Traffic management using Civil 3D labels - Part 1

These days I am involved in a roadworks traffic management scheme designing traffic signs and producing setting out plans.

The design of traffic signs is done using a program called KeySign from Key Traffic Systems (who according to their website has recently gained accreditation from Autodesk to sell Autocad Civil 3D as Independent Software Reseller), Traffic Signs Regulations & General Directions 2002 (TSRGD) and Traffic Signs Manual Chapter 8.

The tricky part of the work is placing all the signs on plan with viewports varying in rotation. Labels need to show the sign, sign diagram number and chainage number to be at right angles with the viewport and rotated to the direction of flow of traffic as shown below. The Civil 3D alignment label is fit for the job as it may contain blocks and can be set to dynamically react to the viewport rotation and scale.

When creating a new drawing, I always suggest using the Civil 3D template for the country or region you are in. Templates can be downloaded here.

First, bring into the drawing all the signs you need as blocks. You can do this either by inserting the signs as blocks or creating the block from within your working drawing with the TSRGD diagram number as block name.

Create an alignment by tracing over the existing road centreline starting at the datum. The datum being the start of the proposed traffic management works.

For this example I will show how to create a label style for regulatory sign diagram number 610 at the right and left side of the leader line.

Create a new Chainage Offset style. Toolspace-Settings tab> Alignment> Label Styles> Right Click Chainage Offset> New. Change the style name to 610-Right.