Road and highway projects are getting more complex—tight timelines, heavy coordination with survey, drainage, utilities, structures, and strict compliance requirements. That’s exactly why Bentley OpenRoads Designer (ORD) has become a go-to solution for transportation teams who want a single environment for roadway modeling, corridor design, drainage, plan production, and data-driven delivery.
If you’re planning to upskill or switch into infrastructure design, Bentley OpenRoads Designer online training can be the fastest way to become job-ready for roadway design workflows used by consultants, contractors, and government agencies. This blog by Multisoft Systems explains what the training covers, who it’s for, key skills you’ll gain, and how to learn it effectively.
What Is Bentley OpenRoads Designer?
Bentley OpenRoads Designer is a civil design application built for transportation infrastructure—roads, highways, interchanges, and related site/linear components. It supports a model-based workflow where the design is not just lines on a drawing but a dynamic engineering model that can generate plans, sections, quantities, and updates automatically when design changes.
ORD is typically used for:
- Highway and road geometric design
- Corridor modeling and templates
- Existing ground modeling from survey data
- Drainage and stormwater networks (depending on project setup/tools)
- Plan/profile sheet production
- Cross sections and earthwork quantities
- Data exchange and collaborative delivery
So, training is less about “learning buttons” and more about learning a repeatable project workflow.
Why Choose OpenRoads Designer Training?
1) Faster Productivity on Live Projects
OpenRoads Designer training helps professionals become productive much faster on real-world projects by teaching a structured, model-based workflow instead of isolated commands. Learners understand the correct sequence—terrain creation, alignment, profile, corridor, and sheets—so less time is wasted on trial and error. Training also introduces smart tools like parametric templates, dynamic corridors, and rule-based geometry, which significantly reduce manual drafting. As a result, designers can handle design updates efficiently, respond quickly to client changes, and meet tight deadlines without compromising quality, making them valuable contributors from the early stages of a live project.
2) Better Design Accuracy and Fewer Rework Cycles
A key advantage of OpenRoads Designer training is improved design accuracy through model-driven intelligence. The software links alignments, profiles, templates, and corridors into a single dynamic model, and training teaches how to manage these relationships correctly. When changes are made, updates propagate automatically across plans, profiles, and sections, reducing inconsistencies. Proper training also emphasizes constraint-based templates and target management, which minimizes geometric errors. This leads to fewer clashes, reduced rework, and more reliable outputs, helping teams avoid costly redesigns and repeated corrections during later project stages.
3) Strong Career Value in Transportation Engineering
OpenRoads Designer skills are highly valued in the transportation engineering industry, especially for highway, roadway, and infrastructure projects. Many consultants, EPC firms, and government agencies are adopting model-based delivery standards, increasing demand for trained professionals. Completing OpenRoads Designer training demonstrates proficiency in modern digital design workflows, making candidates more competitive in the job market. It opens opportunities for roles such as roadway designer, highway CAD modeler, and BIM technician. For working professionals, the training also supports career growth by enabling transition into higher-responsibility design and coordination roles.
4) Confidence with Deliverables
One of the biggest outcomes of OpenRoads Designer training is confidence in producing client-ready deliverables. The training covers not only modeling but also plan production, annotation, cross sections, quantities, and sheet generation. Learners understand how to maintain consistent labeling, accurate stationing, and compliant drawings aligned with project standards. Because deliverables are generated directly from the design model, trained professionals trust the outputs and can defend their designs during reviews. This confidence improves communication with stakeholders and ensures smoother approvals, audits, and final submissions.
Who Should Take Bentley OpenRoads Designer Training?
OpenRoads Designer training is useful for both beginners and experienced professionals. Typical learners include:
- Civil Engineers (roads/highways, transportation, site engineers moving into linear design)
- CAD Technicians / CAD Designers transitioning into model-based delivery
- BIM/Modeling Professionals supporting infrastructure projects
- Survey-to-design teams dealing with terrain and alignment workflows
- Project engineers and coordinators who review corridors and sheets
- Students and fresh graduates aiming for transportation design roles
If you already know AutoCAD Civil 3D or MX/OpenRoads, training still matters because ORD has its own workflow concepts and a strong rules-based design approach.
Prerequisites Before You Start
You don’t need to be a programming expert, but some basics help.
- Basic understanding of civil engineering concepts related to roads, highways, and transportation projects
- Familiarity with roadway design terms such as alignment, profile, corridor, cross-section, and superelevation
- Fundamental knowledge of survey data, including contours, levels, and digital terrain models (DTM)
- Basic CAD experience, such as working with layers/levels, snapping tools, and references
- Understanding of plan and profile drawings commonly used in road and highway projects
- Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings and design standards
- A computer system capable of handling design software smoothly, with adequate RAM, graphics, and storage
- Willingness to learn model-based and rule-driven design workflows instead of traditional 2D drafting methods
What You Will Learn in Bentley OpenRoads Designer Training?
