Urban digital twin for environmentally sensitive mobility planning: conceptual framework and application in pilot region Leipzig

Thomas Trabert, Elmar Brockfeld, Alexander Sohr, Kerstin Krellenberg, Jakob Erdmann, Xiaoxu Bei, Carsten Dalaff, Timo Houben, Jan Bumberger

This study presents the development and pilot implementation of a conceptual, practice-oriented Urban Digital Twin (UDT) used for environmentally sensitive mobility management within the pilot region of Leipzig (Germany). The UDT uses modular traffic simulations (SUMO-simulation of urban mobility), real-time sensor data and floating car data to create dynamic, near-real-time models of intermodal urban mobility systems and to evaluate mobility measures. Through a collaborative, co-production process with municipal stakeholders, the study focuses on scenario-based simulations to assess the potential impact of traffic scenarios under upcoming air pollution limits. The Leipzig case serves as a test environment for validating the technical feasibility of the conceptual UDT framework, applying a co-production process and discussing transferability of the approach. The results show the potential of UDTs to support responsive, data-driven decision-making using the developed workflow manager. In doing so, this study provides a transferable methodological basis for cities that aim at supporting urban sustainability transformations using digital twin technology.