Sydney New-Gen Layout (Nova's Really Good Circuit Layouts) 2018

[AOR Nova]

Hello everyone!

Following a long haitus from layoutting, I've returned to refine Sydney and give us cruisers a better cruise experience here in TC around the tight confines.

Please read 1.3 before casting "main forum poll"! Thanks!



Content :
Video
1.1 Introduction
1.1.1 Motive

1.2 The Layout (Changes)
1.2.1 Comparision between Flyover and 3 Way Junction changes

1.3 Poll for the "Highway 1 Intersection"
//





1.1 Introduction
As some of you may already know, the current Sydney layout was first crafted (or re-edited) by Porsche about 9 months back from today. I took up the challenge of spicing up the layout, and to-date, the current format has been crafted by me.

All TC Layouts, however, including road traffic patterns, are made by the men and women in TC and all hats to them for making a good cruising environment!

I have since then been making little tweaks to the layout, mainly towards the slightly bumpy flyover, as well as Station Boulevard.


1.1.1 Motive
Now, I've returned, purely focusing on what is essentially my baby (lol) here in Sydney, always striving to better the ideas as well as listen to everyone.

That being said, over the past few months, I have been hiding in my dungeon secretly noting down all the comments and ideas, as well as constructive feedback. And I hope from the changes down below that I've made, that cruising in Sydney will improve in due course.


1.2 The Layout
Archway



Archway has always been one of, if not, the most tight area in Sydney. Pile ups, stuck chases and wedged cars have been the complaints I've had before, thus, I've took the archway idea and revamped it up.
Following the rough concept of the King Charles Archway in the UK, rotating the structure to face horizontally.
This in turn, helped free up two - yes, two, additional lanes, one more for each side, for the Archway connection road, making this area much less of a squeeze!


Rescue Station/Safezone


This area is often prone to accidents due to the lack of space entering, and the blind spot created by the armco as you exit the station.
I have opened the entrance up to include the area of tires, of which you can drive through. This makes the entrance and exit lanes much more defined, and much safer, as opposed to a single lane.
Inside the station, 3 pit boxes fufill repairs, whilst a elongated parking tent (split for Rescue and Cops) give out civil workers a place to idle.
Upon exit, as the chevrons on Main Street has been pushed further back, it increases the view looking to the right, making the blind spot less of an issue! (as seen in next picture, below)


Parking Spot Main Street


The lane split markers have been moved further to the left, to widen the left lane.
As mentioned above, the chevron area before Rescue Station has been pushed further back, giving a clearer view as cars exit the Station, and also forcing cars to mind the junction area more.



Highway 1 -> Station Boulevard


This area has been heavily refined to make driving past the area more easier.
In the past, the U turn/Right turn area was directly at the turning area. This made it awkward when someone does a U turn with oncoming cars, or when a suspect decides to ignore the red/white walls and make the turn past them.
Another issue that I was highlighted about were cars making sudden U turns through the mini-gate further up the armco, and causing tailbacks.
I have redone the concept, by introducing two dedicated U-turn lanes to allow for a neutral area of deceleration, as well as formalise the U-turn spot!
The fiddly right turn lane up ahead of the road has been blocked and replaced by a red/white wall to reduce crashes over the center-line.


The neutral run-off area after the blind turn has also been slightly widened to allow for more over-run.


Gas Station


Here's something for the inner OCD of us - the Gas Station has been redesigned to incorperate parking lots, and a more realistic experience overall!




1.2.1 Comparision between Flyover and 3 Way Junction Changes
Current Flyover, with improvements


The left turn lane has been significantly widened, and the kink on the straight down-ramp has been smoothened as well.


Both sides of the main highway road have been widened by quite a margin.

The flyover was one of the key deciding features that you guys, the community, were intrigued by. And I appreciate that. However, as time wore on, issues and problems arose, and I hope these above changes have resolved them all. I am limited by LFS's tools, and can only do so much.


New alternate option of "3 Way Junction"




This idea was raised by a couple of people late last year, and I finally put it to the drawing board today.
It surprised me how much parts the flyover took - over 300 parts to be exact!
By bringing it down and introducing this much cleaner junction, the part count is now well, well below the limit.
The concept is simple - a 3 way junction, with two right turn areas, and one two-lane main road. Traffic posts erected for long range, and a yellow box in the middle. After cleaning it up a little, I must say I'm quite pleased at how this turned out!



1.3 Poll for "Highway 1 Intersection" style
Now, the dillema.
I'm giving all of you here, as I always have, the open opportunity to choose which design for the Main Street-Hwy 1 intersection is better.
** As of 26/5/2018, there are 3 designs! Read the following page for more information before casting your vote below! VVV **
https://www.strawpoll.me/15771785

This is the poll above. Which ever receives the higher vote by the end of the month will be the winner and chosen concept to continue with!
So, what will be the design for the intersection? You decide the future!

As for now, the main forum poll will be for everything else besides the Highway Intersection ideas.




I hope this hasn't been TL;DR too much, it's all the ideas you've chosen for a better TC experience!


Cheers!