Which is THE BEST highway interchange layout? Cities Skylines!

This time we're back in Engitopia in Cities Skylines (City Skyline) challenges whilst we wait for Cities Skylines 2 (CS2). As a professional highway engineer with over 10 years experience, I want to test out a range of realistic highway interchange layouts and see which is the best!
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Epic Game Store Support-A-Creator Code: RCE
(In connection with Epic Games’ Support-A-Creator Program, I may receive a commission from certain in-game purchases)
#realcivilengineer #CitiesSkylines #engitopia

[@Snowwie88]

5:35 - You CAN actually angle those nodes using "Node Controller", select the node, then Node Controller, and it gives you several options, including "Slope". 🙂

[@mcwolfbeast]

^this. And it may already get sloped depending on how you make the first connection in vanilla, too!

[@RedSaint83]

I was about to comment this. It's not exactly obvious until you've played around with the tool, but once you know, you know. A shame it's not the default 😿

[@wilkoufert8758]

Matt using Node Controller ans Network Multitool would be fun

[@frtzkng]

There's also a setting to make all nodes Slope by default, because otherwise you sometimes even get wonky curves when a node gets transformed to "Bend" instead of "Middle", and "Bends" are set to Flat by default.

[@collin4194]

Also the network multitool mod hels with slopes! But for nodes, yeah node controller is best

[@3snoW_]

I actually love when you use real engineering in these games and how you explain it, it's really interesting.

[@attepatte8485]

I have the same pfp on discord, feels weird seeing it out in the wild or at least the same character! :D

[@dysolve_zip]

Only this man can keep me entertained with highway intersections Only this man's community can keep bringing me back to this 4 month old comment...

[@xantoqdat]

79 likes and 0 comments lemme fix that

[@AP__Studios]

Fr

[@bacon8837]

Same!

[@Tyuf_]

ikr

[@bob20011]

I was unreasonablely upset when he deleted the first intersection tho lol

[@Thoran666]

Back to classic RCE highway engineering. With the exception of bridge building my favorite videos of the channel since they are entertaining and help understanding the real world a bit better.

[@Lavourrin]

Wish he would put some real life pics just to see how it ideally would look like.

[@EscapeintoGames]

@5:35 - Node Controller will do this. You can change the node from flat to sloped.

[@takumi2023]

lol i wonder how many people commented this

[@pseudotasuki]

​@@takumi2023I just posted, then deleted mine.

[@speedingoffence]

I find that just tweaking the angles with MoveIt far more effective. Node controller is a bit hit-or-miss. If the angles line up, the road will just 'snap' into a seamless transition.

[@speedingoffence]

You need node controller to slant a junction, mind you.

[@TheProphetOfNoGod]

one advantage of the Clover over the stack, is that on the clover you can turn around, on the stacks you can't.

[@majoood21]

thats what i was thinking 👍

[@ogxj6]

Wow, that’s a major shortcoming. I totally missed that

[@skeleletonboi4533]

same for the turbine, cant turn around

[@TheAmorphousGamer]

Also as someone who has encountered the stack in real life, it's really fucking confusing and ridiculous. You're just looking at a giant web of bridges and there is absolutely no intuitive way of looking at them and figuring out which one you actually want to be on

[@bastardowl]

The difference between being able to turn around or not is not the infrastructure of the city but rather the bravery of the heart. - Plato

[@NiyaKouya]

9:30 you can almost instantly delete those messy junctions since you already have Move it 😉 Set it to only select nodes, draw your selection square over the junction, and then use the deletion tool from Move it. Poof, gone is the mess. The angle restrictions for roads can also be "fixed" with mods, including the anarchy ones and precision engineering ^^

[@bugle-clowncar]

Dude. This video is brilliant! There's a lot of magic going on in that basement of yours.

