Aetrea (Roadgeekery ahead) - Montages galore!

[Rady]

Great picture! I admire how you use the RHW!!

[Floydian]

UPDATE: Map updated to show regional boundaries
Thank you for the warm return all
The RHW for me has always been my favourite part of the game. There's a LOT of large interchanges in the region, and many more that I wish to build (I eagerly await version 4). However, I don't want to fixate on highways the entire time, because I don't know how many people share my passion for them (besides Haljackey, who I spot editing highway articles over at Wikipedia).

First a map to highlight the region being explored (at this point I have done at least terraforming on 27 of the 144 quads, and essentially completed 9 of those):

6.01: (Click for larger) A satellite image of the regions south of Aetrea, with the highways highlighted in blue.

South-Central Aetrea

South-Central Aetrea is divided into five regions: Aetrea, the urban centre comprising the area between the Chron and Heart rivers; Pedrum, a mountainous plateau, comprising the land north of Pedrum Valley (the deep valley at the centre of the right side of the picture with a highway running through it) and east of the Heart River; Manus, the agricultural factory and coastline to the south-east of Aetrea; Ivory, the large peninsula to the east of the Chron delta; and, Praudenburg, a mountainous region, comprising the land to the west of the Chron River. (A map will be provided shortly)

The region of Manus is almost exclusively agricultural. The only thing that comes close to an "urban centre" (aside from Plaines in the northern corner, which is considered part of the city of Aetrea) is the eponymous village, located approximately 4 kilometres south-east of Aetrea, alongside Manus Route (M.R.) 4.



6.02: The village of Manus. (2006)

The demand for houses in the quiet solitude of Manus recently drove the town to seek room for expansion. The forest lands north of the village are protected from development as part of the Manus Greenbelt (a development hindering zone, in this case protecting the headwaters of a creek flowing north to the Heart River). The forest to the south-west is mountainous and rocky, unsuitable for development of any kind. This leaves only the surrounding farmland.

Impeded to the north and south, the local council put pressure on the operators of the two farms west of the village. After over a year and a half, the council was approached by Peggy Sue, operator of the two farms to the east of the village. Though the council had not considered eastward expansion, the deal placed on the table was too good to refuse. For a fraction of the costs, Peggy Sue was happy to depart with the western half of her farms, which she had not planted on this year due to recent flooding.

6.03: Peggy Sue's reduced harvest. (2008)

With the land expropriated, the council set forth the zoning plans, and roadwork began.

6.04: Roads are placed into the empty fields. (2008)

Within 6 months, the land has been entirely occupied, every property built upon, and every house purchased. The income from the developers leaves the village council gasping for breath. What to do with it all... What to do...?

6.05: The completed nieghborhood.

Happy New Years everyone!

[Battlecat]

Nice update!  That's a great looking little farming community!   

[Floydian]

One of several montages I'll be posting over the next couple of days.


7.01: A montage of farms in eastern Manus.


7.02: Following the western Aetrea boundary for a short while (North is to the upper left), the image passes farms, crosses the Chron River, and finally a mountain ravine. (Click for larger)
Cheers!

[RickD]

Good to see you back Floydian. I'm always in for a little roadgeekery. And you've got some excellent maps there.

[bat]

Your farms are really nice! Great work on them!
Looking forward to more...

[Battlecat]

Great looking montage!  I really like that extra wide curve you built on the road there. 

[Tomas Neto]

Fantastic rural area!!! Great work!!!