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 responsibility for over 50,000 miles of highways and freeways, Caltrans also oversees intercity rail systems, more than 400 public-use airports, and specialized hospital heliports. When this agency makes a major technology decision, it sends ripples through the entire civil engineering and transportation industry. In June 2011, Caltrans made a bold move by replacing its long-standing Autodesk CAiCE software—used for road and highway design—with AutoCAD Civil 3D. This shift was part of a broader global trend toward adopting Building Information Modeling (BIM) processes and tools that support them. The decision signaled a significant commitment to modernizing infrastructure design and project delivery across the state. Now in its second year of implementing AutoCAD Civil 3D, Caltrans has trained nearly 2,000 engineers and surveyors on the new platform. Their progress has been so impressive that the Chief of the Division of Design recently issued a memo confirming that all new projects starting July 1, 2014, must be designed using Civil 3D. This marks the official end of CAiCE usage within the department. Having led a statewide implementation of engineering design software during my time with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, I can truly appreciate the scale and complexity of what Caltrans has achieved. It's no small feat to transition such a large organization, but the results are clear—greater efficiency, improved collaboration, and better outcomes for infrastructure projects. To support this transition, Caltrans has developed comprehensive software standards and workflows tailored to its specific needs. These resources not only help internal teams stay compliant but also ensure that external partners and contractors can meet Caltrans' unique requirements seamlessly. Caltrans’ journey reflects a growing movement among transportation agencies to embrace digital tools and workflows. While the path isn’t always easy, the long-term benefits—like enhanced accuracy, faster project delivery, and better data management—are proving invaluable. Learn more about the Caltrans announcement here. Discover how Autodesk supports roads and highways with advanced design solutions here. Originally published in Autodesk’s BIM on the Rocks blog. testing instrument ,areo hand rest, TUP Over mould, TPE over mould, PC over mould Dongguan Hongke Plastic Precision Mould Co.,Limited , https://www.hongkemold.com3D visualization of Presidio Parkway, San Francisco. Image courtesy of Parsons Brinckerhoff.
AutoCAD Civil 3D design for El Dorado County DOT roadway project. Image courtesy of EDCDOT.
California Dept. of Transportation Moves to AutoCAD Civil 3D for All New Projects