CTDOT CONNECT DDE GUIDE VOLUME 1 - OVERVIEW

Section 1 - Introduction

GOALS

PURPOSE

THE CONNECT TRANSITION PLAN

ABOUT THIS GUIDE

GOALS

The CTDOT Digital Design Environment (DDE) is a toolkit that allows for the creation, modification, and exchange of high-value electronic engineering data. The information and resources contained in the DDE have been developed for use with CTDOT’s foundational CAD platforms including: OpenRoads Designer, OpenBridge Modeler and OpenBuildings Designer by Bentley Systems, Inc.

The goals of this DDE Guide are:

• To provide an environment that will enable users of all skill levels to produce engineering drawings and documents in accordance with CTDOT standards.
• To maintain interoperability and collaboration with Consultant Engineers and State Design staff.
• To provide one storage location for all project planning, design and construction electronic data.
• To create high-value electronic data that maintains its attributions well into the future and can be used in an interactive decision system.
• To meet the Governor’s Executive Order No. 3, "All state agencies in the executive branch and all higher education agencies and institutions shall post all bids, requests for proposals and all resulting contracts and agreements on the State Contracting Portal and shall, with the assistance of the Department of Administrative Services and the Department of Information Technology as needed, develop the infrastructure and capability to electronically communicate with the State Contracting Portal."
• To publish contracts in a common, portable document format (PDF).

An important term which is becoming more popular within many states' DOTs is High Value Data (HVD). HVD is electronic data created as a byproduct of the design process. It includes information contained in both 2D and 3D models that can be used during the construction phase of the project for digital terrain queries, optional GPS-driven earth moving equipment and in the life cycle maintenance of a designed transportation facility. Coming full circle, these files can also be used for any rehabilitation or modification of the existing project in the future. Previously, CTDOT has only supplied paper contract drawings and specifications to the Contractor and Construction Inspectors. With CTDOT’s project container electronic file storage approach, this data is now in place and searchable for future queries. HVD can be used in Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Geographical Information Systems (GIS).

PURPOSE

The intent of this guide is to define uniform procedures as well as to explain the structure of CTDOT’s DDE. This guide will identify standard resource files, configurations and CAD functions used in the creation, management and publishing of electronic engineering data (EED).

This guide does not replace the need for other references and training. Additional publications and training may be needed for further clarification of CAD procedures and functions. This guide is not intended to prevent or limit individual initiatives and engineering judgment used in project design and development. Rather, it is meant to document standard digital design procedures in practice at CTDOT.
Users of this guide include Designers, Planners, Surveyors and CAD Managers that work at or with CTDOT staff. The information provided in this guide is subject to revision as updates are made to the software and methodology in accordance with CTDOT DDE policies.

THE CONNECT TRANSITION PLAN

CTDOT transitioned to the Bentley CONNECT Suite of products in 2020. The transition plan has been documented on CTDOT’s website CTDOT CONNECT DDE Transition Plan Frequently Asked Questions. 

The Connecticut Department of Transportation’s Digital Design Environment is configured to work with the following Bentley products:

• OpenRoads Designer® (ORD) is Bentley’s civil design software solution for surveying, roadway, drainage, subsurface utilities, and site design. ORD supersedes Bentley’s previous design software packages InRoads, GEOPAK, MX and Power Civil.
• OpenBridge Modeler® (OBM) is Bentley's 3D bridge modeling software. OpenBridge Modeler is part of the OpenBridge Designer® suite of products. OpenBridge Modeler® will be installed along with LEAP Bridge Steel®, LEAP Bridge Concrete® and RM Bridge® when OpenBridge Designer® is installed.
• OpenBuildings Designer® (OBD) is Bentley’s building design and energy analysis software.

These products are registered trademarks of Bentley Systems, Inc. All three products contain the functionality of MicroStation CONNECT Edition along with added specific design capabilities. CTDOT will not support the use of plain MicroStation CONNECT Edition with our Standard Configuration files as only OpenRoads Designer, OpenBridge Modeler and OpenBuildings Designer align with the Building Information Modeling (BIM) functionality needed to move design data through its lifecycle. 

ABOUT THIS GUIDE

This guide will introduce CTDOT users and consultants to Bentley CONNECT Edition CAD products. This guide assumes users have had previous training on, and a working knowledge of OpenRoads Designer, OpenBridge Modeler or OpenBuildings Designer. If users have not had training on these software applications, visit the Bentley’s LEARNserver Website, log in using your Bentley ID and click on the orange Find Training button to search for courses.

This guide has been divided into 16 volumes, each consisting of modules that will guide users through workflows.

Throughout this guide, the term "design file" refers to a MicroStation (OpenRoads, OpenBridge and OpenBuildings) .dgn file, while "data file" refers to any file that is not a MicroStation (OpenRoads, OpenBridge and OpenBuildings) .dgn file. Data files include spreadsheets, databases, tables, queries and text documents. The terms "directory, subdirectory, folder and subfolder" will be used interchangeably in the text. Hyperlinks are in blue underlined letters throughout this guide.