Current and Proposed Organizational Activities
Department Organization Change - In 2003, CTDOT created the Engineering
Applications Section in the Office of Engineering to be responsible for
developing and establishing electronic design standards and supporting computer-
aided engineering applications. The Section's responsibilities also include
organizing design projects to move seamlessly from the initiation stage, to
final design and through advertising, awarding, construction and maintenance.
Additionally, Engineering Applications is responsible for a complete project
which can be interactively used in a geospatial system and archived and
retrieved in a management information system. The Section also monitors the
latest in design technology to continually improve performance and customer
service.
In November of 2005, CTDOT's Office of Information Systems formed a new group
called Engineering Support to be assigned specifically to support the
information technology (IT) infrastructure for the Office of Engineering and to
provide technical IT support for Engineering Application's initiatives.
In July of 2006, the Office of Engineering created the Civil Applications Group
to be focused on exclusive InRoads support and development. The group assists
users with InRoads for roadway design, airport runway design, and site design
and implements appropriate training courses. Civil Applications also configures
and maintains the InRoads preferences and develops necessary InRoads work flows.
Since that time, the Civil Applications group has merged with Engineering
Applications Section to be better aligned with Engineering's Application future
goals and development.
Pending: In the summer 2008, CTDOT is considering reorganizing the Engineering
Applications Section into the newly formed Division of Project Oversight and
Quality Control. The organizational change if approved will provide better
project oversight and alignment of construction and engineering technology
applications.
New Systems (Just Completed, In Progress, or Preparing to Start)
A. Development of CTDOT's Digital Design Environment - In-House Design projects have been successful utilizing project configurations set-up for MicroStation V8 and users have been working in a standard "Project Container Environment". The Consultant Engineering community has been provided an exclusive website for downloading and configuring their design
http://www.ct.gov/dot/digitaldesign
environment to CTDOTs. The website is located at. In the near future,
Engineering Application's hopes to further streamline the process by providing
automated installations that will configure external users to CTDOT's Digital
Design Environment.
B. Bentley InRoads and OnSite Development (In Progress) .- Engineering
Applications is in the process of developing InRoads 8.9 and associated XIN
configurations and standards. Plans also consist of piloting the use of High
Value Data and Bentley OnSite on a construction project schedule in the summer
of 2009.
D. ProjectWise Development - CTDOT is currently piloting an internal
development system of ProjectWise XM and using it to manage the data for the
delivery of final contract documents on two major highway infrastructure
projects. Future goals for CTDOT's ProjectWise System include the development of a more robust system architecture and connection to the web, therefore allowing external access for digital submissions. Additionally, CTDOT is planning to use ProjectWise for scanned pdf construction plan archives.
E. Digital Signatures - CTDOT is currently piloting the use of digital
signatures on two major highway infrastructure projects and soon to begin
piloting two additional pilot projects consisting of 600 and 2500 pdf sheet
respectively. The piloting involves the use of Adobe Acrobat PDF Packager
(Acrobat Version 8) and their Certified Document Services Solution. Additional
information regarding the Draft Procedures can be found at the following
website:
http://www.ct.gov/dot/lib/dot/documents/deng/Digital_Signature_Submission_Procedures2 .pdf
F. Adobe Acrobat Version 8.0 - Shared Design Review - CTDOT has piloted the use of Adobe Acrobat (Version 8.0) Shared Review for a 70% design submission on a highway infrastructure project. While there are some inherent bugs with Adobe Acrobat, the pilot worked well in improving design collaboration and streamlining design review time. The Office of Construction reported design review time savings of 50%. Future development of this application should include the ability to provide shared reviews of multiple documents and streamline approval workflows.
G. AASHTO Trns*Port Implementation - CTDOT is considering to have InfoTech perform a preliminary analysis study for the implementation of AASHTO PES/LAS, Estimator, Expedite, and BAMS/DSS. The study will include major tasks to be executed as part of the implementation, cost estimates and a proposed timeline.
Since the Department currently utilizes older versions of Estimator and
BAMS/DSS, both products will have to be upgraded to the current version of the
software and data will have to be migrated.
Record of Exchange
We wish to thank all the states and other organizations that we have
corresponded with to share ideas, thoughts, and information over the past three
years. Florida DOT, New York DOT, Michigan DOT and Kentucky DOT have been extremely helpful in guiding our initiatives.
Information Wanted
A . Are there any states working on applications that have the ability to
harvest traffic CAD features into InRoads Quantity Manager Databases?
B. Are there any states using automated processes/applications to configure
remote clients to DOT CAD standards and work environments? If so, what are they
and how do they work?
C. Are there any states utilizing applications to batch digitally sign contract
plan sheets?
D. Are there any states interested in interoperability between ProjecWise and
Primavera Expedition?
E. Are there any states implementing digital processes for the submission of
Shop and Working drawings if so what are the processes?
F. Any successes/experiences with projects that have utilized machine control?
G: Any successes/experience/procedures/implementation with QA/QC Applications
dedicated to assuring CAD data integrity and using the reporting to grade the
consultant engineering work.