[@KNR90]

The first 2.5 minutes was him explaining why every interchange into my city's main artery is awful. But the city council has spent $100 million figuring it out. And it will be fixed to support 2018 demand by 2027

[@ITriedDoingAThing]

You always know that it’s a great day when RCE post city skylines!

[@BluishGnome]

My man, the lore for this map spans years at this point. Glad to see it. New viewers can only fathom what the rest of us had to mill through to get his serious civil engineer’s take on Engitopia…

[@vincentking2552]

Today RCE has finally watched Biffa's episodes of road building, and learnt lane mathematics!! Give a cuppa tea. 😜

[@ano_nym]

You know it from the "jiggery pokery" at 10:15

[@popodood]

I cant believe you can do all of this so smoothly while teaching us while it is all reversed from what you are used to working with in the uk. Awesome job.

[@TheSCPStudio]

Reverse orientation doesn’t matter when the roads are one way lol. Besides, the game has the option to switch the orientation. So I think he’d just do that if it were an issue for him.

[@ocirMZ]

"we don't want many curves, and short bridges" And then there's the highway in Fukuoka, Japan, that is two bridges often stacked on top of each other going over the entire city, bending like crazy

[@new_simsons]

Shutoko ?

[@ocirMZ]

Fukuoka toshi kousoku That's the one I'm aware of, i wouldn't be surprised if other cities have their expressways laid out in a similar way

[@speedingoffence]

You can deal with both the 42 degree problem and the 'lump' problem with MoveIt. For the former, just pull in the angle after placing it. For the latter, just tweak the angle until it 'snaps' together, making a seamless transition.

[@rpgaholic8202]

So... this is the video for people who didn't watch his play-through of Freeways. All that's missing is a score of each of the interchanges.

[@zacharywebb7197]

That Freeways play through is awesome 🥇

[@NiceNoob01]

Idk if you know that, but in the TM:PE settings u can enable advanced vehicle AI, then they'll use more Lanes and the traffic gets better

[@sebeans]

I loved this kind of video where you explain real freeway engineering in a fun context. Its entertaining and educational!

[@MegaLokopo]

The right side of the road is the right side of the road to drive on, that is why they call it the right side of the road.

[@karelpgbr]

In the Netherlands we have a common interchange (for urban areas and low speed),it's called a "turbo rotonde", where two lanes arrive at the roundabout, the right lane has a direct turn over the roundabout to the right, the left lane goes into a divided lane on the roundabout and can go straight, left or back. Look it up, the photos will clear it up!

[@marcor815]

If you want traffic to be able to turn around for what ever reason, you could replace the four left turn ramps with one roundabout, where the on ramps are inside and the offramps on the outside, with adding/subtracting a lane at each ramp. If the traffic stays in lane it‘s like the turbine, but it would allow other movement via the spiral by switching lane

[@soplander]

Love RCE's videos, highlight of my evening. Shame he hasn't discovered a few extra mods like network multitool, intersection marking tool and node controller. Might have made his life easier designing these. Thoroughly enjoyed it though - Keep up the great content

[@Squidgen]

Just when I needed something new to watch, RCE delivers!

[@tyrannus5157]

I love junctions and I love Cities: Skylines. This is my favorite RCE video! It'd be nice to see another video like this covering more junction designs + RCE's own designs.

[@jasonswayden9802]

Very good video explaining all the intersections and it’s always appreciated when you relate it to experience with your profession. And I saw a drum set! I play drums too!

[@RJ_Eckie]

Freeways was my first RCE video and then series and then gateway drug to RCE addiction! Just intersections all day baby, absolutely loved those vids!

[@HangLooseMongooseYT]

The word for “parallel circle” would be “concentric”

[@TheTransitDiaries]

RCE do railway junctions next with realistic slope gradients for railways 🙏

[@mctuble]

Man I'll tell you... anyone familiar with a particular Poughkeepsie NY knows there is a section just like this where there's a highway on ramp and off ramp with a very short section for people to slow down and exit while the on ramp is speeding up trying to merge. Very nerve racking.

