Place a bus platform/train station, put a shopping center nearby, add a through road and start placing residences. Put the amenities in range of the platform/station, delete residences if necessary. Over time you get a system and make more space efficient cities. Spam pathways. Add more residences if necessary later, add amenities and stations/platforms to those if needed.

Only invite citizens to a building once they have all amenities and infrastructure.

People only need to be able to reach food healthcare and childcare on foot, the rest of the services they can reach from the store.