This information guide presents the opportunities for incorporating 3-D visualizations into RSAs and discusses the benefits that 3-D offers to project planning and design. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) defines 3-D visualization–also known as design visualization (DV)–as the simulated representation of a design concept and its contextual impacts or improvements.

The guide provides an overview of the eight-step RSA process and describes how to incorporate 3-D models into the RSA process. An assessment of RSA benefits and costs offer justification for the additional costs of 3-D visualization for RSAs. The guide also lists the types of projects most likely to benefit from 3-D modeling and presents case study examples of agencies incorporating 3-D models into RSAs and the design process.