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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 U.S., overseeing over 50,000 miles of highways and freeways. In addition to roads, Caltrans also manages 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 community. In June 2011, Caltrans made a bold move by phasing out its legacy Autodesk CAiCE software—used for road and highway design across the state—in favor of AutoCAD Civil 3D. This shift was part of a broader industry trend toward Building Information Modeling (BIM), which aims to improve efficiency, accuracy, and collaboration in infrastructure projects. Now in their second year of full implementation, Caltrans has trained nearly 2,000 engineers and surveyors on the new platform. The success of this transition has led to a key directive from the Chief of the Division of Design: starting July 1, 2014, all new projects must be designed using AutoCAD Civil 3D, effectively ending the use of CAiCE within the department.

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

Having overseen a similar statewide software rollout during my time at the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, I can say that what Caltrans has achieved is no small feat. It’s not just about switching tools—it’s about transforming workflows, training teams, and aligning with new standards. Despite the challenges, many DOTs are beginning to see real benefits from adopting BIM-based solutions. To support this transition, Caltrans has developed comprehensive software standards and workflow templates tailored to its specific needs. These resources help both internal staff and external partners meet Caltrans’ unique requirements more efficiently.

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

This shift reflects a growing recognition across the industry that modern design tools like AutoCAD Civil 3D can significantly enhance productivity, reduce errors, and improve collaboration among stakeholders. For more details on Caltrans’ transition, you can read their official announcement. If you're interested in how Autodesk supports road and highway design, check out our dedicated resources. Originally published in Autodesk’s BIM on the Rocks blog.

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