..it was never meant to be a tunnel
Doogle
Posted on 07/14/2006 6:19:47 AM PDT by PajamaTruthMafia
Big dig blunders By Herald staff Wednesday, July 12, 2006 - Updated: 10:17 AM EST
1987: Federal money approved for the Central Artery/Third Harbor Tunnel project, aka the Big Dig, at an estimated cost of $2.5 billion
1991: Work begins on the Big Dig, which now has a $5 billion price tag
December 1995: Grand opening of the Ted Williams Tunnel
Jan. 12, 1996: Toll collectors in the Ted Williams Tunnel forced to wear respirators because of sickening fumes
January 1996: Officials pump 400,000 gallons of water out of Ted Williams Tunnel air ducts because of persistent leaks
May 1997: Big Dig price tag now $7.78 billion
June 1998: Internal memo circulated by managers at Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff raises concern about potential leaks. Memo made public in 2004. Dig now estimated at $10.4 billion
April 11, 2000: Federal audit reveals that Big Dig managers deliberately misled federal officials about cost overruns for the now-$13 billion project
September 2001: Leaks discovered in I-93 tunnel, pushing back the project’s completion date
March 2003: I-93 northbound Big Dig tunnel opens to traffic
December 2003: I-93 southbound Big Dig tunnel and Zakim Bridge open to traffic
Jan. 11, 2004: Ice buildup in I-93 tunnel causes lane shutdown, resulting in sparodic traffic jams
November 2004: The Herald reports that despite explicit warnings by top Big Dig officials in 1997, contractors failed to correct ineffective waterproofing practices that threatened to undermine construction in some of the most sensitive areas of the project
Sept. 15, 2004: Gusher bursts in the I-93 tunnel
March 2005: Inspections reveal 189 wall panels are defective and there are more than 2,000 leaks in the I-93 tunnels
March 13, 2005: Chunks of ice fall from the Zakim Bridge and land on at least one car, forcing closure of all but two lanes on the bridge
April 4, 2005: Federal Highway Administration deems Big Dig tunnels structurally sound
April 5, 2005: Three cars and an ambulance transporting a patient are badly damaged by falling debris in the I-93 tunnel
May 2005: Attorney General Tom Reilly learns that Big Dig contractors had been secretly patching a leak in the Fort Point Channel tunnel that was spewing 20 gallons of water per minute through cracks.
2005: Estimated cost of the Big Dig Z$14.6 billion and counting
January 2006:Final Big Dig ramp completed
July 10, 2006: Large concrete slab in an I-90 Seaport connector tunnel crashes down on a car, killing one person and shutting down the tunnel in both directions
Funny that NYC's Holland and Lincoln Tunnels don't have the problems this piece of crap does, and they were built, what, 50+ years ago, minus all the technology and engineering advances we have today?
Something stinks.
..it was never meant to be a tunnel
Doogle
The formula seems to be dig a bigass hole and throw somebody else's money in it.
Don't kill the job.
I wish the timeline included who was in charge at the time (and who appointed them, etc.). I've read most of the Herald accounts but it's hard to keep it all straight.
Thank Teddy the Hutt for this, among others.
Those NYC tunnels were drilled through granite bedrock.
how about don't kill the taxpayers?
don't kill the commuters?
don't kill the constituents?
don't kill the voters?
Sure sounds like a "pork barrel earmark", doesn't it?
What's this tunnel going through, U?
From what I've read, mostly mud and fill.
Good point about Reilly -- I have serious doubts about what any "investigation" he runs will find. Some people think this is good for his campaign, which was in serious trouble, since neither Gabrieli nor Patrick can possibly get the kind of airtime he will. I devoutly hope it won't. (I noted with interest that Reilly went on RKO with Tod Feinberg, who called him "defensive>", but he didn't go on with Howie!)
Ask and ye shall recieve
1987: Federal money approved -- Gov. Michael Dukakis, MTA CHairman Fred Salvucci 1991: Work begins on the Big Dig -- GOv William Weld, MTA Jim Kerasoites December 1995: Grand opening of the Ted Williams Tunnel -- Gov. Weld, MTA - Kerasoites Jan. 12, 1996: Toll collectors in the Ted Williams Tunnel forced to wear respirators because of sickening fumes -- Gov. Weld, MTA - Kerasoites January 1996: Officials pump 400,000 gallons of water out of Ted Williams Tunnel air ducts -- Gov Weld, MTA Kerasoites May 1997: Big Dig price tag now $7.78 billion -- Gov Weld, MTA Kerasoites June 1998: Internal memo circulated by managers at Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff raises concern about potential leaks. -- Gov Paul Cellucci, MTa - Kerasoites April 11, 2000: Federal audit reveals that Big Dig managers deliberately misled federal officials about cost overruns for the now-$13 billion project -- Gov Cellucci, MTA - Kerasoites September 2001: Leaks discovered in I-93 tunnel, -- Gov. Jane Swift, MTA Andrew Natsois March 2003: I-93 northbound Big Dig tunnel opens to traffic -- Gov Jane Swift, MTA Fatt Matt Amarello December 2003: I-93 southbound Big Dig tunnel and Zakim Bridge open to traffic -- Gov. Mitt Romney, MTA Fatt Matt Jan. 11, 2004: Ice buildup in I-93 tunnel causes lane shutdown -- Romney, Fatt Matt
Thanks!
Look what "Splash" dug up!
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