Detour sheet

Last updated: 2026-01-06

Example sheet: 027001-dt.pdf
  1. Create file
    1. Quick Access toolbar > New button to start the file with design-wdot18.dwt.
    2. Save the file as ProjectID\SheetsPlan\027001-dt.dwg.
  2. WisDOT Sheets ribbon > Standard Components > Add All Components

Info: This option should be used when all linework is visible as it contains shields for county, state, and US highways.

  1. Setting up county maps
    1. County maps can be found in:
      • WisDOT internal user: N:\pds\c3d\stnd\CountyMaps-CTB
      • External user: C:\WisDOT\Downloads\C3D 20XX\Stnd\CountyMaps-CTB
    2. Copy dwg file(s) and paste into ProjectID\BaseData\Other
    3. Open the county map files.
      1. WisDOT Sheets ribbon > Plot Configuration panel > Layer States > County Maps Layer State group > Set County Map Layers to Plot in Grayscale to add layer state to file.

      2. WisDOT Sheets ribbon > Plot Configuration panel > Layer States pull-down > W18 County Maps (grayscale plot)

        Tip:
        • This will not show up in the Layer States pull-down.
        • Objects will appear red in modelspace. This is correct for gray-shading.
    4. Save and close the file.
  2. Insert county maps option
    1. Insert into detour file
      1. INSERTEnter
        1. Browse to ProjectID\BaseData\Other to select the proper county dwg.
          Tip:
          • Make sure to explode the block to have access to delete/freeze layers/lines.
          • Make sure none of the Specify On-screen options are chosen.
          • If you are inserting more than one county map you will need to do this one at a time.
    2. Delete elements that are not needed.
      1. If the USH/STH/CTH shield hatching is obstructing the road number,
        1. Select one hatch (of each type) > Right-click > Select Similar
        2. Right-click > Display Order > Send to Back

      2. Select an element to delete > Right-click > Select Similar > Del

        Tip:
        • It may be useful to lock certain layers that you know you need, such as c_ush, c_ush_txt, c_sth, c_sth_txt, etc. This way you won’t accidentally select and delete these while grabbing other items.
        • You can select objects that are too far away from the project location and delete them individually. Do not use Select Similar in this case so you do not delete elements that you do need to keep.
        • Using Window Select (blue) rather than Crossing Window Select (green) can prevent accidental selections during this process.
        • Check the progress after several layers have been turned off. You are checking that something you need has not been turned off with something else accidentally. It is a good idea to check and save the file after every couple of steps.
  3. XREF County Maps option
    1. Insert tab > Reference panel > Attach
      1. Browse to ProjectID\BaseData\Other location to select county/counties needed. You can attach multiple county dwgs at one time.
      2. Attachment: Overlay
      3. Path Type: Relative Path
      4. Do not use Specify On-screen for any options.
    2. XCLIP to reduce amount of maps shown
      1. Draw a polyline around the area needed. Use C for close at the end of the polyline.
      2. XCLIP Enter
      3. XCLIP Select Objects: Select all the county maps you have attached. Enter when finished.
      4. XCLIP [ON OFF Clipdepth Delete fenrate Polyline New boundary]:New boundary
      5. XCLIP Select polyline Polygonal Rectangular Invert clip]:Polyline
      6. XCLIP Select polyline:Select the closed polyline you have created
      7. If you need to make changes to the XCLIP boundary, make the changes to the polyline then restart the command. Answer the same prompts as above, but an option to delete old boundary will be added. Answer that new prompt with yes. The XCLIP boundary will be recreated.

      8. Layers needed may differ. You will want to show the road centerlines, and USH/STH/CTH shields. You should keep layers that show water crossing the route or aid in navigation of the route.