[@rodgerdodger2459]

20:05 the dog jumpscare 🥰🥰

[@yyflower]

This was like a throwback to Freeways! That series introduced me to RCE and I've never looked back!!

[@new_simsons]

Same

[@resh6469]

FINALLY someone remembered

[@corbinplugge5922]

I love your videos! I live in Albuquerque, New Mexico and I think we have a turbine interchange in my city. I never really thought about how cool it was until watching your video. I guess I was wrong the Internet says our interchange is a complex stack interchange 😊

[@marije179]

I have been sick at home with a throat infection. I can't sleep, eat, talk, barely drink, go outside... This keeps me up! I love your content man!

[@captain_-tj1ww]

It's been a while engitopia!

[@darylwilde1955]

Cool intersections gave me a small idea for an intersection of my own. Using a 3 lane highway with a 4 lane for a short section where traffic leaves 1 side and joins the other

[@trdawjaxh]

To sort out lanes, use TMPE and use the lane connectors to force the cars away from the busiest lanes. Ensuring only the leaving/merging traffic uses that lane

[@Sw0nk0]

Or by just using proper lane math.

[@DanielP-jq4dj]

I’m from Baltimore and on the northeast side of the city where I-95 crosses I-695, there used to be a multi grade diverging diamond interchange with bridges instead of traffic lights. It doesn’t diverge anymore, likely because of the express lanes they put up along 95, plus I guess they don’t work with freeway junctions, but you can still see the wasted land use, and how the divisions still spread out as a result of the initial diverging design.

[@felipegomes9646]

Lane mathematics will always be satisfying

[@kratix0469]

I really enjoyed the freeways series, love seeing something similar again

[@gankedirl]

It actually is pretty entertaining to watch real world engineering be applied to the game. A nice change of pace from the constantly spiraling chaos normally found in Enigtopia.

[@alexseguin5245]

Real world engineering that should never be done in real life lol

[@michaelsinclair9703]

3 years ago I remember you saying “ let’s make this realistic as possible.” And now 3 years later we have this crazy engineering land.

[@keirnicholson9255]

I had to do my driving test in Swindon, they don’t actually use the magic roundabout on any test routes, but it does work really well. Even when it’s busy the various routes are great as you can find another way around, avoiding traffic.

[@colli020]

The reason I subscribed in the first place... Freeways. Don't know exactly why, but when Matt explained real life highway concepts in an entertaining manner, it kept me coming back. This video and the many like it are awesome. Keep it up, Matt!

[@tehgerbil]

This is brilliant content actually. Gives me ideas for improving my city.

[@Gavchung]

It's like watching Matt play Freeways again, but in 3D! 😄

[@ccoeltrains]

I built my own stack interchange in my CS save a long time ago, it has definitely done wonders for traffic flow. I chose the stack because I live next to a city that has quite a few stack interchanges (San Antonio)

[@joecross8954]

I love it that the cars almost tip over 2:04

[@moredac2881]

I love it when you teach a little about civil engineering in your videos. Super fun!

[@seamorington2760]

21:03 I like how he is genuinely disturbed by the cars just following the camera lol

[@rachelcookie321]

I was way too excited to see that RCE did a video on motorway interchanges. Probably the most excited I’ve been to watch a KZbin video in weeks. This is exactly the content I wanted.

[@marconiandcheese7258]

Thank you for explaining divergent diamond! I was in a meeting at work and one was mentioned!

[@TyinAlaska]

Matt, there's nothing wrong with the cover leaf. You just have to apply lane management.

[@MikeDCWeld]

Putting in slip lanes between the leaf sections would help too. There's a reason they're there in real life.

[@stevenjlovelace]

We have five-level stack interchanges in Texas, one for each highway, then two more levels for the left-turn ramps, plus a fifth level for the frontage roads, which form four at-grade intersections of two one-way streets. Plus there might be more ramps for HOV/toll lanes. The best example has a name, the High Five in Dallas, which connects US-75 and I-635.

