{"id":746342,"date":"2025-04-15T04:56:27","date_gmt":"2025-04-15T11:56:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/?post_type=wherenext&p=746342"},"modified":"2025-04-15T04:56:27","modified_gmt":"2025-04-15T11:56:27","slug":"laguardia-reno","status":"publish","type":"wherenext","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/publications\/wherenext\/laguardia-reno","title":{"rendered":"Modernizing Infrastructure in Tight Spaces"},"author":501,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"sync_status":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"","castos_file_data":"","podmotor_file_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[],"tags":[471802,21622,14842,7142],"department":[488812],"wherenext-category":[],"industry":[],"class_list":["post-746342","wherenext","type-wherenext","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","tag-aec","tag-digital-twin","tag-efficiency","tag-transportation","department-emerging-technologies"],"acf":{"short_description":"Modernizing transportation systems demands thoughtful investment and skilled use of digital twin technology.","pdf":{"host_remotely":false,"file":"","file_url":""},"flexible_content":[{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"New York\u2019s LaGuardia Airport, notorious for its cramped and confusing layout, has emerged transformed after a nine-year, $8B modernization<\/a>. The rebuilt terminal now welcomes travelers with striking floor-to-ceiling views of Flushing Bay, while strategically placed checkpoints, bag drops, and kiosks ensure efficient movement throughout the facility."},{"acf_fc_layout":"sidebar","layout":"standard","image_reference":null,"image_reference_figure":"","spotlight_image":null,"section_title":"","spotlight_name":"","position":"Left","content":"Snapshot<\/strong>: A vibrant transportation network is like the circulatory system of an economy, and efforts to modernize would be ponderous without digital twin technology.","snippet":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"Infrastructure investments like LaGuardia are vital economic engines. According to PwC analysts, governments and businesses worldwide will spend $9 trillion on infrastructure improvements<\/a> this year alone. Yet modernizing these systems\u2014whether ports, roads, rail networks, pipelines, or communications infrastructure\u2014often means working in constrained physical environments.\r\n\r\nToday\u2019s planners face multiple challenges: creating better-connected, more resilient infrastructure<\/a> while minimizing disruption and keeping soon-to-be-retired structures in service. Geographic awareness has become the essential foundation for meeting these demands. Through digital twins powered by geographic information system (GIS) technology<\/a>, infrastructure leaders now organize, analyze, and share project information with unprecedented efficiency at every phase of development.\r\n

Identifying Infrastructure Issues, Planning Improvements<\/strong> with a Digital Twin<\/strong><\/h3>\r\nThe digital twin is a modest name for a technology that can feel like something from science fiction. It\u2019s a way of mirroring the physical world\u2014a supply chain network, an airport, a shipping port\u2014in the digital world. A digital twin<\/a> is grounded in geography and often incorporates drone and satellite imagery and data from real-time sensors."},{"acf_fc_layout":"sidebar","layout":"standard","image_reference":null,"image_reference_figure":"","spotlight_image":null,"section_title":"","spotlight_name":"","position":"Left","content":"Related Read:<\/strong>\r\n\r\n\/\/ Tips on building back<\/a> better","snippet":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"Before the LaGuardia project, New York took on a project to reduce subway delay times. The MTA used GIS digital twin<\/a> techniques to map train lines, tracks, and signals, allowing managers to see recurring issues. With that insight, they made signal improvements more quickly and scheduled maintenance during less disruptive periods.\r\n\r\nAcross the pond, Vodafone, the second-largest mobile phone company in the world, created a highly granular digital twin<\/a> of its UK infrastructure. Planners use the GIS model to monitor plans for new housing, shopping centers, and sports venues, helping ensure a strong cellular network wherever demand is growing. The digital twin is so detailed that engineers can plan construction work virtually.\r\n

Common Data Environments, Continuous Improvement<\/strong><\/h3>\r\nThroughout the infrastructure life cycle\u2014from project planning to ongoing operations\u2014developers<\/a> now harness the power of GIS digital twins that integrate building information modeling (BIM) data with sensor readings and 3D images. Within these interactive 3D environments, stakeholders evaluate regulatory constraints, refine cost calculations, optimize production timelines, and implement resilient design strategies<\/a>. The same platform enables precise tracking of material shipments so the right contractors report to the right jobsites with exactly what they need, when they need it.\r\n\r\nOnce design and construction are complete, facilities teams use GIS to continuously improve operations:\r\n