Big Dig" collapse a blow to urban dream

Reuters ^ | July 18, 2006 | Jason Szep

[libstripper]

BOSTON (Reuters) - Boston's $15 billion "Big Dig" was meant to inspire awe, an engineering marvel on scale with the Panama Canal that would thrust U.S. cities into a new era.

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Instead, it faces a crisis of public confidence after a fatal tunnel collapse that could derail plans for other U.S. urban mega-projects.

With 7.5 miles of underground highway and a 183-foot (56 meter) wide cable-stayed bridge, the Big Dig replaced an ailing elevated expressway to fix chronic congestion and reunite downtown Boston with its historic waterfront neighborhoods.

But cost overruns, leaks, delays, falling debris, criminal probes and charges of corruption plague the nearly completed 15-year project, giving ammunition to opponents of similar plans in other cities considering tearing down aging elevated highways built in a construction boom in the 1950s and 1960s.

[libstripper]

Looks like there may be a silver lining to the Big Dig fiasco after all--it could keep other DemonRat controlled big cities from doing similar boondoggles.

[Common Tator]

Ah but you underestimate Democrats. They have never seen a doggle they didn't want to boon.

[sionnsar]

One hopes it'll help kill Seattle's own "Big Dig."

[weegee]

Looks like there may be a silver lining to the Big Dig fiasco after all--it could keep other DemonRat controlled big cities from doing similar boondoggles.

BUMP to that!!!

"Boston's $15 billion 'Big Dig' was meant to inspire awe, an engineering marvel on scale with the Panama Canal that would thrust U.S. cities into a new era."

A close look at the electoral map shows major metropolitan areas to largely be Rat controlled. Additionally this is seen when you look at the party that holds the office (even if it is a "non-partisan office", meaning 2 Democrats can run against each other). Now look at the Federal investigation that has been running for a couple years into corruption across major cities (Houston, New Orleans, Detroit, Cleveland among them) using the same players and even city staffers.

No doubt about it. This was another multibillion dollar attempt at socking away some money, power, and influence.

[DBrow]

The scaleback from 12 lanes to six (or four or whatever) based on "the environment" should have been a clue. No new added capacity, just expensively putting it underground.

[HamiltonJay]

Burying highways makes sense in urban corridores.. considering you DO IT FOR MORE THAN ESTETIC REASONS.... IE More lanes etc.. and you don't let grafting take over the project.

[libstripper]

At least you now have clear evidence that whatever estimate the incorruptible Seattle and King County governments have for the project needs to be at least quadrupled for the voters to get an idea of what it really will cost.

[Tijeras_Slim]

They have never seen a doggle they didn't want to boon.

What about Doggle-Norwood?

[HamiltonJay]

Oh Come on.. you know you want your onw Interstate Tunnel to go along with the pointless monorail....

[Wristpin]

Is it too late to turn it into the Ted Kennedy Underground Ferry system?

[BaBaStooey]

Albany was going to have one of these way back in the 1970s, it was the environmentalists who actually killed it because plans called for a tunnel underneath Washington Park.

They also got Interstate 787 moved, it was supposed to run up the other side of the Hudson River. Now it cuts off Downtown Albany from the riverfront.

[mc6809e]

Compare the Big Dig to the Chunnel under the English channel.

Big dig cost $14.6 billion in government money, is 7.8 miles long, and over 7 years late.

The Chunnel was $16 billion in private money, is 30+ miles long, and was just one year late. Oh, and the Chunnel hasn't killed any of it's users yet.

Boston, like New Orleans, is another embarrassment to the Nation.

[pleikumud]

The Big Dig should be renamed, Kennedy's Hole. It's the hole in the ground federal taxpayers have poured $15 billion into, buying votes in MA for Chappaquiddick Kennedy (this is 37th anniversary of the murder).

[weegee]

Merry Jo Kopechne Day!

[IronJack]

Boston's $15 billion "Big Dig" was meant to inspire awe, an engineering marvel on scale with the Panama Canal

Instead, it has contributed to the world's view of America as a defunct laughingstock, corrupt to the point that its vaunted Yankee ingenuity is now for sale.

Thanks, Massachusetts. You done us proud.

[bigfootbob]

Don't be so sure. Washington hired Dan McDonald away from the bid dig project to head up our corrupt Washington State Department of Transportation.

He's been a disaster. One of his "wish" list projects is replacing the Alaska Way Viaduct that is a major north south arterial through Seattle, is a "Big Dig II" project. Don't think it's gonna happen now.

McDonald was almost catalyst enough, but hopefully, this will be the justification needed to put the stake through the projects heart. Can't be positive, however, this is SEATTLE.

[70times7]

Oh Come on.. you know you want your own Interstate Tunnel to go along with the pointless monorail...

You mean like the monorails in Ogdenville, North Haverbrook, and Brockway?

[MIchaelTArchangel]

And who was missing in action regarding all the corruption related to the Big Fraud? How about Attorney General Tom "What? I see nuuuuuthing" Reilly.

I bet the newspapers don't ever find out how many illiterate, untrained--and untrainable, illegal aliens were employed by the subcontractors of Modern Continental who had no idea what they were doing as long as they got paid (often under the table) so the subcontractors and union thugs could rip off BILLIONS of dollars.

[RS]

Thought you might be interested in how the South Koreans handled that type of problem recently -

"About four decades ago, the Cheonggyecheon was paved over, and a two-story expressway was built above it. Gritty residential neighborhoods and shops grew in the expressway's shadows. But Seoul's mayor, Lee Myung Bak, decided two years ago to bring back the river that a whole generation of South Koreans had never seen.

A 3.7-mile stretch of the expressway was demolished, revealing a stream of relatively clear water cascading over rocks and gravel. There are 22 bridges, some with foundation stones from as early as 1412, and elevated sidewalks that make their way among high rises. "

[TC Rider]

Boston's $15 billion "Big Dig" was meant to inspire awe, an engineering marvel on scale with the Panama Canal that would thrust U.S. cities into a new era provide full employment for unions, no bid contracts for mob contractors and unlimited graft for local pols.