Digital twins are transforming how large-scale transportation projects are planned, built, and maintained, according to Bibhuti Aryal, senior director of transportation at Bentley Systems. Speaking with Smart Cities Dive, Aryal outlined how Bentley’s technology has been applied in major U.S. infrastructure projects, improving decision-making, reducing costly mistakes, and even building public trust.
One of the most visible demonstrations of the technology came during the Interstate 95 Southbound Rappahannock River Crossing Project in Fredericksburg, Virginia. The project aimed to relieve chronic congestion by reconfiguring traffic lanes, adding three new southbound lanes for through traffic, constructing a new bridge over the Rappahannock River, and raising two existing bridges.
Lead design firm Johnson, Mirmiran & Thompson tapped Bentley to create a digital twin of the project. The online visualization gave residents, local officials, and state leaders a clear picture of what the finished project would look like.
“A visual representation of what’s happening is easy for everybody to understand, whether it’s the government that’s funding it [or] whether it’s the public that’s going to be impacted by it,” Aryal said.
By making the design process more transparent, the digital twin helped ease concerns and foster community support for the massive undertaking.
Beyond visualization, digital twins serve as powerful tools to prevent mistakes that can drive up costs or cause delays. Aryal explained that the models incorporate geographic, topographic, and subsurface data, ensuring that decision-makers have the most accurate information available.
“It makes all of the information available and in context so that when you’re making a planning decision, you have the best information in front of you,” Aryal said.
A notable example came with the East 138th Street Bridge replacement in the Bronx, New York. Built in 1938 and carrying more than 150,000 vehicles daily — along with bike and pedestrian traffic — the six-lane bridge posed significant design and engineering challenges.
Bentley’s digital twin served not only as a tool for public outreach but also as the primary contract document for the $65 million project. According to the New York State Department of Transportation, more than 180 reviewers across 15 agencies evaluated the three-dimensional model, streamlining collaboration and reducing the risk of errors. The bridge replacement is currently under construction.
Aryal also emphasized that the benefits of digital twins don’t end when construction is complete.
“Infrastructure is also a living organism,” Aryal said.
By feeding real-time sensor data and inspection results into the model, engineers can monitor the performance of roads, bridges, tunnels, and rail systems over time. This predictive capability can help agencies address maintenance needs proactively, potentially extending the lifespan of critical assets and saving millions in repair costs.
While Aryal recommends that planners unfamiliar with digital twins start small, he stresses that the greatest advantages are realized on large, complex projects.
“The biggest value is obviously on the megaprojects,” he said.
With the U.S. investing heavily in infrastructure upgrades, particularly under federal funding programs, adoption of digital twins is poised to accelerate. For governments and contractors alike, the technology promises not only efficiency but also transparency and accountability in projects that impact millions of people.
Originally reported by Dan Zukowski in Construction Dive.
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