Casper's Portfolio - Reading - 2016 Update 1 - Hornet (Regional Airport)

[noahclem]

Great work on all these teasers--love the transit networks 

EDIT: Holy crap, congrats on getting a thousand replies!   

[CasperVg]

Replies:
InvisiChem: Thank you. It was actually a draggable L1-Road overpass, which I forgot to connect to the MIS network after I had accidentally demolished it a few seconds earlier. Fixed now
compdude787: 5, apparently 
Noahclem: Thank you very much, and congrats on being the 1000th poster.

Update 2016-01: Hornet and the Reading Regional Airport


Some of you may remember the city formerly known as "Reading Regional Airport" from the video series. It's a medium tile with a small regional passenger- and cargo airport in the middle. With a ridiculously small runway to boot! However, back then it was a mostly empty tile except for the airport itself and some commercial buildings around it. Nowadays the tile has been filled up completely, mostly by modern suburbs.


The airport is connected with a direct rail line to the center of Reading proper. Most people opt to take a train to catch their flights. To avoid excessive car traffic in Hornet, people with an airplane ticket do not have to pay a separate train ticket. Trains enter and exit this station underground. The station, erected in an uncharacteristically old-style European architecture, doubles as a local meeting spot.


Recently Reading's only highway, which used to stop in Lake View, was extended so that it could serve Hornet as well. Because of the obscure phenomenon of called "tile borders" by the locals, a folded parclo interchange was built instead of the more common diamond ramps.


Citing space constraints (they just ran out of money, but don't tell them I told you that), the Reading DOT never fully extended the highway to the airport's entrance. Instead, it gradually transitions into a 4-lane avenue with a dedicated turning lane. Elevated rail along with some pre-metro is used to connect the suburbs with downtown Reading. There are plans to add a GLR line from the airport to Reading as well, as a backup connection if the railway system breaks down.


I would like to refer to living in Hornet as "quaint", but with aircraft taking off every half hour, reading a book in the yard is not easy...


The cargo side of the airport is lined with a large strip mall area. Sadly the local Wegmans had to close because of hygiene issues.


Many mathematicians were involved in the development of those fine curves. To avoid cut-through (?) traffic, modern-day suburbs in Reading only have a single connection to a dedicated road. Thus, kids can safely play in the streets.


Major thoroughfare to the airport, together with a spacious ground-level long-term car park for air travelers.


Satellite view. As you can see, suburban sprawl hit Hornet pretty hard, while the neighboring towns are still mostly agricultural.


Transportation view. Shows the high- and railway connections to Hornet from the city center.



Hope everyone enjoyed this long-overdue update. Expect more teasers (and more updates) soon. Comment away if you have ideas, suggestions or critisism 
BTW: does anyone know any good Region Viewer tools? I tried SC4Reader (worked, but the output was too slanted) and SC4Organizer/DIC (which crashed on start).

[Vizoria]

I like your suburbs, the roundabout in picture 4 was really good as was that railway station. Good stuff!

[belfastsocrates]

I second Vizoria, I really like the suburbs.

The railway station is a great BAT. I don't recognise it though

My only suggestion would be a security fence around the cargo area of the airport to stop nosy sims from wandering where they aren't welcome

[compdude787]

Those are some nice suburbs, and a pretty nice airport too! Great update!

It seems your pictures are a bit too large to fit the width of the screen; remember to resize them. It's a bit annoying having to scroll to the right to see the whole image.

Also, I think it's about time to move this MD out of the "inactive classics" section.

[Gugu3]

Nice stuff!

[Catalyst]

You could try Sawtooth's Region Census: http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=913
Works great for me!
The roundabout in the 4th picture looks pretty good, even though it's got some unusual connections

[kbieniu7]

Because of the obscure phenomenon of called "tile borders" by the locals, a folded parclo interchange was built instead of the more common diamond ramps.
(...)
Many mathematicians were involved in the development of those fine curves. To avoid cut-through (?) traffic, modern-day suburbs in Reading only have a single connection to a dedicated road. Thus, kids can safely play in the streets.

Oh, yeah, I know this phenomenon too Nice to see a piece of good traffic engineering and well planned quarter   

[Swordmaster]

Nice shots! The last two locations are fun. (Minus that puzzle piece mishap )  Moving this back to the active section, hope it stays there

And to resume an old nagging theme, I certainly prefer pictures to videos


Cheers
Willy