      9. Make sure XCLIP boundary will not plot
        1. XCLIPFRAMEEnter
        2. XCLIPFRAME Enter new value for XCLIPFRAME:0Enter
        3. This frame will still be visible in model and paperspace views, but it will not be seen in plot and plot preview.
        4. Select the polyline that drew the XCLIP boundary. Move it to the P_MISC_NoPlot layer.
    3. Layer Off ot reduce unneeded graphics
      1. Home ribbon > Layers panel > Layer Off
      2. Select objects that should not be visible.
        1. County map sheet frame and outside text (town-range, etc.)
        2. County grid lines
        3. Lakes, rivers, and their text
        4. Map symbols like airport or tent/campground symbols
      Tip:
      • Check the progress after several layers have been turned off. You are checking that something you need has not been turned off with something else accidentally. It is a good idea to check and save the file after every couple of steps.
      • You will need to do the LayerOff for items in each county separately. Since the XREFs name the layers with the host file name included items that would be on the same layer are actually on different layers due to XREF layering.
      • Usually town or city roads will not be needed unless part of the detour route, and then only the road lines in the area to help identify the route. Some town/city roads have center/left/right lines. If you need to keep the centerlines you can delete the left and right lines.
      • Leave geographic locations such as town or village names to aid in navigation.

Info: This option should be used when county maps don't provide enough data (city and village areas). This option can also be used to augment county map data.

  1. See Project Overview workflow
    1. Export road linework from InfraWorks to Civil 3D
    2. Import IMX file to Civil 3D, edit and style alignments #import
    3. Tip:
      • The import IMX needs the drawing coordinate zone to match the IMX file. In the Import dialog,
        • Set a Coordinate System
        • Use Infraworks Model Coordinate System to set this.
      • In the Import IMX dialog you may want to use the Refine Selection Set and turn off the Water Areas, unless lakes and rivers are specifically needed.
      • In the Refine Selection Set you can also uncheck any alignments that are not in or around the needed route. Find the names of alignments that have names and uncheck those you do not need. Any alignments that are just a short series of numbers may be unnamed roadways in the Infraworks model and COULD include the alignments you need. When in doubt leave an alignment selected and it can be deleted later.
  2. Delete the alignments that are not needed. Careful use of crossing and window selections can help speed this process up.
  3. Select all of the remaining alignments > Right-click > Properties... Style:ALI Existing (No Markers). Using the Properties palette instead of the individual alignment properties dialog allows you to assign several alignment styles at once.

If you are creating a line over the road centerlines:

  1. Offset the road polylines (or alignments)
    1. Set the layer for the line to be drawn to P_TC
    2. Home ribbon > Modify panel > Offset
    3. Offset the intended detour roads centerlines a small distance (~1’).
    4. Status bar > Lineweight:Check on to see the true width of the added lines.
    5. Adjust polyline lineweight
      1. Select the detour route polyline(s) > Right-click > Properties...
      2. Lineweight field > drop-down menu > choose a new lineweight If the lineweight is still not thick enough choose another number.
      Tip:
      • You will get a preview of the lineweight by hovering over the numbers in the list. This may help in a better first choice.
      • You could also draw a polyline over the route and increase the thickness of that polyline. This would be in cases where other options aren’t available.

If you are using the XREF you can NCOPY road lines:

  1. NCOPYEnter
  2. NCOPY Select nested objects to copy or [Settings]: Select the roads that will be part of the detour route. Enter to finish the selection set.
  3. NCOPY Specify base point or [Displacement Multiple]:Enter to accept Displacement
  4. NCOPY Specify displacement <0,0,0>:Enter to accept
  5. Select the resulting polylines, making sure not to select the XREF directly beneath each new polyline.
  6. Right-click > Properties...
    1. Layer: P_ALI
    2. Lineweight:0.42 (this may vary with scale)
    3. Linetype: Continuous

Tip: The lineweight may vary with zoom level, scale, or road density.

Placed hatched rectangle over work area.

  1. Set the current layer to P_TC
  2. Draw a closed polyline shape (or rectangle) over the work area
  3. Home ribbon > Tools panel > Hatch
    1. Pattern: ANSI31 hatch (45-degree line pattern).

