Best Starting Interchange ranked in vanilla cities: skylines || traffic test and guide for beginners

[@shaneintheuk2026]

It just makes me realise how much I depend on TMPE and Fine Road Tools.

[@johnterpack3940]

I'm not surprised the roundabout ones were at the bottom. I keep trying to tell people they aren't good for much outside of some edge cases. But I'm not British, so nobody listens to me.

[@hk_citiesskylines]

they are pretty safe and quick for low volume junctions , but at high volumes they are too chaotic to function properly.

[@loudpackscrap8345]

I’m listening

[@david94549]

The problem with roundabouts in cities skylines is they don't give way properly so they all push onto the roundabout and fill it, and they don't use the lanes adequately, you have to increase the amount of lanes just before each exit to force them to actually use the right hand lanes (left hand traffic)

[@jcskyknight2222]

This comment was a long time ago but as I understand it here they are pushing the same volume of traffic from all four directions. This is the edge case where they work poorly.

[@johnterpack3940]

@@jcskyknight2222 They work poorly in any heavy traffic situation. My experience IRL is that heavy traffic from one direction, workers leaving an industrial area for example, absolutely dominates the flow. If you're on the side streets you end up waiting far longer than you would if it were a red light.

[@inyobill]

Nice analysis. Of course with mods these could all be tweaked. Your comments pertaining to relative strengths and weaknesses of interchanges related to flow volumes are well considered. Specifically for clarity, with two interchanges, one might be more efficient at low volumes, the other at high. I always look forward to your posts.

[@eshep71]

For 3, you can move the inner loops to enter the highway closer to the bridge. That will prevent the cars from stopping before the consecutive on ramps. For 4, make a one-way one ramp tunnel on both sides of the main road for bypassing traffic at the interchange. It should clear up half the cars.

[@norneaernourn8240]

Roundabout is the best but you have to build slip lanes and tunnel/bridge for straight-through traffic. Roundabout is strictly right turning. So, there are 3 layers. Bridge one axis, roundabout ground level, and tunnel for the other axis. Left turn slip lanes. The roundabout will need to be at least 10u in radius for a node between branches.

[@RaymondKarlVeasey75]

I'm Diggin' The Old Noir Detective Music Playing.

[@focusjennie2626]

i think for the Parc interchange maybe separate the left hand turn from the main road and make a U turn would be a good idea.

[@eshep71]

One thing I noticed while managing traffic on console is to not use regular one-way streets on the highway ramp, even at the point connecting to the city road. I found traffic started flowing better with the exit ramps on city streets or the you can use the 2 lane highway if you connect to roundabouts , as long as you have traffic mainly turning right.

[@FahlmanCascade]

Your parclo interchange has traffic coming to a full stop on your southbound arterial road, in every lane. The through traffic ought to be free flowing. I know that you say that these interchanges are intended for no-mods (vanilla) builds, so let me recommend that you try bringing all three of those ramps in the southeast corner together at one intersection. See if that cleans up the blockage.

[@davidroddini1512]

How about a “non-interchange” version: put parallel collector/distributor roads next to the central road on either side. Then connect the road(s) that go perpendicular to the highway to the collector/distributors. Periodically attach the collectors on either side of the highway with a bridge to allow traffic to get from one side to the other.

[@hk_citiesskylines]

That's pretty viable in some cases , but its hard to include as an interchange in such a video.

[@amistrophy]

TDOT is calling...

[@millionwords5643]

inyobill loves the Pinavia interchange.

[@kristoferkarch5621]

I am appalled (not really) that there is no SPUI included in this list. Its become my go-to for service interchanges. In vanilla to get it to work properly you have to use 2-way roads for the lanes coming in to the intersection or it wont sync the lights though. Using the 2x1 asymmetric road does the trick without making it look too horrible

[@potatoinga5629]

god damn the ingerchange i use (as a newbie) is the second most efective huh litterally made them cuz theres a lot where im from

[@elementarytechie6449]

I think normally parclo is more effective than diamond

[@73malaki]

Lol :) Thanks for sharing ! Cityskylines ! It's not your zones ! Have to be a traffic engineer! Sometimes 🤔

[@73malaki]

I play on console ? Therefore! ... Every cell... Has to he perfect ... Taught me a lot! ... Frustration! 😆

[@RubbingPotatoes]

The diamond interchange still has two intersections (not merge area). Isn't the idea to eliminate intersections ?

[@hk_citiesskylines]

Diamond interchanges are the most basic with two intersections. If you actually mean diverging diamonds, no they don't eliminate the intersections but reduce the traffic light cycles so vehicles can move on quicker.

[@ThymeHere]

Thank you!

[@NotNoahzGamez]

Makes since with the roundabout they make yo7 wait anyway

[@TheStig_TG]

What about SPUI's?

[@inyobill]

I am experiencing a brain fart, "CFI"?

[@TheStig_TG]

@@inyobill Sorry i was using the wrong term, i meant a SPUI or Single Point Urban Interchange

[@hk_citiesskylines]

@@TheStig_TG it needs a quite complicated traffic light cycle which is not possible in vanilla so i excluded it.

[@inyobill]

@@TheStig_TG Ahhh, thanks.

[@TheStig_TG]

@@hk_citiesskylines Oh right it's a vanilla video ok

[@leonardbecca3515]

You forgot the spui interchange it’s the best

[@bloodbrothers1779]

Looks more to worst interchange comparison

[@pocketgames5509]

make a modded version please?

[@xDTHx]

My man, why are you using streets as highway ramps instead of using the actual highway ramps? I get in real life the ramps are used to slowly decelerate, but this isnt real life, and cims cars stop instantly.

[@millionwords5643]

hey @inyobill