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Poll: Few would feel safe in Big Dig [Only 4% of MA adults would feel "very safe" in tunnels]
Yahoo News ^ | July 23, 2006

Posted on 07/24/2006 5:20:32 AM PDT by grundle

BOSTON - Only 4 percent of Massachusetts adults would feel "very" safe driving through the tunnels of the Big Dig, according to a poll taken in the aftermath of a collapse that killed a motorist.

The poll, published in The Boston Sunday Globe, found that 68 percent would feel "not very" or "not at all" safe driving through the tunnels.

A combined 69 percent of the 544 randomly selected respondents surveyed in the telephone poll — conducted from July 14 to July 19 by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center — said they would either "definitely" or "try to" change their driving patterns to avoid Big Dig tunnels.

The poll had a sampling margin of error of plus or minus 4.2 percentage points.

Milena Del Valle, 39, was crushed to death July 10 by falling ceiling panels while driving with her husband to Logan Airport. The investigation into the collapse has focused on the bolt and epoxy fastening system used to secure the concrete ceiling panels.

The portion of the Interstate 90 connector tunnel that collapsed was initially supposed to have a much lighter ceiling, according to the Globe.

Big Dig overseers, however, went with a design that used a heavier concrete ceiling that was less expensive and easier to install, Alexander Bardow, state director of bridges and structures, told the newspaper.

The ceiling was 2 1/2 times heavier per square foot than in another major tunnel, yet was held up by bolts that were not as thick, Bardow said. The ceiling still met safety standards.

The $14.6 billion Big Dig buried the old elevated Central Artery under Boston. Although it's been considered an engineering marvel, the most expensive highway project in U.S. history also has also been plagued by leaks, falling debris, cost overruns, delays and problems linked to faulty construction.


TOPICS: Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: boston; gopherscoulddobetter; raininginatunnel; romanghostslaugh; thebigmistake; watchoutforchunks
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To: muawiyah

They shoulds used peanut butter.


21 posted on 07/24/2006 6:25:58 AM PDT by Erasmus (<This page left intentionally vague>)
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To: grundle
Tip O'Neill (all politics is local "Tip" - that is, jobs for generations in exchange for Dim-0-crat votes) got the ball rolling on the Big Dig ... the Swimmer and KetchUp were a tad late to the parade.
22 posted on 07/24/2006 6:48:09 AM PDT by jamaksin
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To: grundle
plagued by leaks, falling debris, cost overruns, delays and problems linked to faulty construction

Leaks and falling debris isn't considered faulty construction, then what is?

23 posted on 07/24/2006 7:06:41 AM PDT by razorback-bert (Rush was a victim of profiling)
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