A measurement taken at a right angle from a baseline or traverse line to establish the position of a nearby object, boundary, or topographic feature. Offsets are used when an obstacle prevents a direct line of sight or when staking out construction elements like curbs that require clearance for heavy machinery.
Heard on the job
Set the stakes with a three-foot offset so the grader doesn't run them over.
Do not mix it up with
- Side shot: An offset is strictly a perpendicular distance from a line, while a side shot is any measurement taken from a setup to a non-control point.
Related terms
Traverse table
A printed reference book used to look up the latitude and departure of a survey line based on its bearing and distance.
Side shot
A measurement taken to locate a feature without extending the survey control network.
Chainage
The cumulative distance measured along a baseline, such as the centerline of a road or railway.