Cities: Skylines 2 – How to Reduce Traffic Bottlenecks

by Fernando Diaz / Articles, Cities: Skylines 2 / 06 Oct 2023

Yo city slingers! Time to hunker down & sort out those choke points in our concrete jungles… Ya know, where the rubber meets the road & suddenly it’s a standstill? Here’s how you keep your city rollin’ without the stop-and-go headache.

Ease Into Those Lane Changes: When you’re transitioning from three lanes to two don’t just drop a lane out of nowhere… Gradually merge them, use tapering to create a gentle lead-in so cars aren’t cutting each other off last minute. This smooth merging can keep the flow steady & prevent sudden stops.

Lane Management is Key: If you’re reducing lanes timing is everything. Don’t cut down to a single lane right before a busy interchange?? Maintain a couple of lanes past the hustle then you can narrow it down once the traffic’s less intense.

Smart Intersections for the Win: Upgrade your intersection intelligence. If you have access to mods or in-game tools that allow for lane-specific instructions put them to work. Designate lanes for turning going straight & so on. This can seriously cut down on the cross-traffic chaos & keep cars moving more predictably.

Roundabout Size Matters: You’ve got a sizable roundabout which is great for high traffic areas. But size alone isn’t enough -> it has to be the right fit for the volume of traffic. Too small & it’ll clog; too big & it takes up valuable real estate. And remember the inner design of the roundabout should allow for easy lane transitions within the roundabout itself.

Future-Proof Your Design: When you’re laying down new roads or changing up current ones think ahead. You want to make sure that what you’re building now won’t cause headaches later -> Ensuring that your roundabout can handle future traffic increases is key.

Forestry Finesse: You’re moving forestry operations to optimize space. Smart move just ensure you’re relocating effectively. New roads & production areas should be well-connected but not so close that they’ll inherit the old traffic problems. Diversify the access points to these areas to spread out incoming & outgoing vehicles.

Office Space Placement: Got pollution issues & can’t place residential zones?? Office zones are your friend. Placing them strategically along less polluted arterial roads can maximize their utility without putting residents at risk.

Max Out Public Transportation: Don’t forget about public transport options to reduce the number of cars on the road. If you can get more people on buses trains or trams that’s less traffic you’ll have to deal with on the main roads.

Parking – you gotta have it, but not on your main drag. Set up parking lots off the main roads, or better yet -> underground. Keep those curbs clear for cars that are actually goin’ places.

Decoration Distraction: While you can’t get decorations on the roundabout don’t sweat it. Keep the focus on functionality. If traffic flows well no one’s going to miss a couple of trees in the middle of the road.

Watch Your Employment Numbers: High unemployment can mean not enough people are heading to work leading to less traffic… But as you grow & add more jobs keep an eye on how that changes traffic patterns & be ready to adapt.

Fernando Diaz

Fernando is doing what he always did, sharing his honest opinions about games whenever he can. The difference is now he is writing and not talking about it.
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