Standard Drawings
Standard drawings are pre-approved detail sheets for construction elements that recur across projects. Using a standard drawing means a designer does not redesign a curb ramp for every corner, a plan reviewer does not re-check the same detail, and an inspector knows exactly what the finished work is supposed to look like.
A project that uses standard drawings as published needs no further review of those details. A project that modifies one is proposing a special detail, which requires DOT approval before construction.
Drawing Series
Drawings are organized by series. The series number identifies the discipline; the sheet number identifies the detail within it.
| Series | Discipline | Typical contents |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | Roadway | Pavement sections, curb and gutter, driveways, medians, islands |
| 200 | Drainage | Catch basins, inlets, manholes, trench drains, outfalls |
| 300 | Pedestrian & Accessibility | Sidewalks, curb ramps, detectable warning surfaces, refuge islands |
| 400 | Traffic Signals | Pole and mast arm assemblies, foundations, cabinets, conduit, detection, pedestrian pushbutton placement |
| 500 | Signing | Sign mounting, post types, breakaway assemblies, overhead sign structures |
| 600 | Pavement Markings | Crosswalks, stop lines, lane lines, arrows, symbol markings, bicycle facilities |
| 700 | Work Zones | Typical traffic control layouts for common closure configurations |
| 800 | Lighting | Roadway lighting poles, foundations, and service points |
| 900 | Miscellaneous | Guardrail, fencing, bollards, landscaping in the right-of-way |
Relationship to the UIA MUTCD
The UIA MUTCD decides whether a device is used and what it means. The standard drawings show how it is built. Where the two overlap, the MUTCD governs.
Two series carry details specific to UIA practice rather than federal practice:
- Series 400 includes signal head assemblies for straight-through arrow signal faces, permitted under Addendum 4F-A. These sheets show the three-section through-arrow face and its mounting.
- Series 400 also includes signal head details for strobe-equipped red indications under Addendum 4E-A, covering the strobe module within the red lens assembly and its wiring to the red output. There are no sheets for externally mounted strobes, which the addendum prohibits.
Designers working from federal standard drawings will not find equivalents for either. Use the UIA sheets.
SD-401 — Through-Arrow Signal Face Assembly. Illustrative extract from the Series 400 sheets; refer to the issued drawing for dimensions.
Using the Drawings
- Reference standard drawings by series, sheet number, and revision date on the plan set. Do not reproduce a standard drawing into a plan sheet — reference it, so the current revision applies.
- Where a standard drawing offers alternatives, the plan set must state which alternative is used.
- Where a project condition falls outside the range a drawing covers — an unusual skew, a substandard width, a conflict with existing utilities — submit a special detail with the design.
- Standard drawings are revised periodically. The revision in effect at the time of plan approval governs the project unless DOT directs otherwise.
Special Details
A special detail is any construction detail not covered by a published standard drawing. Special details are submitted with the plan set, sealed by the designer, and reviewed by the Standards & Design Division. Approval applies to that project only.
A special detail used repeatedly across projects is a candidate for a new standard drawing — designers are encouraged to say so when submitting one.
Availability
Standard drawings are issued to design consultants and contractors on request through the Standards & Design Division, and are provided as part of the bid package for city projects.
Contact
- Standards & Design Division: 456-ALTO-TRN (456-258-6876)
- Email: [email protected]