How to build bridges in SimCity 3000

Contributor/author(s): Wren Weburg, Luc Barthelet, SimCity.com

Building bridges in SimCity 3000 can get a bit tricky at times. This article will cover the basics of building bridges and then send you on your way. Oh, and if you really want the inside scoop on bridges, Moe Beihl, your SimCity 3000 transportation advisor, has posted an article over at SimCity.com which you'll find at the end of this article.

First things first. When you start dragging your road over water, the road shadow turns red. This is where mayors get gun shy and quit dragging, figuring that the SimConstruction Crew are "bridgally challenged." Not so. If you keep dragging the road onto the other side of the water, you'll find that the road tiles turn blue again. After all, why only build a bridge half-way? Sims would drive off the edge (which may not always be a bad thing)!

Here are some other tips that will help you build bridges:

• Make sure to start running your road for your bridge at least 4 tiles away from the starting shoreline, and drag it four tiles past the opposite shoreline. If you start it any closer, the bridge won't build. For highways, you can start them 3 tiles from the shoreline.
• Rough, uneven terrain or a steep shore can hinder your bridge building. If the bridge won't build, try leveling and/or lowering the shore's terrain.
• Make sure you have enough dough. Bridges can easily cost thousands of simoleons. If you don't have the cash, you won't be able to build the bridge (bridges in real life often cost hundreds of millions of dollars to build. So quit complaining!).

One final note: unlike SimCity 2000, SimCity 3000 won't let you pick what kind of bridge you want to build. The sims determine the type of bridge based on how long the span is. For example, you'll get suspension bridges with long spans, steel arch bridges with medium spans, and causeways with short spans.

For more on building bridges, see SimCity.com's [SimCity 3000 site no longer exists at this address]

See also
Build boulevards without trees
Build bridges over surface water
How to get specific bridges
Build bridges over land
How to get around halted bridge building
How to build double bridges
Simpleton Series: Bridge selection tool