Interstate 20 east of Big Spring - looking west at the city
1. The exit ramps on I-20 are very small, as shown in the picture with a 15 mph speed on the off ramp. They require a turn lane with the painted arrow in the lower right of the image.
2. The frontage roads are two-way, and require all the signs such as the yield, yield ahead (seen on the left). The frontage roads are directly next to the highway, and require the two-way, speed limit, all the normal signs seen on any other highway. Traffic entering or exiting the ramp has the right of way in all cases.
3. Behind the image is a massive oil refinery, the Big Spring refinery. This should be a delivery destination, and I-20 passes directly next to it. It's on top of the hill and seen from the whole area. There's an exit behind the image, to Refinery Road, a bridge over I-20 into the refinery. If FM-700 can't fit, that exit sign for FM-700 sitting on the pole next to the bridge could be for Business 20.
4. This particular mile of I-20 has concrete on the side, as seen in the image. It sits below the elevation of the hill, and the refinery itself. The frontage roads are on top of the concrete hill.
5. The median of I-20 and other highways have the string fencing, in the image. It can still be broken, but is designed to prevent trucks from crashing on the other side of the highway. There is a concrete strip that it sits on.
6. This portion of I-20 in the image was recently textured, and produces a loud noise when driving on it.
7. In the right of the image, there is a old, deteriorated building. This is numerous along this highway.
8. Also to the right of the image, is a Big Spring community events sign. I recommend that sign included in the game. There are many community signs at the entrances of every Texas town, for example, the rotary club, church of Christ, chamber of commerce, etc. Also, the Dairy Queen billboards are present, with directions on the sign, like "Left at 180/Second Light". This should go for other interactive truckstops in the game.
9. Down the road, there is the yellow "Watch for ICE on Bridge" sign. This is present at every highway bridge in Texas, even if it's just a drainage ditch, or it's on a Farm-to-Market road.
10. In the center of the image, on the horizon, there is the well-known Hotel Settles. That is the tall building that marks Big Spring. I highly recommend that it is specially detailed, and maybe used as one of the photo ops in the release of the DLC.
Notes on Big Spring: I recommend Business 20 through the city is included. It represents historical purpose and also it looks great.
Although a US 87 Bypass route was just opened, I say it shouldn't be included, as it's a really new and boring route. Business US 87 is far more interesting and better for the game, as the bypass may as well take up too much space for the map. SCS can just not insert any trace of the new bypass.
This is the junction of I-20 and FM 1788, directly in the center of the Midland-Odessa metroplex.
1. This particular interchange is unique, not found anywhere else. These are two-way frontage roads, upgraded for high-traffic. Usually they would be converted to one-way roads, but they're not. A very rural-style junction appropiated for high urban volumes of traffic. Like how SCS made the Albuquerque interchage, this is another special case.
With the two-way roads, traffic exiting the interstate has right-of way. This requires all the yield signs and is somewhat confusing for out-of-towners. This should stay that way in the game.
3. The traffic signals up ahead are large, and have the street light on top of all four poles.
4. In the image, is the massive Main Street Market. This is a special truckstop for SCS to design. This particular intersection is somewhat the nucleus of the Permian Basin.
5. The assortment of trucks and cars in this image perfectly represents the traffic of West Texas. The reason they're all painted white is how they're company-owned vehicles.
6. Triangles/shark teeth are used on the road for the yields. Seen in the image.
7. The yield sign has a TO RAMP plaque below it.
8. I see yellow reflective dots on the road, lining the stripe. Looks to be used for the particular junction.
9. To the right of the image, is a blue camping sign, and there are small signs for the Airport and UTPB engineering building (Green) and the museum and Vietnam memorial (Brown).
10. There are specific areas all throughout that are not filled with buildings, just plain grassy areas. Like to the right of the image.
This is Business Route 20, different from the Interstate 20. It directly parallels I-20 through Midland and Odessa; it follows the railroad, and is the older, historical route.
1.This image is by the Midland International Air and Space Port. Highly recommended, in fact, it should the main focus of this area, aside from the oil and gas businesses. It's still called a "space port" although there are no current space activites. The airport is licensed to do space flights, but the company that would do spaceflights failed or something. Maybe SCS can use this as a destination to deliver spaceflight cargo.
The airport campus has a USPS distrubution center, Frito-Lay distribution center, and aviation hangers to deliver to.
2. This particular section of Business 20 has extra detail, as the highway is carved into the ground up ahead in the image as an underpass. La Force Blvd crosses over the road, along with an old, defunct railroad bridge. Mounted on the railroad bridge is the exit sign for FM 1788. After that, it also passes under the high bridge for FM 1788 itself, along with another lower bridge for the connector.
3. There is a brown exit sign for the Commemorative Air Force museum.
4. In the image, the yellow height limit sign is mounted on the frame next to the exit 1/2 mile sign.
5. The pavement for Business 20 is a new dark seal, but for the underpass, it is lighter, old freeway pavement.
6. The on-ramp and its lines are much longer than the SCS prefabs in the current game.
7. The airport runways itself are seen on Business 20. Very large airport, with the tower and the runway lights seen at night. It's also a very large plain; looking north, it should be the terminals, the runways, and pumpjacks in the distance. The airport fence lines the road.
8. Just back east on the highway is the National Weather Service radar dome and office. Included as part of the airport area. Could be a special delivery destination for delivering a new radar dome or the parts for it.
9. Business 20 has special pine(?) and juniper trees lining the road through here.
10. The overhead signs include the icons for State 349 and FM 1788. An example of how they're both white squares, but do not resemble the real shield.
This is the iconic view of Midland.
1. Some of these buildings are abandoned and quiet. Downtown is not as vibrant as other cities in the game.
2. Large, empty parking lots sit between the railroad and the downtown skyscrapers.
3. This is Business Hwy 349, that passes under the railroad and Business 20. Direct road from the interstate into downtown, besides Business 20.
4. The bail bonds places are common throughout Midland/Odessa.
5. Sign poles have a reflective piece, halfway up the pole. as on the Do Not Enter sign in the image.
6. There is a NO BICYCLES sign on the right side, just before the underpass.
7. There's the Arrested? billboard ahead, up beside Business 20, included in the view of the skyline.
Loop 338 on the west side of Odessa
1. This is the highway lining the west edge of Odessa. I recommend using this road, as it is used to get around Odessa; an alternative to US 385. Also collects traffic from State 302, if that even makes it in the game.
2. Loop 338 was given a seal maintenace, in strips, seen in the image. This should be the texture of this particular road, from I-20 to just past the exit for Hwy 302.
3. The median has a small fence with wooden poles topped with yellow reflectives, and the mesquite trees in the center.
4. Pumpjacks are seen off this road, in the left of the image.
5. This road is a loose freeway that has a turnoff to Walmart, as in the image.
6. Powerlines separate the Walmart and the highway.
7. No Parking signs are placed along the highway shoulder, seen in the image.
Notes on Midland-Odessa:
As I-20 is guranteed, I recommend that all of the Business Route 20 is also added, going through both downtowns. With limited scale, I suggest that the only north-south roads should be the West Loop 338, FM 1788/SH 349, and the East Loop 250. Cut out the east loop of Odessa and cut out the west loop of Midland.
More likely, if space doesn't allow, Midland-Odessa's north-south route could just be FM 1788. 1788 would then split off to 158 (to 385) and 349. I don't suggest 1788 south of the interstate. So it could be I-20 and Business 20, with 1788 going north and US 385 going south, at different points along the interstate. SH 158 will go southeast from Midland, a trunk route to San Angelo.
1788 includes the airport.
