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"Big Dig" unsafe?
Brought to you by the Rantburg School of Engineering and GraftThe independent engineering specialist who led an investigation into leaks at the $14.6 billion Big Dig project says he can no longer vouch for the safety of its tunnels. Gov. Mitt Romney responded to the report by saying he would ask the state's highest court if he has the power to fire the chairman of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, which oversees the system of bridges and tunnels that has been plagued for years by cost overruns. "With the Big Dig there's been a pattern of cover-up and stonewalling that has left the public with little confidence that the project is being managed well or that the road and tunnel system are safe to travel," Romney said.
The governor's comments were in response to a letter written to the Turnpike Authority by engineering specialist Jack K. Lemley, who stated he was "unable to express an opinion as to the safety of the I-93 portion of the Central Artery." A copy of the March 9 letter was obtained by The Boston Globe. Romney has previously called for resignation of Turnpike Chairman Matthew Amorello, but the chairman has so far refused. A call to the Turnpike Authority was not immediately returned, but spokesman Doug Hanchett told the Globe that "we believe the tunnels are perfectly safe. If we ever had a reasonable inkling otherwise, we'd close the tunnels." | You mean, right after the collaspe? |
The leak-ridden tunnels are the centerpiece of the massive Big Dig highway project, which buried Interstate 93 under downtown Boston and connected the Massachusetts Turnpike to Logan International Airport. | They've been digging since Ted Kennedy had his first drink |
In September, water broke though a faulty wall panel and flooded the I-93 northbound tunnel, backing up rush-hour traffic for miles. A subsequent investigation headed by Lemley found hundreds of smaller leaks. Lemley told lawmakers in November that there was no public safety risk to people driving through the tunnels. | unless you count drowning as a risk, but enough about Ted.... |
Since then, Big Dig officials have identified more than 40 sections of tunnel wall with construction defects. Fireproofing material has also fallen after being damaged by leaks. In his letter, Lemley said project officials blocked him from obtaining records and data related to the new problems, including 10 years of field notes from engineers and more recent testing data. He said his change in position was also driven by the apparent lack of any formal plan by Big Dig officials to address the leak problems. Lemley did not immediately return a phone call on Tuesday. Romney stopped short of calling the tunnels unsafe and said he will continue to drive through them. "I don't feel as safe in the tunnels today as I did yesterday," Romney said. "If (Lemley) doesn't know if the tunnels are safe then I don't either and that's intolerable."
Posted by: Steve 2005-03-15 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=58940 |
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