Friuli Venezia Giulia Strade SpA
Trieste, Italy
Brief biography of partner
FSTR is the in-house company of the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, dedicated to managing the regional road network. This includes more than 1,050 kilometres of roads and 189 kilometres of cycling paths, all maintained with a focus on safety, functionality, and sustainability. The company is responsible for over 100 bridges and has implemented a structured program for their management and monitoring, which involves inventory, inspections, and strategic planning for interventions. FSTR also supports exceptional transport and responds efficiently to emergencies, following national guidelines.
A key innovation is the Smart Road strategy, piloted on the SR354, which uses IoT sensors, video analysis, and a centralized operations room for traffic and emergency management. This system is scalable and meets European ITS and C-ITS standards. All these initiatives are ongoing and reflect FSTR’s commitment to continuous improvement. By participating in the Horizon Europe ECHO project, FSTR aims to further strengthen its ability to address climate change and cross-border emergencies, aspiring to become a benchmark for infrastructure safety and sustainability.
Role in the project
FSTR is part of the “Infrastructure Management Team”, which represents the group of end-users that share data, insights and best practices, and validates the outcomes of the ECHO project.
FSTR is involved in ECHO project as a partner in both the Italian and cross-border pilot initiatives. FSTR is responsible for defining the real needs for resilience in regional road infrastructures, especially in response to emerging natural and climate-related risks. FSTR is involved in testing and validating new technologies developed by research partners, applying them in real operational scenarios.
A major focus is on integrating existing systems with advanced artificial intelligence tools, which will support predictive infrastructure monitoring, emergency management, and strategic planning of interventions. Participation in ECHO is seen as an opportunity to drive progress and showcase FSTR’s commitment to resilience and technological advancement.
FSTR is also involved in knowledge exchange workshops, and ethics and legal aspects.