In April 2006 ,the Institute was combined with the Public Works Research Institute, another Independent Administrative Agency under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and started anew as the Civil Engineering Research Institute for Cold Region. The new Institute will continue fulfilling the task of supporting the development of Hokkaido through the investigation, examination, research and development of civil engineering technologies, as well as the dissemination of research results to cold regions and other areas in Japan and abroad as a sole laboratory core of civil engineering technology for cold regions with an aim to become the civil engineering technology base for cold region in Japan.