WWF

Road agencies worldwide face a persistent challenge: maintaining expanding networks with constrained budgets, ageing assets and growing demand for safe, resilient mobility. Traditional pavement management which are often built around fragmented data sources, legacy standards and labour-intensive processes, can no longer keep pace. 

During the recent IRF Members Webinar on the Evolution of Road Pavement Management, experts from XenomatiX and the National Transport Research Organisation (NTRO) outlined how digital tools, non-contact inspection systems and unified data platforms are reshaping how national and local authorities manage their networks.  

Their presentations illustrated a trajectory that covers complexity and limited insight toward accessible, high-resolution and decision-ready intelligence. 

The Problem: Ageing networks, inconsistent measurements and fragmented systems 

Different countries and authorities still rely on traditional methods like visual surveys, manual measurements, or heavy laser equipment requiring specialist operators. These approaches may produce inconsistent outputs and high operational costs. 

Road agencies today must handle massive disconnects between methods, measurement systems, classifications and standards that make it difficult to compare conditions or make reliable investment decisions. Even basic friction and skid resistance data lack global consistency, hindering benchmarking and safety-focused asset planning. 

Pavement maintenance is further complicated by resource constraints. Local authorities often lack the budget and expertise for big monitoring to run complex LIDAR or laser systems. 

IRF Members’ Interventions: Deploying modern, simplified, and scalable technologies 
The webinar highlighted a suite of technologies aimed at resolving these bottlenecks by reducing cost, simplifying workflows, and improving safety for operators. 

1. Non-contact, solid-state road scanning systems 
XenomatiX presented vehicle-mounted solid-state sensors capable of simultaneous rutting, roughness and texture evaluation. These systems allow agencies to obtain continuous, high-density pavement data without lane closures or heavy equipment. Importantly, they integrate friction measurements, although data consistency remains a challenge globally, offering a path toward universal composability for safety indicators. 

2. On-board and smartphone-based roughness monitoring 
XenomatiX Vice President of Sales and BD Kris De Meester described the use of accelerometer-based systems that enable “an easier, simpler ways to measure things,” particularly for smaller authorities lacking capital-intensive tools. Smartphone-enabled IRI estimation offers a low-barrier entry point to structured pavement monitoring, allowing rural and small municipal networks to build datasets for the first time. 

3. Automated digital twins and integrated platforms 
NTRO Chief Technology Officer Russell Gallagher emphasised the value of digital twins for pavement asset management. These unified models allow agencies to centralise condition data, geometry, traffic, environmental records and maintenance history - providing the basis for predictive modelling and optimisation. 
Digital twins also help agencies manage ageing infrastructure by combining “existing data sets into a single source of truth” and enabling prioritisation based on real risk profiles rather than subjective assessments. 

4. State-of-the-art processes for lifespan prediction and treatment optimisation 
Both Kris and Russel demonstrated new workflows in which texture, roughness and structural indicators feed directly into treatment selection algorithms. This reduces guesswork and aligns interventions with lifecycle cost efficiency. Using higher-frequency and non-contact measurements allows earlier detection of deterioration, shifting agencies from reactive to preventative management. 

Alice Yiu, Head of Advocacy and Outreach at the International Road Federation (IRF), joined a panel to mark the launch of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Greening Transportation Infrastructure Development (GRID) Integrated Program – a major new initiative to help ensure the world’s rapidly expanding transportation systems work for both people and nature.

Transport and biodiversity are often approached through different lenses, with their own methods, metrics and decision-making processes. Bridging these perspectives will be essential as infrastructure systems continue to expand.

This calls for bringing biodiversity considerations earlier into planning and connecting them more directly to how projects are designed, appraised and delivered. It also means demonstrating how nature-based solutions can support outcomes that matter for transport systems, including safety, resilience and long-term performance.

The launch comes at a critical moment to better align transportation infrastructure with the needs of people and nature.

Read the insights from the GRID Launch Event, originally published by GRID:

On March 12, 2026, GRID convened a diverse group of stakeholders in Washington, DC, and online to explore how to advance ecologically sustainable and climate-resilient approaches to transportation infrastructure.

The event marked the official launch of GRID, a Global Environment Facility (GEF)-funded program led by World Wildlife Fund, implemented in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank and UN Environment Programme, and executed by national-level governments and partners in its five national projects in Malaysia, Nepal, the Philippines, Suriname, and Ukraine. The program will develop a knowledge hub for compiling and sharing data and resources, connecting experts, creating and disseminating tools and training, and fostering research.

Five Takeaways From the Discussion

Here are the key themes that stood out at the event.

1. We’re at an inflection point.

The development of transportation infrastructure such as roads, railways, and ports is accelerating, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Against the backdrop of accelerating climate change and biodiversity loss, these trends underscore a simple reality: business-as-usual approaches to infrastructure planning and design are no longer sufficient. This is an opportunity for governments, engineers, planners, civil society, financiers, and other key infrastructure practitioners to work together to positively shape communities and ecosystems in the decades to come.

2. The biggest leverage point is upstream.

The greatest opportunity for impact occurs long before construction begins. Too often, biodiversity enters the conversation too late—after plans are set, financing is secured, and environmental harm is locked in. With the right policies, planning tools, and financing in place, countries can design transportation systems that work for both people and nature.

3. Nature and people thrive together.

Species are integral parts of ecosystems, serving essential functions such as pollination and the dispersal of seeds and nutrients. They also provide benefits to communities, including nutrition, tourism, legal trade, and cultural and religious importance. Without ecological connectivity and thriving species, ecosystems cannot provide critical services such as clean air and water, carbon sequestration, and climate resilience. Allowing animals to move safely also improves public safety, including reducing wildlife-vehicle collisions on roads and lowering the risk of zoonotic diseases. When we consider nature in infrastructure development, both people and nature thrive.

4. Data will make a difference.

Reliable, accessible data are fundamental to better infrastructure decisions and policymaking. Information mapping species’ movements, infrastructure assets, and key ecosystem resources allows planners to identify opportunities and constraints. While a lot of great data exist, there are still gaps to fill.

5. Collaboration is the key to moving forward.

The infrastructure sector involves a wide range of stakeholders, from engineers and planners to biologists and NGOs to insurers and financiers to local communities. By working together, we can fill knowledge gaps and drive intelligent, informed solutions.

More Insights

Watch the full recorded livestream for more insights from a panel discussion and remarks by GRID partners.