Importing public works as-built CAD data into geodatabase, best practices

[Matt_Trebesch]

I was at the UC, and visited the ESRI-CAD support booth. ESRI employee suggested I ask here...

So, I work for a smallish city that gets their new municipal infrastructure data (water, sewer, streets, signs, storm, etc) from CAD as-built drawings from engineering firms that mange the project and design for us.
Via our city engineering standards we required designs to be submitted to us in NAD83 MT State Plane, international feet. So, importing the .dwg file is not a problem.

What is the problem is that the various engineers that design these projects typically have up to 50 or so layers (some on, some off) and it's difficult on some resultant as-built drawings export whole CAD layers as either "new water", "new sewer". etc. You usually end up many CAD layers that define a certain piece of infrastructure.

Coupled with this, there are usually other layers that tend to clutter the display - and finding which one is which to shut off sometimes becomes a chore.

As a result, our current workflow to get this data into our GIS is to heads-up digitize it from the CAD data. It's a colossal pain, and not efficient.

Reaching out to see what other methods small (and low man-powered) city govt are doing to get data like this in their GIS. ESRI employee recommended we enforce CAD "standards" to get our engineering partners to at least submit their design in a format that's easier to use. If that's the case, some examples of those, or DWG templates would help?
then do a check with data reviewer?

Any ideas?

[WillWalter1]

I have assisted a number of public utilizes / public works organizations in the development of "CAD / Digital Submittal Standards" over the years and have seen examples of complex to simple requirements.  The more complex, the more difficult to enforce.  Here is an example of simple requirement: 

For all digitally created construction / site plan documents, one (1) disk (CDROM) of the master plan file, including, where applicable, easements, water/wastewater facilities, and stormwater drainage system.  The digital data to be submitted shall follow these formatting guidelines:  All data shall be delivered in the StatePlane coordinate system, with a <SYSTEM> Projection, and a XXX datum, with XXX units;  files shall be in a CAD format.  Information layers shall have common naming conventions (i.e. right-of-way - ROW, centerlines - CL, edge-of-pavement - EOP, etc.). For a plan to be deemed complete, the layering scheme must be readily understood by <ORGANIZATION> Staff. These digital submittal requirements are enacted to enable the <ORG> to serve our customers, the public, better.  It will allow applications to be reviewed faster, and reduce the number of paper copies to be submitted.

An organization that I have worked with in the past, the City of Mesquite NV, has an excellent set of comprehensive digital submittal requirements which I am sure they would be happy to share.  https://www.mesquitenv.gov/departments/public-works

[HowardCrothers]

Here's an example - https://community.esri.com/docs/DOC-2083 

[Matt_Trebesch]

Do the engineers that design tend to follow those standards?  Does your Public Works dept. not accept their as-builts if they don't follow the standards closely?  I guess the real question is if it works.   Part of our issue at my city is enforcement.   Digital data slides, while hard infrastructure is scrutinized... a culture thing.

[MartinPflanz]

Matt, 

The engineering firms I worked at had their own in-house CAD standards - loosely suited for 1 or more large client's standards.  That way the whole CAD dept was mostly marching to the same beat, and could pick up a colleagues project and keep going.  Your organization's standards would need to find their way into that process. I second Will Walter's suggestion: set a concise standard, make it available on public website, and regularly communicate it/remind the engineering firms at the beginning of the contract as a requirement for for the as-builts.  

~Martin~