Bentley OpenRoads Designer training provides a comprehensive understanding of modern, model-based roadway design workflows used in real infrastructure projects. During the training, learners begin with mastering the software interface, workspace setup, project standards, and reference management to ensure designs follow consistent engineering practices. The course then focuses on creating and managing terrain models from survey data, enabling accurate representation of existing ground conditions. Participants learn how to design horizontal alignments and vertical profiles using rule-based geometry, ensuring compliance with roadway design standards while allowing flexibility for future changes. A major part of the training covers template creation, where users build intelligent typical sections with parametric constraints for lanes, shoulders, medians, and curbs. These templates are applied to corridors, teaching learners how to model complete roads and highways dynamically. The Bentley OpenRoads Designer certification training also explains corridor management, including regions, targets, transitions, and updates, so design changes automatically reflect across the entire model. Learners gain exposure to superelevation concepts, widening, and roadway behavior to handle realistic driving conditions. In addition, the course covers cross-section generation, earthwork quantities, and basic reporting to support design validation and cost estimation. Finally, the training emphasizes plan production, including plan and profile sheets, annotation, labeling, and deliverable preparation. By the end of the training, participants are capable of handling end-to-end roadway design tasks confidently, from initial survey data to final construction-ready drawings.
Skills You Gain
By the end of a solid OpenRoads Designer training, you should be able to:
- Build accurate terrain models and validate surfaces
- Create and edit alignments and profiles with confidence
- Build typical sections/templates using constraints
- Model full corridors and manage regions/targets
- Produce cross sections and quantity outputs
- Create plan/profile sheets and annotation efficiently
- Troubleshoot common modeling and reference issues
- Follow project standards and scalable file organization
These skills directly map to real job responsibilities for roadway designers and civil BIM modelers.
Common Challenges Learners Face
Learners often face several challenges when starting with Bentley OpenRoads Designer, mainly due to its model-based and rule-driven approach, which is different from traditional CAD drafting. Many beginners struggle with understanding the correct workflow sequence, leading to issues such as broken corridors, incorrect targets, or inconsistent updates when design changes are made. Others find terrain modeling and template constraints confusing, which can result in inaccurate profiles or unstable roadway sections. Annotation and sheet production are also common pain points, as improper use of styles and labels can affect drawing quality. A well-structured training program addresses these challenges by teaching a step-by-step, project-oriented workflow and explaining the logic behind design relationships. Training also focuses on troubleshooting techniques, best practices, and real-world examples, helping learners build stable models, reduce errors, and gain confidence in managing complex roadway designs efficiently.
Best Learning Path for OpenRoads Designer
If your goal is job-ready skill, follow this learning order:
- Interface + standards + referencing
- Terrain model creation + surface checks
- Alignment + stationing + annotation
- Existing profile + proposed profile design
- Template creation + constraints
- Corridor modeling + targets + regions
- Superelevation + transitions
- Cross sections + volumes
- Plan/profile sheet production + plotting
Tip: After every module, do a mini-project (even a simple 1–2 km road). Skills stick faster when you apply them.
What a Good Training Course Should Include?
A good Bentley OpenRoads Designer training course should be designed to build practical, job-ready skills rather than just theoretical software knowledge. It should begin with a clear explanation of the interface, project setup, and standards so learners understand how real-world roadway projects are organized. Hands-on practice is essential, using realistic project files that reflect actual road or highway design scenarios. The course should cover the complete workflow, including terrain modeling, alignment and profile design, template creation, corridor modeling, and plan production, in a logical sequence. Effective training also includes guidance on common mistakes, troubleshooting corridor errors, and managing design changes without breaking the model. Assignments and mini-projects help learners apply concepts and reinforce understanding. A strong course should also emphasize annotation, labeling, and sheet creation to ensure deliverables meet industry standards. Instructor support or doubt-clearing sessions add significant value, especially when learners face complex modeling challenges. Finally, a capstone project or final assessment should be included to simulate a real project environment, ensuring participants gain confidence and are ready to apply their skills on live infrastructure projects.
Career Scope After OpenRoads Designer Training
With ORD skills, common roles you can target include:
- Roadway Design Engineer
- Highway CAD Designer / Modeler
- Transportation BIM Technician
- Civil Infrastructure Modeler
- Design Coordinator (Roads/Highways)
- Corridor Modeling Specialist
- Drafting & Plan Production Specialist (Transportation)
If you already have civil design background, learning ORD can help you move into better opportunities where model-based delivery is the standard.
Final Thoughts
Bentley OpenRoads Designer training is one of the best investments for professionals working in transportation infrastructure. It teaches you a practical, repeatable workflow to create engineering-grade roadway models, produce client-ready plan sets, and manage changes without breaking your entire design.
If your goal is to become confident in road and highway design delivery—especially in organizations using Bentley platforms—then a structured ORD training path can shorten your learning curve drastically and make you productive much faster. Enroll in Multisoft Systems now!