BASt - Bundesanstalt für Straßenwesen (Federal Highway Research Institute)
Germany
BASt (Federal Highway Research Institute) is a technical and scientific institute responsible to the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development (BMVBS). In 1951 BASt began its work, initially with research in the field of highway construction. In 1965 BASt's activities were broadened to research of the improvement of highway capacity and safety. In 1970 the German Bundestag voted to establish an accident research centre which was then set up at BASt as its accident research department. The scope of work is considerable, ranging from replying to incoming enquiries by short notice to the co-ordination and carrying out of research projects over a period of several years.
A focal point of BASt's work results from the role it plays in the formulation of specifications and standards applying to all fields in highway-related work. All these tasks are undertaken in close collaboration with competent state highway authorities, universities, associations, the highway industry and other organisations. Another task is to act as scientific adviser to the state highway authorities which administer federal interstate highways and autobahns on behalf of the federal government.
The Federal Highway Research Institute has a staff of approximately 400, 40 % of whom are scientific assistants. The variety of tasks and the large scope of the fields of research and activity mean that scientists of practically every specialist area are represented.
BASt conducted or commissioned numerous studies in all road safety fields and published up to now 945 scientific reports and organised many workshops and conferences to disseminate the results of its research to initiate societal consensus. BASt has been involved in various projects sponsored by the European authorities as a partner (for example ADIVSORS, ALCOLOCKS, ANDREA, ARROWS, BASIC, CARE +2, DAN, DUMAS, ESCAPE, GADGET, PROMISING, PROMISING, SARTE I, II and III, STAIRS) as well as a co-ordinator within ROSEBUD and RIPCORD-ISEREST.
Additional Information: www.bast.de