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By Karen Weiss, Autodesk

California’s Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is one of the largest and most complex transportation agencies in the United States. With over 50,000 miles of highways and freeways under its care, Caltrans also oversees intercity rail systems, more than 400 public airports, and specialized hospital heliports. When this agency makes a major technology decision, it sends ripples through the entire civil engineering and transportation community—because their choices often set the pace for others across the country. In 2011, Caltrans made a bold move by phasing out its legacy Autodesk CAiCE software, which had been used for road and highway design projects throughout the state, in favor of AutoCAD Civil 3D. This shift was part of a broader global trend toward Building Information Modeling (BIM) and digital workflows that enhance efficiency, accuracy, and collaboration in infrastructure projects. Now, two years into the implementation, nearly 2,000 engineers and surveyors have been trained on AutoCAD Civil 3D. The success of the transition has led to a formal memo from the Chief of the Division of Design, mandating that all new projects starting July 1, 2014, must be designed using Civil 3D. This marks the end of the CAiCE era for Caltrans and signals a strong commitment to modern, integrated design tools.

23D visualization of Presidio Parkway, San Francisco. Image courtesy of Parsons Brinckerhoff.

Having overseen a similar statewide software rollout during my time with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, I can attest to how monumental this achievement is for Caltrans. They are part of an expanding group of transportation agencies that are reaping the benefits of digital transformation—even though the journey isn’t without its challenges. To support this transition, Caltrans has developed detailed software standards and workflow guidelines tailored to its specific needs. These resources help both internal staff and external partners adhere to Caltrans’ unique requirements, ensuring consistency and quality across all projects.

3AutoCAD Civil 3D design for El Dorado County DOT roadway project. Image courtesy of EDCDOT.

This shift not only improves project delivery but also enhances communication between designers, contractors, and stakeholders. By leveraging BIM and 3D modeling, Caltrans is setting a new standard for infrastructure planning and execution. For more information on Caltrans’ transition, visit their official announcement. You can also explore Autodesk’s full range of solutions for roads and highways on their website. Originally published in Autodesk’s BIM on the Rocks blog.

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