looking at the posts around regarding transportation and roads i think Focus should consider redesigning the road building tool (along with the addition of separate above ground rail for freight & passengers). I also think the way you set up your cities commuting options should have a direct effect on demand for parking in certain areas - if you create a city that relies on cars in high density areas there should be a demand for parking that we need to accommodate (not meeting the demand would have a negative affect on business or residential growth opportunities - this can be meet by adding public transports and/or addition off street parking)
Customized roads:
I find the current system of scrolling through set road designs very cumbersome & annoying - and i cant quite get my roads the way i want them. I think there should be 4 or 5 preset options for lazy people and a completely customizable tool to allow the rest of us to create the roads we want specific to certain areas. The options could/should include the following:
* Number Of Lanes: 1 to 8 in each direction (with the ability to specify 1 way only OR different lane counts in opposite directions). We should be able to have designed bus/taxi lanes to help promote public transport options
* Lane Width - narrow / normal / wide. The combination of lanes & lane width will determine the Road Speed
* Median Strip - on/off function (not available for one-way street design). Adding median strips to large, multi-lane roads would again allow increased Road Speed. Some inner-city median stripes also have parking spaces - would be a nice touch to those high-rise CBD areas. Space to add trams & other light rail would be a fantastic option.
* Road Side - parking & emergency stopping lanes options. Parking options should include parallel, 45 degree etc
* Sidewalk - various types & widths to suit different areas of wealth . Some areas should just have basic concrete sidewalk (think low res / industrial) Other would have wide bricked sidewalks with benches & trees etc. You should also be able to set the distance from the road & zones so you have the ability to upgrade/expand later or so the high wealth low density residents can have plenty of space/distance from roads - distance to road (depending on type/speed/congestion) should be a factor for the the different types & densities of residents.
* Intersections - all intersections need to be customizable to control/influence the flow of traffic. Turning on/off features such as traffic lights (forced to yes once you reach a certain width/speed/congestion), round about, pedestrian crossing, and auto bridged/tunneling options if you don't want to intersect with another road
* Merging/Slip Lanes - need to be able create merging/slip lanes for all roads rather than always having intersections. Then we need to be be able extend the length of merging lanes if traffic congestion grows - the choice is then yours
Upgrading Options
once you have designed & laid out your road its width should be a determining factor in upgrades & enhancements for adding lanes, upgrading sidewalks. If the section of road you want to upgrade doesn't have buildings zone one one side (or both) you should be able to upgrade/expand as much as you want. If a particular section of your road becomes congested you should be able to add lanes (in both/either direction) for specific areas/lengths - The road should adding merging lanes as it expands in/out not a traffic light intersection in the middle of nowhere!
Traffic Adviser
* when there is a problem with traffic congestion we should be pointed to the specific area in question (im sure this function is in SC4)
* if there is a high volume of car traffic to and from a certain areas (think residents to industrial) but the player has not recognized this we should a message pop up to highlight this.
Rail & Station Options
* Light Rail - i don't think there is much debate that this is an expected addition in the near future. I would hope that basic rail & station options are included that work in conjunction with the current subway system. I would also like to see trams available - depending on options & forward planning the trams would either be built on top of existing roads on in the median strips.
* Light Rail Stations - should be built in various sizes to meet local demand - EG low density residential VS high density commerce. We should also be able to set a number of bus stops attached to these stations & the size of the car parking (if any)
* Intercity commuting & freight - wider rail option. These tracks can commute the long freight trains & high speed intercity passenger trains (tourist & commuter). Tracks require much longer straights, less ground elevation
* Public Transport Hubs/Stations - assuming bus, tram, subway, light & heavy rail options all exist we should be able to create stations/hubs where they can all come together - Imagine a central public transport hub in the middle of your CBC where high speed intercity rail connects with your light rail & subway systems with various bus or tram routes to carry people all over your CDB. Station/Hub sizes would vary depending on how many lines/connections are coming in.
Put all of these ideas into a Rush Hour style expansion for almost the same price as CXL 2011 and i think Focus will knock off SimCity as the king of city builders
