In Hyannis, MA at the annual at the Massachusetts Association of Land Surveyors and Civil Engineers (MALSCE) Annual Convention late last month The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MASSDOT) announced the department will require future project submissions in AutoCAD Civil 3D beginning Jan 2012.
I'd personally like to say,
Thank you MASSDOT
If you're a Civil 3D user, you should say, "Thank you" too.
The MASSDOT project probably isn't the ONLY reason why Survey and other Design Feature functionality inside Civil 3D has gotten a whole lot better in the last two releases, but I'm positive it helped.
What is it people say about success?
"Location, Location, Location."
I can tell you for a fact that anyone in their right mind would probably love to spend a few days on "the Cape" in mid to late Sept. attending almost anything. The tourists have (mostly) all gone home, things are glorious (aside for the very rare hurricane), and you can actually drive around - Amazing. I am sorry I missed the event. The picture in this post is from another September. I also show off a famous Cape Cod jetty in every webinar I do...Really.
A Ship Docks Slowly
If you've been paying attention in Civil 3D land, the EVENT has been in the making for quite awhile. Such things DO take time and MUCH sustained effort which I also know for a fact (for reasons that should be obvious :).
MASSDOT will actually accept files in multiple versions of AutoCAD Civil 3D, but will "encourage" submissions in the most recent AutoCAD Civil 3D 2012 format. MASSDOT will also make its standard Civil 3D templates available.
Encourage here is probably the wrong political word. Remember this is still the State of MA. There will be More fine print and prior authorization involved.
Let's Set Politics Aside for the More Important Thing
If you are in an older version of AutoCAD Civil 3D and you want to do More productive Survey and Design work, get to 2012 ASAP and enjoy.
Better is better. 'Nuff said.