    2. Scale: 20

      This may change depending on the scale of the intended layout sheet scale. You may need to return to change this scale after the layout sheet is created, and the proper scale has been set. This does NOT have to be exact, just close enough to see the pattern and prevent the hatch pattern from appearing solid.
  1. WisDOT Sheet ribbon > Support panel > Palettes ON/OFF to turn on tool palette.
  2. WisDOT Sheets ribbon > Sheet Creation panel > Construction Details pull-down > Signing and Marking palette
  3. Startup Main tab > Sheets Layouts > 02-Plan Details 1 = 100 (02-PD-wdot18)
  4. (C:02-PD_PLAN-1-100) Press enter to continue with layout name <Plan 1 IN 100 FT> : or type NEW name for Layout.01Enter to name and create the layout tab.
  5. Double-click inside the viewport to access model space.
  6. Status bar > padlock to unlock the viewport.
  7. Zoom extents to get to the project location.
  8. Pan and zoom until the project and detour are visible in the viewport. Make sure to adjust the location so there is room for the legend area.
  9. If you need to rotate the view to fit the project into the viewport:
    1. WisDOT Design ribbon > Navigation panel > Rotate View
    2. In the open viewport select one point then a second to create an invisible line that will orient to due east.
    3. UCSEnter
    4. UCS Specify origin of UCS:WorldEnter to align UCS with the modelspace.
  10. Add the north arrow to the file.
    1. WisDOT Sheets tab > Sheet Creation panel > 02 drop-down > Traffic Control
    2. Startup Main tool palette > North Arrow
    3. Click a point in the open viewport to place the north arrow in the modelspace.
    4. EXECUTETOOL Specify rotation angle <0>:Enter to keep arrow aligned north
    5. If the north arrow is too small, scale it up
    6. Select north arrow > SCALEEnter
    7. SCALE Specify base point: Click near the north arrow
    8. SCALE Specify scale factor:100EnterThis may not be the correct scale due to viewport scaling, so repeat this until the north arrow is the appropriate size.

Project Location note

  1. Unlock viewport and shift project to allow room for an inset picture of the project area, or detail area. Relock the viewport.

  2. Select the edge of the viewport, grab the rectangle grip in the middle of the edge that is to move and shift it to make room for the new viewport. You can also grab the corner square grip points if a non-symmetrical viewport is needed.

    Tip:
    • Using the ORTHO function (F8 in the function keys, or ORTHO in the status bar) can help if you need to keep the lines straight while moving.
    • If you need to make an odd shaped opening you can hover over the polyline rectangular grips and choose Add Vertex. The first added vertex can snap to the rectangular grip to create a corner before other vertex points are added to create your shape.

  3. Layout contextual ribbon > Layout Viewports panel > Rectangular pull-down > Rectangular/polygonal/or shape You can also type MV at the command line for the MakeViewport command.

    Tip: You can make odd shaped viewports with Polygon, or after drawing the shape with polylines in paperspace you can use From Object.

    Warning: Do not overlap the viewports. This will cause issues with selecting objects or the viewports later.

  4. Double click inside the new viewport to activate it and access modelspace.
  5. Zoom and pan to the inset detail location of the project.
    1. Zoom in close enough that you know the inset area is centered in the inset viewport.
    2. Set the inset viewport to 1 IN:0.5 MI scale. If this is not appropriate for your needs, try a scale higher or lower in the scale list.
    3. When this location is set, lock the viewport.
  6. Change the layer to P_TC.
  7. In paperspace above the project viewport draw a rectangle/shape that resembles the inset area viewport.
    1. Select the new shape > Right-click > Properties...
    2. Linetype: DASHED-2
  8. Change the layer to P_TC_TXT
  9. UCS Specify origin of UCS:ViewEnter to align UCS with the viewport. This makes text and blocks orient to the top.
  10. Signing & Marking palette > Startup Main tab > Multileader Begin Project-Sta
    1. Click a point for the start of a leader line, then a second point for the text landing
    2. When prompted to Overwrite Default Text, YEnter
    3. Type PROJECT LOCATION
    4. Click outside text editor to end command
  11. To place the Inset location text
    1. Signing & Marking palette > Startup Main tab > Multileader Begin Project-Sta
      1. Click a point for the start of a leader line, then a second point for the text landing
      2. When prompted to Overwrite Default Text, YEnter
      3. Type PROJECT LOCATION
      4. Click outside text editor to end command
    2. Select the text > Right-click > Remove leader This removes the leader and the line so you are left with text.
    3. Move the text to a location appropriate for the inset.

