Igrid—Computer‐Aided Roadway Design and Drafting System

The Texas State Department of Highways and Public Transportation uses the Interactive Graphics roadway design system (IGrds), an AASHTOWARE product of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). IGrds provides roadway designers two optional methods of operation: one with an extensive set of computation and graphic capabilities through a graphic work station; and the other through input of the data using an alphanumeric terminal and editor and performing the calculations in a noninteractive (background) mode. The department is enhancing IGrds to provide automated plan preparation capabilities to minimize the work of their engineers and draftspersons to produce construction plans. The AASHTO IGrds running on stand‐alone work stations is an integral part of the effort. The Automated Plan Preparation System will be the link that brings together the design systems and minimizes manual drafting of construction plans. The ability to transfer “intelligent” graphics from a design system to a drafting system provides the greatest productivity gains.