diff --git a/crates/citygen/src/generate/arterials.rs b/crates/citygen/src/generate/arterials.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f47226c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/citygen/src/generate/arterials.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,175 @@
+//! Stage 3: arterial roads between district centres.
+
+use super::{GenCtx, StageRunner, StepOut};
+use crate::geom::{Pos, Rect};
+use crate::params::GenError;
+use crate::pathing::astar;
+use crate::tile::Terrain;
+use crate::world::StratumKind;
+
+#[derive(Default)]
+pub(crate) struct ArterialsStage {
+    edges: Vec<(Pos, Pos)>,
+    next: usize,
+}
+
+/// Minimum spanning tree (Prim) plus the shortest `extra` non-tree edges for loops.
+fn plan_edges(centers: &[Pos], extra: usize) -> Vec<(Pos, Pos)> {
+    let n = centers.len();
+    if n < 2 {
+        return Vec::new();
+    }
+    let mut in_tree = vec![false; n];
+    let mut edges = Vec::new();
+    in_tree[0] = true;
+    for _ in 1..n {
+        let mut best: Option<(i64, usize, usize)> = None;
+        for a in 0..n {
+            if !in_tree[a] {
+                continue;
+            }
+            for b in 0..n {
+                if in_tree[b] {
+                    continue;
+                }
+                let d = centers[a].dist2(centers[b]);
+                if best.is_none_or(|(bd, _, _)| d < bd) {
+                    best = Some((d, a, b));
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        let (_, a, b) = best.expect("some vertex remains");
+        in_tree[b] = true;
+        edges.push((a, b));
+    }
+    let mut candidates: Vec<(i64, usize, usize)> = Vec::new();
+    for a in 0..n {
+        for b in (a + 1)..n {
+            let used = edges
+                .iter()
+                .any(|(x, y)| (*x == a && *y == b) || (*x == b && *y == a));
+            if !used {
+                candidates.push((centers[a].dist2(centers[b]), a, b));
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    candidates.sort();
+    edges.extend(candidates.iter().take(extra).map(|(_, a, b)| (*a, *b)));
+    edges
+        .into_iter()
+        .map(|(a, b)| (centers[a], centers[b]))
+        .collect()
+}
+
+impl ArterialsStage {
+    fn route(&self, ctx: &GenCtx, a: Pos, b: Pos) -> Option<Vec<Pos>> {
+        let land = &ctx.scratch.land;
+        let arterial = &ctx.scratch.arterial;
+        astar(ctx.size(), a, b, |_, to| {
+            if !land[to] {
+                Some(40)
+            } else if arterial[to] {
+                Some(10)
+            } else {
+                Some(11)
+            }
+        })
+    }
+
+    fn paint(&self, ctx: &mut GenCtx, path: &[Pos]) {
+        for p in path {
+            for q in Rect::new(p.x - 1, p.y - 1, 4, 4).iter() {
+                if !ctx.city.size.contains(q) {
+                    continue;
+                }
+                let t = if ctx.is_land(q) {
+                    Terrain::Road
+                } else {
+                    Terrain::Bridge
+                };
+                ctx.set_terrain(StratumKind::Street, q, t);
+                ctx.scratch.arterial.set(q, true);
+                ctx.scratch.road.set(q, true);
+            }
+        }
+        for p in path {
+            for q in Rect::new(p.x - 2, p.y - 2, 6, 6).border() {
+                if ctx.is_land(q) && ctx.terrain(StratumKind::Street, q) == Terrain::Void {
+                    ctx.set_terrain(StratumKind::Street, q, Terrain::Sidewalk);
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl StageRunner for ArterialsStage {
+    fn begin(&mut self, ctx: &mut GenCtx) -> Result<(), GenError> {
+        let centers: Vec<Pos> = ctx.city.districts.iter().map(|d| d.center).collect();
+        let extra = (centers.len() / 3).max(2);
+        self.edges = plan_edges(&centers, extra);
+        self.next = 0;
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    fn step(&mut self, ctx: &mut GenCtx) -> Result<StepOut, GenError> {
+        if self.next >= self.edges.len() {
+            return Ok(StepOut::Finished);
+        }
+        let (a, b) = self.edges[self.next];
+        self.next += 1;
+        if let Some(path) = self.route(ctx, a, b) {
+            self.paint(ctx, &path);
+            ctx.city.arterials.push(path);
+        }
+        Ok(StepOut::Continue(
+            self.next as f32 / self.edges.len() as f32,
+        ))
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use crate::generate::testutil::small;
+    use crate::geom::Rect;
+    use crate::params::WaterMode;
+    use crate::pathing::components;
+    use crate::tile::Terrain;
+    use crate::world::StratumKind;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn arterials_connect_all_districts_and_avoid_water() {
+        let c = small(21, WaterMode::Bay, 7);
+        assert!(c.arterials.len() >= 6);
+        let st = c.stratum(StratumKind::Street).unwrap();
+        for path in &c.arterials {
+            for p in path {
+                assert_ne!(st.tiles[*p].terrain, Terrain::Water);
+            }
+        }
+        for d in &c.districts {
+            let near = Rect::new(d.center.x - 3, d.center.y - 3, 7, 7)
+                .iter()
+                .any(|p| st.tiles.get(p).is_some_and(|t| t.terrain == Terrain::Road));
+            assert!(near, "district {:?} centre not on road", d.id);
+        }
+        let comps = components(st.tiles.size(), |p| st.tiles[p].terrain == Terrain::Road);
+        assert_eq!(comps.len(), 1);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn arterial_width_is_four_with_sidewalks() {
+        let c = small(21, WaterMode::None, 5);
+        let st = c.stratum(StratumKind::Street).unwrap();
+        let path = &c.arterials[0];
+        let mid = path[path.len() / 2];
+        let roads = Rect::new(mid.x - 3, mid.y - 3, 7, 7)
+            .iter()
+            .filter(|p| st.tiles.get(*p).is_some_and(|t| t.terrain == Terrain::Road))
+            .count();
+        assert!(
+            roads >= 16,
+            "expected a 4-wide road around {mid:?}, got {roads}"
+        );
+        assert!(st.tiles.count(|t| t.terrain == Terrain::Sidewalk) > 0);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/crates/citygen/src/generate/mod.rs b/crates/citygen/src/generate/mod.rs
index 79fcfd2..8c43858 100644
--- a/crates/citygen/src/generate/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/citygen/src/generate/mod.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 //! The resumable generator: eleven chunked stages over a growing `City`.
 
+pub mod arterials;
 pub mod districts;
 pub mod terrain;
 
@@ -223,6 +224,7 @@ pub(crate) fn runner_for(stage: Stage) -> Box<dyn StageRunner> {
     match stage {
         Stage::Terrain => Box::new(terrain::TerrainStage::default()),
         Stage::Districts => Box::new(districts::DistrictsStage::default()),
+        Stage::Arterials => Box::new(arterials::ArterialsStage::default()),
         _ => Box::new(NoopStage),
     }
 }