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I think this would be more appropriate in frontier or exploration games where the cities haven't been created yet. Once the players decide to set up a new base between watersource X and iron mine Y they will need to find a short route back to good old city Z. Assuming the lack of some kind of sexy procedurally generated infinite landscape it would reasonable that you as the developer would know where the most suitable places to build are located. You could anticipate what the travel routes might be and let player "expose" the roads as they danced to your strings. ( Actually I like the exposed road idea but seperate from this travel discussion.. )

This terrain effect really just adds to the imersion of your game if you decide to go for a living world goal. It not only shows common routes for trade but it could also reveal paths that you intend to have kept hidden. The farming route that got you two more trips an hour would be revealed slowly to other players if you took advantage too often. Players can discover what other players discovered.