2025-11-03 – Weekly Civil Engineering News : DOT mandates LandXML: A game changer?

Last week, members delved into a variety of engaging discussions, particularly surrounding remote work opportunities and the evolving nature of civil engineering roles. There was significant interest in new technologies, such as the upcoming mandate for LandXML by a Department of Transportation, which sparked conversations about standardization and data management. Additionally, discussions on resource scheduling tools and workflow integration with P6 highlighted ongoing efforts to streamline project management processes.


This Week’s Hot Topics

Weekly Civil Engineering Jobs: Remote roles in civil engineering
The trend of remote work continues to grow, with more opportunities emerging for civil engineers to work from home. This discussion highlights current openings and the skills needed to succeed remotely.
Read more

Weekly Civil Engineering Jobs: Remote work options are expanding fast!
Members are sharing insights on how the landscape of remote work is rapidly changing, offering tips and experiences on navigating this new norm.
Read more

Resource-loaded schedule templates for P6
A practical discussion on effective project management, focusing on how to utilize resource-loaded schedules in Primavera P6 for better efficiency.
Read more

First DOT to mandate LandXML
This thread explores the implications of the first Department of Transportation mandating LandXML, a move that could signal a shift in how projects are planned and executed.
Read more

The cones walked again last night
A light-hearted yet intriguing topic, where members discuss peculiar and humorous incidents on construction sites.
Read more

Anyone hiring civil/structural software devs
For those in the intersection of civil engineering and software development, this thread discusses current hiring trends and opportunities.
Read more

Need a permit workflow tool tied to P6
An important conversation for those involved in project management, examining tools that integrate permit workflows with P6.
Read more

Would You Take This Job? β€” Civil Engineering Manager
Members weigh the pros and cons of a potential managerial position, providing diverse perspectives on career advancement.
Read more

FAQ/Guidelines
Essential guidelines for both new and seasoned members, offering a refresher on community norms and best practices.
Read more

Admin Guide: Getting Started
A useful resource for administrators looking to optimize their forum experience, covering foundational setup steps.
Read more


Looking forward to another week of fruitful discussions and shared knowledge. Keep contributing your valuable experiences and questions.

1 Like

One thing that saved us when a DOT switched to LandXML was a quick β€œround‑trip” test β€” export surfaces/alignments using their template, re‑import to Civil 3D, validate against https://landxml.org/schema/LandXML-1.2/, and fix unit or feature‑code mismatches early. @Jamie, did your DOT share a sample XML and validator settings? Just note that LandXML can drop corridor details and some attributes, so we always submit the XML alongside the native model.

β€Œβ β€β β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€Œβ β€Œβ€β€‹β β€Œβ€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ€β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ β€‹β€‹β€Œβ€β β€‹β€Œβ β€β€Œβ€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β€Œβ€Œβ€β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β β€‹β€Œβ€‹β β€Œβ€‹β€‹β β€Œβ€Œβ€‹β β€Œβ€Œβ€‹β β€β€Œβ€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β β€‹β€‹β€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β β€Œβ€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€‹β€‹β β€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ€‹β€Œβ€Œβ€β€Œβ€Œβ€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ β€Œβ€β€Œβ β€Œβ€‹β€Œβ€β β€β€Œβ€Œβ€‹β€‹β€Œβ β€Œβ€‹β€Œβ€Œβ€‹β€‹β€Œβ β€β€‹β€Œβ β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β€β€Œβ β€Œβ€β€Œβ€β€‹β β€‹β β€‹β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β β€Œβ€‹β€‹

We kept seeing 0.01–0.03 ft station drift until we matched the DOT’s spiral type β€” has anyone else hit that? The fix for us was exporting with spirals set to clothoid and sending a tiny conformance file (one alignment with a station equation and a short profile) for them to round‑trip before we converted the whole job. Reference: http://www.landxml.org/schema/LandXML-1.2/LandXML-1.2.htm.

β€Œβ β€β β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€Œβ β€Œβ€β€‹β β€Œβ€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ€β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ β€‹β€‹β€Œβ€β β€‹β€Œβ β€β€Œβ€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β€Œβ€Œβ€β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β β€‹β€Œβ€‹β β€Œβ€‹β€‹β β€Œβ€Œβ€‹β β€Œβ€Œβ€‹β β€β€Œβ€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β β€‹β€‹β€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β β€Œβ€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€‹β€‹β β€β€Œβ€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β€‹β β€Œβ€β€β€‹β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ β€Œβ€Œβ€β€β€‹β€β β€Œβ€Œβ€‹β€β€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€‹β€‹β€β β€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€Œβ€Œβ€β€β€Œβ€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ β€β€‹β€Œβ€Œβ€‹β€‹β€‹β β€β€Œβ€Œβ€β€β€Œβ€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β β€Œβ€‹β€‹