CURRENT AND PROPOSED ORGANIZATIONAL ACTIVITIES

Implementation of Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007

The Department is in the process of implementing Microsoft Office Sharepoint 2007. The implementation of Sharepoint Department-wide will provide a single portal for users to access “My GDOT”.  The interface will be consistent, but what each user will “see” will vary based on permissions. This implementation will establish an environment for the collaborative development, review of, and approval of numerous project-related documents.  Examples include, but not limited to, Project Funding Agreements, Concept Reports, Need and Purpose Statements, and Utility Agreements.  Other such items that might also be included are Personnel related actions, Contracts, Supplemental Agreements, etc. Additionally, it is intended to for Sharepoint to also establish a repository of plan files which can be searched via metadata, full text search, and via a geographical search.

NEW SYSTEMS (JUST COMPLETED, IN PROGRESS, OR PREPARING TO START)

A. Migration/Implementation to Microstation V8 and InRoads

The implementation of MicroStation V8 and InRoads continues at GDOT. The team is currently completing work with the Photogrammetry and Survey section, as well as starting to work on processes and standards in InRoads for establishing Existing Property Lines and Existing Right of Way which are based off plats and deeds. The Engineering Software TEAM continues to work with Bentley to develop required InRoads macros and reports.

B. GIS Initiatives

GIS is an integrating technology as its value is realized when multiple data sources of good quality are layered on top of a base map to show the relationships between geography and a collection of economic, environmental, safety, traffic and infrastructure factors.

Enterprise GIS Program Initiatives include Enterprise GIS Architecture Planning/Development, Enterprise GIS Data Migration Strategic Planning, CAD-GIS Interoperability - Business Process Definition, Web Services Development, and EGIS Web Page Development. Specific IT Projects include the continued development of Transportation Explorer (TREX), the Department’s web-based GIS application for access to multiple databases, reports, maps, and project plan sets, as well as development of What's the Big Idea (Visex),

TE Projects (Mapping Interface), and Oracle 10g R2 Migration.

C. Plotting and Scanning Initiatives

The Department is currently in the process of installing new KIP color scanning, plotting, and reproduction machines controlled by new Dell 745 PC’s in all District Offices, as well as other remote offices. The new machines also include the Kip Request software that allows users to submit many different file formats directly from their desktop to any Kip device within the GDOT plotting network. Previewing, rescaling, set generation, job recall and resubmittal, as well as batch conversion for file formats are all available from within the software.

The Engineering Software TEAM is also developing a new internal plotting solution called GPLOT. The utility uses Microstation plotting and allows a user to create plot files and submit them while in Microstation. It also allows the use of customized pen tables and preview of files in the Microstation preview screen before plotting. The GPLOT program calls custom MDL commands that fill in Ref File names and level information located in the title block, as well as placing time, date, username, and pen table name along with DGN name and levels used for future reference. When files are submitted to plotters located on the users network they have the option of mixing different file formats depending on what the device they are sending to will accept. These tools are all available from a BARMENU within Microstation for quick referencing at anytime.

The Department has also implemented PDFredirect, a utility provided by www.exp-systems.com which allows a user to generate PDF files in color or black/white directly from within Microstation and does not require Adobe Acrobat. Microstation plot drivers have been created, along with pen tables that call the PDFredirect plotting driver. This driver can be used to generate a PDF from any windows application and also allows the user to create multi-page documents, preview the files and place custom stamps or watermarks on the files for printing.

 D. Video Demonstration and Training Development

The Engineering Software TEAM is in the process of developing eighteen (18) demonstration and training videos for Design, Microstation, Plotting, Drainage, GDOT Redline and other miscellaneous software. These

videos include demonstrations on the use of many of the internally developed plotting and MicroStation tools, as well as several design and miscellaneous tools.

E. Bentley Haestad Drainage Software Development

The Department selected the Haestad software drainage software a few years back, but recently, the drainage inlet library was completed that contains over 350 different configurations from 28 Georgia Standards and Construction Details was developed for use with the StormCad module.

F. Plan Presentation Standards Overhaul

The Department’s Plan Presentation Committee has recently completed Phase I of a complete rewrite of the Plan Presentation Guide (PPG) that provides guidance to designers performing design work on GDOT projects on what is to be presented on a set of plans. The new PPG was released on March 5, 2007 and is available online from the Department’s centralized documentation and standards website called R.O.A.D.S. (Repository for Online Access to Documentation and Standards - http://www.dot.state.ga.us/dot/preconstruction/r-o-a-d-s/). The associated Electronic Data Guidelines (EDG), which provides all the attribute information for the elements displayed on the plans as designated in the PPG, is now being revised to agree with the new PPG. Future plans include combining the two documents into one online manual.

G. Electronic Plan Archival

The Department has completed approximately 20% of the transfer of all of its hard-copy as-built plans and microfilm cards to electronic format. Approximately 250,000 microfilm cards have been scanned out of approximately 2.5 million total cards, in addition to approximately 100,000 sheets of As-Built Plans. The images are being saved into TIFF Group IV format. Additionally, metadata is being gathered for each image which adds “intelligence” to the plan sets for searching and querying. The plan archives will be accessible internally and externally through an easy to use web-enabled GIS application called Transportation Explorer (TREX). Many of the projects are already available on TREX, which can be accessed from the GDOT homepage (http://www.dot.state.ga.us/index.shtml), with more being added weekly.

RECORD OF EXCHANGE

GDOT has talked with several states who have also gone through, or is going through, the migration to MicroStation V8 and InRoads.

INFORMATION REQUESTED

GDOT is interested in what other States have implemented or considering implementing in the areas of engineering document management, as well as design visualization.