New road plates double up as sand and water in LEGO CITY sets

The plates from the LEGO Group’s new road system have been re-coloured to act as sand and water in soon-to-be-released LEGO CITY sets.

Animal fans will have been happy to see the new moulded animals joining the LEGO CITY range in 2021, a noticeable change from their brick-built ancestors. However, those with a keen eye will also have spotted that what the moulded elephants in 60302 Animal Rescue Operation are walking on, as one example, is actually just different versions of 60304 Road Plates.

One section of the animal rescue scene is coloured to look like sand, the other blue to look like water. In an interview with New Elementary, the LEGO CITY team and Element Design acknowledged that versatility and scalability within the LEGO System is always a consideration when introducing new pieces, so we’ll certainly be on the lookout for any other sets that incorporate the new road plates.

The elements themselves have been left deliberately unprinted, making it easier to repurpose them for other sets. Stickers and new colours can change a simple road junction into a savanna floor or a cobbled street, with the right additions. Not only are the plates themselves more versatile, but they can also be used to mix up your urban builds by connecting existing modular cities.

If any other instances do pop up showing 60304 Road Plates in action, we’ll be sure to let you know. In the meantime, see how they hold up in comparison to the old printed baseplates in our review.

Support the work that Brick Fanatics does by purchasing your LEGO using any one of our affiliate links.