A key transportation project in Sichuan, Lexi Expressway serves as an important pathway to alleviate poverty and increase ecological tourism, driving local economic development. With a total length of 151.8 kilometers and a connecting line of 40 kilometers, the megaproject features complicated topography and geology, with over 80% of the roadway length consisting of bridges and tunnels. Contractor Sichuan Highway Planning, Survey, Design and Research Institute faced engineering, coordination, and technical challenges that traditional design and construction methods could not accommodate. 

They selected Bentley’s open modeling applications to establish a connected data environment, integrating and streamlining design and construction processes. The applications improved data integration, standardization, and design accuracy, identifying more than 1,000 errors and shortening the early stages of construction. Using collaborative BIM workflows and digital twins, they expect to reduce project costs by CNY 20 million to CNY 30 million. The digital models can be updated in real time for use during operations and maintenance.