idea Block boundary in ArcGIS CityEngine Ideas

Block boundary

MatoBaloga — Tue, 28 Sep 2021 10:20:54 GMT

Would it be possible to add BLOCK BOUNDARY. Not all blocks are surrounded by streets (graph network), but are at the edge of the city. The boundary could enclose the block polygon idependent od graph.

Blocks could by divided by the boundary.b

Re: Block boundary

Anonymous User — Wed, 29 Sep 2021 19:37:32 GMT

I like your idea! I think a "boundary line" that doesn't effect the street network geometry, particularly by not creating a new node shape, would be great.

Just wanted to note, sometimes you can work around this by creating a street with 0 width and 0 sidewalk widths to help enclose a block without modifying the street shape. But you might have to tinker with how it interacts with your street shapes because it will likely effect the street node's geometry negatively or undesirably.

Re: Block boundary

MatoBaloga — Thu, 30 Sep 2021 06:28:01 GMT

Thank you, @Anonymous User The main idea was exactly not to affect street network. Zero-street works, but addes new nodes to street geometry (at least).

Re: Block boundary - Status changed to: Needs Clarification

ChristianIten — Wed, 07 Sep 2022 08:17:28 GMT

Yes, the workaround atm is to set street and sidewalk width to zero.

Can you explain more where you run into issues with this approach?

Re: Block boundary

MatoBaloga — Tue, 23 Dec 2025 13:10:52 GMT

Zero lane width is not possible to set and there is always issue with the graph network.

The block should have a boundary that does not consist of streets, because is at the end/edge of the city.

Re: Block boundary

ThomasFuchs — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 12:49:24 GMT

Hello @MatoBaloga

Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts! I just wanted to mention that with the new CityEngine Street Designer, you can now achieve a 'zero lane width' by simply removing the lane:
Remove lanes—ArcGIS CityEngine Resources | Documentation

Hopefully, this helps address the issue you mentioned.

Re: Block boundary

MatoBaloga — Thu, 22 Jan 2026 08:08:45 GMT

Yes, but the 0 lane interact with other streets.

Re: Block boundary - Status changed to: Open

ThomasFuchs — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 08:42:00 GMT

Thanks for the clarification. You are pointing out, that the necessary creation of the connecting node to the street network, does influence the initial shapes for the model generation. In the example below, the result is an altered lantern placement.