Exchanging data for international collaboration

Many parts of the Benelux road infrastructure require renovation or repair. Since roads do not stop at national borders, managing them requires extensive coordination between the Agentschap Wegen en Verkeer (Flanders), Mobilité et Infrastructures (Wallonia), Rijkswaterstaat (Netherlands), and the Administration des Ponts et Chaussées (Luxembourg). With the Benelux Union acting as coordinator, these four infrastructure managers sought an innovative, future-oriented way to collaborate.

“This is essential, as the challenges are significant,” explains Guus de Bruijn, policy advisor at the Benelux Union. “With increasing urbanization and climate change, we are on the verge of many new infrastructure projects across the Benelux.”

“There is a strong need for enhanced collaboration in data and knowledge exchange,” Guus adds. “A Digital Twin seemed like a powerful tool for this. With a digital replica of road infrastructure, we could better plan future projects and streamline cross-border mobility.”

But is a Digital Twin really the way forward? And what technical requirements must such a digital solution meet? These and other questions were entrusted to GIM for a comprehensive feasibility study.

Feasibility study as a key step

GIM experts analyzed publicly available data and conducted in-depth interviews with project partners. As part of this feasibility study, GIM outlined multiple scenarios for the Digital Twin.

Guus: “GIM also developed a detailed cost-benefit analysis and an implementation plan. This structured approach resonated well, helping all project partners align their ideas and expectations. With the guidance of the Centre for IT & IP Law (CiTiP) at KU Leuven, we also identified the legal considerations associated with this project.”

Better management of roadworks and incidents

The feasibility study resulted in concrete recommendations for the Digital Twin. “With this technical solution, cross-border data exchange becomes more seamless, allowing us to respond more precisely to incidents and plan roadworks more efficiently. We now have a clear path to implementing the technical design,” Guus concludes.

How did the Benelux Union experience this collaboration? Guus: “GIM outlined expectations and key milestones in the tender process, and they delivered on them. Even better, GIM was highly flexible when we had additional requests throughout the project. Moreover, our teams communicated seamlessly. The fact that everything was conducted in two languages was a major advantage for our international organization.”