[@corysmith9975]

I think it's so awesome how he can be so playful but still know what he's talking about in his field and be able to carefully replicate it in the game. Master of many skills sir!

[@wtpauley]

Washington state built it's first divergent diamond a couple of years ago as a "test". We now have two more planned and being built at key traffic congestion spots. It's cool to see it in action here.

[@manuni88]

To smooth traffic on the stacked junction, reduce the number of lanes for the thru traffic highways between the exits and entry. Great video!

[@laubeltman7110]

My building engineer father says thank you for finally getting me interested in building stuff :D I love your simple explanations, I’m finally starting to understand why things are the way they are

[@engineeringismyblood5212]

AAAHH I waited for such a video so long 😍 educative but still funny

[@oliverh.5148]

i am on my way becomming an ingeneer and i came across your channel lets say you do an interesting job in your videos great job

[@MattJDylan]

Maaan, I like these real life-based videos a lot! Almost makes me want to try engineering school again... almost... 😂 Anyway, you can't tell me that driving on the right is wrong... it's quite literally in the definition being right...

[@VivaMattiee]

In answer to the smooth gradient for roads, yes I saw that confirmed and mentioned in a dev diary for Cities II

[@hello_its_em]

Not the magic roundabout that's a nightmare! We've been in UK (plus in my country we drive on the right side) and we have been literally stucked here for like ten minutes, we even went the wrong direction one time and we couldn't find our way out. IT WAS HORRIBLE.

[@SpaceGiraffeC]

Omg the one in the thumbnail photo is so visually satisfying I want to make one!!!

[@LostInTimePod]

You only KZbinr I know that can keep me entertained with talking about highways

[@crm247]

There is a diverging diamond in Utah (USA) with traffic lights and almost everyone who drives it hates it. It is on Bangerter Highway on the way to the airport and it slows down traffic so damn much and they need a better interchange for it.

[@TicketyTy]

Great video

[@tankhistoryfordummies]

A good way to handle traffic for a really busy interchange is to add side lanes to the more trafficked highway. What I meant was to have an exit on the really busy highway and have 2 new lanes on the sides exit off but stay parallel to the main lanes, then have only the 2 extra lanes access to exits to get to another highway, this solves the cloverleaf issue for the main lanes as the extra 2 lanes only merge in about 1 km from the middle of the interchange. Best for 8 lane freeways.

[@DarkAgeTM]

I don't know how, but you did interesting and educational video.

[@grozaphy]

my top 2 favourite series: poly bridge and citiea:skyline

[@fhm2]

There's this intersection in my area that I have always thought was so odd. Now I know, it is the Diverging Diamond, thank you for making this clear!

[@just_some_blocks]

Saw this in the wild, its where theres an urban road crossing with a frontage road on a bridge above the hwy and theres like a roundabout on either end except it doesnt go full circle. Looks like a dumbbell on google maps

[@MrSacheverell]

Came for the efficient Cities Skylines tricks, stayed to learn more about actual highway engineering principles :D

[@Faravid829]

Can confirm that we have a bunch of clover leafs here in Iowa. They suck the Dot is slowly replacing them. I believe they just finished the I-380/I-80 interchange with either a turbine or a modified version of a stack junction.

[@kawreecoreyson5470]

im a civ eng student and i love all your videos :)

[@jbassguy571]

Pretty cool, although irl i think you normally don't want off and on-ramps merging off and on from the left lane.

[@bonnbybike]

Was happy to see that this junction got finally an update But would like to see all types of junctions in a row on one motorway. Would be a great addition to engitopia in my eyes

[@ploppumpernickel291]

It still feels weird to see you doing realistic things in this game lol. But I love it! This is my favorite of your series!

