Sunken Motorway/Highways Updated Tutorial

[TheTeaCat]

Sunken Highways

I wanted to build a sunken highway and decided to build it the old fashioned way without hole building lots or modds. Good old fashioned get your spade out and dig style.

Then 


Why not help some others at the same time and lo and be(Holed) 

I started a tutorial but it wasn't enough.
It never is

It could be better so here it is.

Welcome to the TTC - Teacats Tutorial Class.

Sunken Highways

2nd Edition

Chapter 1

I wanted to build a sunken highway and decided to build it the old fashioned way without hole building lots. so here goes.

1. Decide where you want to build and lay out some steet tiles as a reference.
Personally I leave a gap of four tiles between them.



2. Choose gouge valleys from the mayor mode to lower the land between the tiles you laid out.





3. Using the streets again, level the land in between your origional tiles







4. Lay out some Ground Level Highway



5. Draw it out to the normal ground level and it slopes the terrain nicely!





6. Add some retaining walls
(here I used JS seawalls http://www.simtropolis.com/stex/index.cfm?id=15410
and flora( Pegasus Seasonal woods)







7. zoom out and admire

Chapter 2

The next step is about building an overpass.

1.   First we build our SH, should be easy now





2.   Next we fill the area where we want to build the overpass.







3.    Drag out your SH through the raised terrain!
   to create the tunnel.





4    Lay out your Avenue over the middle of the tunnel



5    Dress the area





6   Connect avenue to roads    Job Done

7   Put Kettle On

Chapter 3

Following on lets take the next step and do a sunken highway river crossing.


1.   First we have to use steps 1-4 on producing sunken highway for where we
want the bridge to start.









2.   I then lay some power lines across river so that things will line up on the other side.




3.   Repeat step 1 above for the exit of the highway.





4.   Next we have to create a land bridge so that the tunnel can be contructed.
to do this switch to God Mode by hOLDING DOWN  Ctrl+SHIFT+aLT and pressing
the God Mode button.

5.   Using the leveling tool to flatten the land between the river.



6.   Draw highway across the "bridge" and a tunnel will be created:)





7.   Once again we repeat step 4 and selecting the leveling tool again we "lower"
the river back down.





8.   Now dress the walls and add some flora.





   I have only "dressed" one side for show here

9.    Zoom out and admire

10.     Time for tea 

Chapter 4

This time we do an intersection.

1.   Again preperation of the area for the junction is required.



2.   Roads laid to show area need for junction.



3.   Finished terraforming ( Oh my backs killing me and my hands are all blistered )



4.   Select the Side on/off ramp



5.   Carefully place (tab to rotate if neccessary)



6.   Repeat if required on other side



7.   Select roads to join you ramps to normal level ground



8.   There are many different ways to utilise the various road pieces - be creative but bare in mind the direction of the traffic as it enters and leaves the SH.







9.   Bottle necks can easily be created        Ride a Bike 





Try it out but try to stay away from the one way streets when placing your connections - just a tip. See congestion above


Job Done

Nip off and put the kettle on please. Cheers

Chapter 5

Only one more lesson for now - Intersections

1.   From this aerial view we can see the 2 main SH  terraforming done from a height but lets zoom in and see the detail for the junction.



2.   Roads laid out as usual to get the junction to work.



3.   I used road here to show which tiles need to be lowered.



4.   Some crazy junctions I would not like to negoiate





5.   Back to work, Delete the roads used to make the space for the juction and lay your highway ( Wahay throw away the spade no more digging! )





6.   Draw the SH together so that it gives you the option of a junction





7.Dress the area







Job Done
Zoom out Admire.

Put The kettle on

Sit back, put your feet up and have a Biccy with your cuppa


Ahh



Much credit must be given to many wonderful people here on this site
namely Jeronij for providing it and also much appreciated words of encouagement.

And a number of people at Simtropolis
(CrazyChickensc12, Frankie Grove, Sc4Noobie, Cjah)
to name but a few who helped with the inspiration used here.


No modds were used or sims injured during this tutorial.

This was done the old fashioned way so you had a chance to learn something.

Check out these links for eyecandy!

Our Very Own JERONIJ (A MUST HAVE)(All of IT)
http://www.simtropolis.com/stex/index.cfm?page=1&Keyword=jeronij&view=all

Sorchins: flora set (A MUST HAVE)
http://www.simtropolis.com/stex/index.cfm?id=17099

Buddybud:
http://www.simtropolis.com/stex/index.cfm?page=1&Keyword=buddybud&view=all


For all sort of goodies
http://www.simtropolis.com/stex/index.cfm?page=1&Keyword=Walls&type=all

http://www.simtropolis.com/stex/index.cfm?page=2&Keyword=Marrast&type=all

Flora etc
http://www.simtropolis.com/stex/index.cfm?page=1&keyword=flora&type=all


To make the digging those holes even easier and to get the correct depth with
out all the street laying or faffing about with the leveling .. try...

SMONCRIE's HOLE DIGGING LOTS
http://www.simtropolis.com/stex/index.cfm?id=3599

thank you for reading this and I hope you enjoyed this tutorial

Have fun digging

"All my own work"

http://sc4devotion.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=27&topic=58.msg1120#new
"please donate your pictures to this thread"









Is that the kettle I hear whistling?

[Alfred.Jones]

Great tutorials TheTeaCat. Very clear pictures and text and the links are very helpful. Put the kettle on, you deserve it

[bat]

Excellent updates and tutorial!

[TheTeaCat]

Alfred, Bat

Thank you for the comments.

I was thinking if I could improve it a bit. - if so where?

The on/off ramps shown what can happen when you build them at 3am with eyes  barely open lol

Tis not finished yet

Part two to come using the NAM- just let me get over the flu first

But thanks again for your encouragement

[Alek King of SC4]

i think this needs some additions, buddybud has pieces for sunken t intersections that
look much nicer, and the Onslope onramp pieces with the NAM look much cleaner imo.

[TheTeaCat]

Alek
Thanks for the feedback.
Yes I agree. I was only using JS walls as they make it easy to see.

I added the links for eyecandy so thar people can "dress up the junctions" as they see fit.

My on/off ramps were done at about 3am and I had the beginnnings of Influenza and even I think they could be better.

Using the NAM for the junctions is also much better but I wanted to show (using the traffic parks cant remmber the link [to be added in later edit]) what congestion can be like when you get it "Wrong". 

As I say once better part 2 to come.

[sebes]

Great Tuturial Teacat! I will try it this way in my next city as I never got it to work properly so I gave up....

[rooker1]

Great tutorial.  I like the JS walls, but buddybud may have been a better choice in this case.  Great work, thanks.

[witfreeman]

good, It's best knowledge.