posted by: limeyfox

Hi all,

When I create an airport, logic would suggest that you would need to maximise transit links - i.e. highway, rail, subway/el train/monorail etc to transport passengers to/from your city.  However the only traffic to/from the airport seems to be those sims who work at the airport itself.  I know that only commuting is simulated in SC4, but does this mean that the largest airport still only needs a road with a small busstop outside?

If thats true, is there any way to adjust the airport's numbers to simulate high useage numbers and therefore push up demand for transit links?  (i.e. by greatly increasing the number of jobs created or similar?)

Cheers

Sebquote>

What!?! So hole time the Airports transfer no sims . What on earth do I need them for?

 

[Livin in Sim 83]

Airports are a commercial demand CAP reliever.  In other words, when the number of commercial jobs reaches a certain number, buildings stop developing until a condition is met, such as plopping an airport.  I guess this is meant to simulate commercial freight being transferred.  Maybe the reason Maxis didn't make it a commuting connection is that for an airport to be realistic, the sims could fly off to points unknown, and the game would lose track of them if they didn't have complicated connections in other parts of the region.    At least that's how my simple mind perceived it.    I suppose they could have done it like the ferries, which have neighbor connections, but then, could it be a CAP reliever?  I dunno. 

Enjoy the game.

--Liv

Edit:

Originally posted by: wilsonwilson

I've got a slightly related question about airport function in regard to region design. I'm in the planning stages of a large region and have a large city which I'm going to be plopping the airport at some point. To the right, it's neighbor, is another large city. For busting demand caps and all the other functions that an airport provides, are multiple transit links sufficient or should I plan on building an airport in both cities?

More simply, can airports serve part of a whole region or are they simply limited to busting caps in individual cities alone?quote>

@ wilsonwilson

Strictly speaking, airports affect only the city tile in which they exist, but demand is region wide, so they may affect it in a roundabout way.  If you would like the effects of an airport, but don't to waste space, you may install the Airport Tram.