4 student projects for Smart Mobility in Wallonia

Last November and December, some 50 Master 2 students took part in the seminar entitled "Sustainability and Smart Territories", organized by Prof. Nathalie Crutzen and the Smart City Institute (SCI) at HEC Liège (ULiège). This seminar enabled them to explore the theme of Smart Mobility through the development of concrete projects in cities of their choice, in Belgium or abroad. In the space of a few weeks, each group developed solutions to urban mobility issues. Here's an overview of 4 projects that are particularly relevant to the Walloon context.

© SCI

Match days in Sclessin: towards more peaceful mobility

By Sophie W., Clotilde A., Louise B., Camille B., Hélène F. & Benadette Y.T.

Unauthorized parking, endless queues... on match days, mobility around the Sclessin soccer stadium on the outskirts of Liège can become particularly difficult due to the massive influx of fans and the lack of parking spaces. This group of students therefore decided to look into the problems of congestion and parking in the area. Their idea: to propose a combination of two solutions. On the one hand, improving the existing shuttle service (optimizing routes, adapting schedules, increasing frequency, better communication) and, on the other, setting up relief parking lots on strategic routes close to the stadium (e.g. Belle-Île shopping center, Country Hall). All information would be available in real time via the TEC and Standard de Liège applications.

Exploring the Ardennes: a transport service for Erasmus students

By Khadizhat A., Angelo C.M., Oleksandra D., Pedro Henrique F.L.d.C, Ann-Christin G. alessandro M.

This project was born out of an observation made by a group of Erasmus students. Coming to HEC Liège for a semester, they had hoped to gain easy access to the various hiking trails in the Belgian Ardennes. However, they quickly realized that this was impossible without a car, due to the lack of public transport on these routes. They therefore proposed a shuttle service coordinated by ULiège's Erasmus Student Network (ESN). This service, which could be booked several times a year via the ESN's existing application, would be offered at a fixed, affordable fare. The idea has already generated interest through a survey of international students at HEC Liège, and could be extended to ESN Wallonia for wider reach.

A safe bike path near the tramway

By Antonin G., Lucas D., Bastien C., Noé C., Alex W.

Another group of students focused on the safety of cyclists between two strategic mobility hubs in Liège city center: Place Saint Lambert and Guillemins station. The aim is to place various IoT devices and bicycle parking facilities along the 3.4 km stretch linking these 2 key points, much of which is located on the Avroy Boulevard, along the route of the future tramway. They consider that better monitoring, safety and maintenance of this main mobility axis will stimulate bicycle use, both for everyday cyclists (workers, students, etc.) and for tourists arriving in Liège by train. It will also boost trade along the route, as cyclists will be able to stop more easily.

SMMES: The anti-incivility solution for shared mobility

By Thiresia M., Kawtard L., Mohanad T., Omar B., Naomane T., Meriem Z.

Incivilities linked to shared mobility, particularly car-sharing, are a real problem. In Liège, the Poppy company decided to discontinue its services due to a high rate of accidents and vandalism, rendering more than a third of the fleet constantly out of service. To reduce these nuisances and support the development of this type of service in Liège, this group of students has proposed the development of a device called " SMMES ": the Smart Mobility Monitoring and Engagement System. This plug-in, which could be integrated into existing shared mobility applications, is based on a combination of tracking, geofencing* and community outsourcing** to reduce the risk of incivilities.

** Real-time problem reporting by users.

More questions about the content of these student projects? Contact Audrey Lebas (audrey.lebas@uliege.be)