Building the perfect mass transit system in SimCity 3000

Contributor/author(s): David Puckett

Ever since the days of SimCity 2000 on SNES and PlayStation and now SimCity 3000 on PC it has seemed as though the mass transit never would develop evenly through your city (even if it was a small city) and still leave you room for zones, parks, schools, etc. But, after I have made over 10 different and very successful cities I believe I have found the answer to transit problems. Here are some of the steps I used to build the perfect transit system:

1. Common sense is that you need transit that reaches every part of your town and efficiently provides smooth traffic flow(especially from industrial to residential and vice versa).

2. (READ THIS FIRST: To do this tip, the center of your city (not the map) has to be clear of any zones or two lane roads. You should also make enough room for a highway that splits off to each direction or each of your neighboring cities.) Then when you have made adjustments follow the diagram below and be on you way to a better transit system:

   H-highway                   S-small road
   O-onramp                    E-extra things like parks, schools,
   Z-zone (can be any type)      museums, trees, etc.)
   
   ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZHHHZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
   ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZHHHZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
   ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZHHHZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
   ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZHHHZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
   ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZHHHZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
   SSSSSSSSZZZZZZZZZZOHHHOZZZZZZZZZSSSSSSSSSS
   EEEEEEESOOOZZZZZZOOHHHOOZZZZZOOOSEEEEEEEEE
   HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
   HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
   EEEEEEESOOOZZZZZZOOHHHOOZZZZZOOOSEEEEEEEEE
   SSSSSSSSZZZZZZZZZZOHHHOZZZZZZZZZSSSSSSSSSS
   ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZHHHZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
   ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZHHHZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
   ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZHHHZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
   ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZHHHZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
   ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZHHHZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ  

   **The secret is to NOT connect under the highways and overpasses.** When I did this layout in my city The Sims Gave me great recognition for using future planning for growth in population and zones.

3. The diagram above is only a simple version with a few extras, but you can add as much as you want! In fact, it'll probably make the Sims much happier.

See also
Traffic and transportation specifics
Reducing number of junctions: less traffic
Subways only for mass transit?
A more aesthetic highway interchange system
Highway interchange: dog-eared
Building an effective highway interchange system
Mass transit: in efficiency, realism, and stuff
Bus stops: for shops and houses only?
The where and what of mass transit
Transportation infrastructure