Big Data and Bentley Systems Software Transform Traffic Planning for Growing Communities

• Sommana Yan
• 15 May 2026
• Construction Focus
• 518 Views

Sherburne County, a rapidly expanding suburban area in Minnesota, has successfully streamlined its traffic modeling process by leveraging advanced software from Bentley Systems.

To address increasing congestion and commuter pressure, consulting firm SRF implemented a mesoscopic modeling approach using Bentley OpenPaths Patterns and Bentley OpenPaths DYNAMEQ.

This digital solution allows planners to move beyond the limitations of traditional regional models, which often lack the granular detail needed for local, high-growth areas.

Bentley OpenPaths Patterns served as the project’s data foundation, providing instant access to all-street routable networks, time-of-day travel patterns, and average traffic volumes. This eliminated the need for months of manual data collection, significantly reducing the time and cost typically required for complex modeling.

By integrating this big data with Bentley OpenPaths DYNAMEQ, the team created high-fidelity simulations that accurately capture vehicle behaviors like lane changing and signal timing.

The primary benefit of this software suite is the ability to conduct rapid “what-if” scenario planning at scale. Planners can now visualize how traffic diverts during construction, identify bottlenecks using real-time congestion data, and communicate complex plans to the public through clear visualizations.

Ultimately, Bentley’s tools provide medium-sized communities with a cost-effective, repeatable workflow to manage infrastructure growth and improve commuter travel times without the heavy burden of traditional microscopic simulation.

• Bentley
• Digital Twin
• Bentley Systems
• OpenPaths