Need help with City Connections

[Superjew]

Ok I built a road network, that went off another road network that other civilizations were using to connect my cities to my capital. I checked and my cities are not connected. Except for New York which is the closest to my Capital.

Anyways my road network (Im US) goes from Washington, to New York City, then I cross over to Greece's network and go from Sparta, to Athens, and the finally I have this long road going to Boston which is kind of a satelite city, and that uses a road network going through the French empire, and finally winds up in my 4th and final city, Philadelphia.

Ok so whats the deal? I checked, and the roads, if they use other civilizations cities as road tiles as well, doesn't count as a city connection?

Reason this sucks is I've built Machu Picchu but clearly am getting next to no benefit from it and would really be raking in some gold if I did.

Should I try building my city connections that don't even go through other civilization's lands or cities?

If someone can clarify it, I even have Open Borders with Alexander the Great, why my cities linked up with a few other Civ's cities along the way doesn't count as a city connection to my capital, I would be thankful. Right now the game is on hold, Im going to have to load up an OLD save (Marathon game) to correct this major mistake, but I'm still pretty new to the game so I'm just trying to understand these types of basic things.

 

[Superjew]

We've had 19 people look at this thread who play Civ V and not one of you can tell me if you can build a road through a rival city as part of a city connection? Should I just assume that no you can't?

 

[TeriXeri]

I've had city connection broken one time when AI's borders grew into my outer roads, I think they don't count in normal conditions if they go through another Civs land, not sure if open borders changes that.

Not sure if it has to do with road ownership, but I know after conquering land, I have to pay for the roads inside the new borders.

Self-built roads outside of land still cost you gold.

 

[masda_gib]

I remember that you need open borders to have roads in other civs terretory connect your cities.
Otherwise those road tiles don't count and block your connection.

 

[Browd]

That is correct. You need open borders to get the benefit of city connections with roads that pass through AI territory (and at least friend status with a CS, if the road goes through CS territory). This applies for both city connection gold and for Liberty's +1 happiness policy (Meritocracy).

Note that open borders will usually cost just 2 gpt (if the AI is neutral or better towards you). If you have 2 or more road segments through an AI's territory and/or you would have to build 2 or more road segments outside the AI's territory to make the required connection, buying open borders is a worthy expense (think of it as an alternate way of paying road maintenance).