[@user-cf8dw9gx3b]

Everyday when I go to lunch the first thing I do is load up the new RCE video! Always something to look forward to

[@AUSPetrol]

8:09 at the moment he talks about merges and diverges, a little pink car perfectly cuts off a truck 😂

[@AH-64EApacheGuardianHelicopter]

This is the only teacher i would listen to in engineer school :)

[@anmelden3897]

I love the Cities Skylines Videos! Im hyped for the second game

[@stephanienoire1892]

Those interchanges where one lane is a merge lane for cars joining the highway BEFORE becomming an exit lane for cars exiting the highway... There's multiple of those in my city! They drive me crazy!

[@sigispider]

As an American truck driver, I have opinions that I feel matter. The clover leaf is a standard and a classic. I really like the stacked one as long as there's good signage and lane indicators. The diamond ones seem to work really well, but Americans aren't used to them. They've popped up in the last few years and people seem a little confused in them. As far as round abouts go, I have two middle fingers for anyone who thinks they're a good idea. As far as the turbine goes, I'd be game to try it.

[@jdlech]

I achieve my best traffic flow by elevating all highways and spacing them apart so I can lay a standard two way road in the middle. I give just a little more than 4 squares of space between the edges of each highway and the medium sized service road. This usually allows for upgrading to a large or downgrading to a small service road. Then I add on and off ramps at junctions, so I end up with an 8 way junction. Two roads cross in the middle with on and off ramps. it should look very symmetrical. That one node turns an angry red, but turn the traffic light off and it handles an extraordinary amount of traffic. You can ease traffic by adding on and off ramps on the outside of the highways so traffic doesn't have to go through that one busy junction. Overall, it works very well for its simplicity.

[@numberyellow]

In the U.S. that section you highlighted in red is a dedicated "lane" for entering, and exiting the highway.... or at least it is, on the big interstate highways. i'd also like to note that i am absolutely gutted that you deleted that beautiful interchange. it was so perfect.

[@Makro3d]

This is one of my favourite videos ever on this channel. Although as a traffic engineer, I may be slightly biased.

[@casuallysophie6212]

I grew up near that magic roundabout in swindon, my driving instructor directed me to cross it on like my second ever lesson, can confirm it felt as confusing as it looks from that aerial photo haha

[@DwarfKing-nz4bb]

I think the turbine highway is a fun one to use and keep traffic from backing up. (you can download prefab highway stuff if you use the steam version though the workshop)

[@Michael_Hamburg]

Das erinnert mich an mein Masterstudium im verkehrsingenieurwesen mit tollen Sachen wie der Raute mit Verteilerkreis bzw der links liegenden Trompete

[@hehehdgdueye3903]

when you make a new world there is a drive on the left hand side button as a brit the left is the correct side (love your vids)

[@ajsharerbcc]

RCE! I'm from Springfield Missouri where we had the first Diverging Diamond interchange in the US!

[@BabLuPlays1]

bro you made custom round while you can use pre made round about and delete half xD your videos always fun to watch

[@BennyLlama39]

Matt: "If we compare that to Swindon'd Magic Roundabout..." Me: F@^kin' *hell!* You'd have to be off your trolley to even consider driving around that thing.

[@Xcron]

It was fun to watch Matt apply the same ideas from Freeways into Skylines.

[@NiceNoob01]

Engitopia: A place for creativity & *_RealCivilEngineers_* - a place, made for fun and the community. 🗿

[@mchovado3301]

man i love your vids also I hope you will be doing engitopia in cities skylines 2

[@MrSnowMen]

MX Road needs a small fortune, Would be nice to see Good Luck

[@calebrp02]

I would love to see some more freeways, one of my favorite series

[@actng]

i like these realistic scenarios you're teaching us about civil engineering through different games.

[@brtemik1]

Man, I love how you explain real life stuff in a game.

[@grodsney]

I've missed RCE doing highway engineering so much. Just need someone in my life to explain merges and diverges.