Big Dig" collapse a blow to urban dream

Reuters ^ | July 18, 2006 | Jason Szep

[Yossarian]

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

And not just an attempt, a success for the perpetrators. Just think - didn't they get money, power, and influence from the Big Dig?

The losers in this are the taxpayers of the U.S., and commuters of Boston. All the criminals got away scott free.

How do citizens clear out such corruption without resorting to vigilantism? This is maddening.

[Common Tator]

Thank You!!

[Yossarian]

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

Looks nice - of course the comparison just happens to be helped by crappy smoggy weather when they shot in 2003, compared to the sunshiny day when they shot in 2005.

But I have a question: where does all that expressway traffic go now?

[VeniVidiVici]

The Big Dig - For you, the taxpayer, it's a Quagmire from which there is no clear Exit Strategy.

Very good!

[Centurion2000]

How do citizens clear out such corruption without resorting to vigilantism?

They don't.

[Republicus2001]

How would you like to be one of the lucky property owners that went from eyesore to waterfront property in two years?

How would you like to be a first time auto insurance buyer in Boston these days? Yikes!

[river rat]

Actually, Boston is so full of it - they needed a massive slit trench latrine....

It IS Massoftwoshits...

Semper Fi

[VanDeKoik]

I don't believe there is anything wrong with the concept of the "Big Dig", it's just that when you do it in a blue state its doomed to failure from day 1.

[RS]

Yep - seeing that ugly highway on a nice clear sunny day would have made it look MUCH more acceptable ...


Must be more traffic on the ring roads - kind of like when the West Side Drive starting falling down in Manhatten - they just closed it and that was it.

[Libloather]

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.

Next time, keep the cement ABOVE water. I've heard, in certain cities, bridges work pretty well...

[Bob]

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

Considering the number of Big Dig tunnel leaks that I've been reading about, there certainly do seem to be some similarities to the Panama Canal.

[Yossarian]

I didn't mean to imply that the previous raised freeway was pretty. Actually, I'm all for making cities as human-friendly and beautiful as possible - just not in a $15 billion, shoddily constructed, corrupt, and mob-enhancing fashion.

As an amateur photographer I'm always interested to see in the half-invisible editorialization that takes place in the way you frame a subject. You have to admit that the whole rest of the city would look dirty if the "2005" photograph was taken on a smoggy day, right? And that would take away from the impact of the river. That's all I'm saying.

[RS]

Obviously, and the fumes from the cars coupled with the blocking of what breeze there was by the freeway would have made the local situation even worse. A simple matter like the highway stopping the rain from being able to wash away the dust beneath it would have had a great impact also.

I've walked one section before and after ... they did a great job.

BTW, as a photographer, you would love the fact that the bridges are all unique styles, many modern and one even using parts of an original bridge from the 1400's. The pathways below are ever changing, with "rapids", waterfalls and fountains - all lighted at night.


Google images for Cheonggyecheon

[eleni121]

Boston's $15 billion "Big Dig" was meant to ...provide full employment for unions, no bid contracts for mob contractors and unlimited graft for local pols.
_______________________________________________________


Never been said better than that!

[MinorityRepublican]

Bttt

[libstripper]

EUREKA!! Your post has given me an epiphany--the Beaners can solve the whole problem by establishing an express submarine service throughout the Big Dig.