Add signs in plan

  1. Activate the layout.
  2. WisDOT Sheets ribbon > Support panel > select Palettes ON/OFF to turn on palettes
  3. Traffic Control tool palette > Detours tab > Blocks – Signing area > Single Sign Single Perm Support
  4. Click where the signpost should be located in paperspace.
  5. When prompted for rotation move your cursor so the rotation reference line is generally parallel with the road the sign is next to and left click to place it.
  6. Place several more signs in the inset .

Add leadered circle tag text if needed

  1. Traffic Control palette > Detour tab > Circle Tag 0.07

    Warning: This tool will not work if you have not done the Add All Components step in this file.

  2. Place the leader line point first, then the leader landing which will place the circled text.
  3. Attributes dialog > Top field: A > OK
  4. Place a copy of the circled tag in the legend and add Calibri Light 0.07 text description
  5. If a circle tag text needs to have the leader removed, select it > right-click > Remove Leader > Select the leader to remove it
  6. Repeat these steps for all the circle text that require leaders removed.
  7. Add note text in plan
    1. Traffic control palette > Startup Main tab > Calibri Light 0.07 text
    2. Place a text box near where note is to be placed (this can be adjusted after the text is added).
  1. Add the Legend text
    1. Traffic Control palette > Startup Main tab > Calibri Light 0.070
    2. Create a text box in paperspace where the legend is going to display.
    3. Type LEGEND Enter then tab-indent the second line.
    4. Type the text for the first legend item, Enter Tab then type the second legend item. Repeat for all legend items.
    5. Inside the text editor box select all the legend items.
    6. Paragraph panel > Line Spacing drop-down menu > 1.5 to increase the spacing. You may need to increase this spacing after the blocks are added to the legend.
  2. Add sign blocks in legend
    1. Sign blocks from tool palette
      1. WisDOT Sheets ribbon > Sheet Creation panel > Signs palette
      2. Find the tab of the sign series needed.
      3. Scroll to find the needed sign block.
      4. Left click where the sign should be placed in the legend.

    2. Sign block from Design Center

      Tip: Some blocks may not be in the tool palettes. For these you will need to use Design Center. Please report any missing sign blocks to CAE Support

      1. WisDOT Sheets ribbon > Standards Components > Open Design Center
      2. In left window of Design Center browse to the sign block area C:\WisDOT\Stnd\C3D20XX\Components\Blocks
      3. Drawing files that hold sign blocks are named “signs” with the sign prefix letter and the version number.
        1. (example: sign M3-3 for Civil 3D 2018 would be in file signsm18.dwg).
      4. Expand the dwg and select on the Blocks section. This will take a moment to populate the graphics of these blocks.
      5. Find the block name and drag it into the file and place it.
    3. Edit the block as necessary
      1. Visualization settings to place Install/remove options.
      2. Double click to edit text in block attributes
    4. Copy one of the Circle tags and paste next to the appropriate row of the legend.
  3. Add other blocks to legend
    1. Place blocks in the legend area the same way you placed them in the project area.
    2. Line the blocks up with the legend text that describes them.
  4. Add lines to legend
    1. Set layer to P_TC
    2. Double click on the legend text. This opens the Text Editor.
    3. Place your cursor at the end of the line of text before where the new text is to appear.
    4. Enter to create a new line of text and type the necessary text.
    5. Click outside the Text Editor box to end the text edit function.
      1. Shift the blocks in the legend area to make room for the new text and add any block(s) you need for the new line of text.
  1. PURGEEnter
  2. Purge dialog box
    1. Purge All
    2. Close

This process is covered at Add sheets to sheet set manually #add