Boston Big Dig Tunnels Need $54M Light fix

Big Dig Tunnels Need $54M Light fix
Published On: 4/9/2012 -- Construction Equipment Guide

Ever since a light fixture fell to the ground in the Big Dig tunnel, engineers and officials have been considering replacement.

Currently, all 7.5 miles of the things are now reinforced with plastic ties !!

The tunnel has been a boondoggle from the start in 1991 and was completed in 2007 after originally being scheduled for 1998.

BOSTON (AP) - The state highway administrator says it will cost $54 million to replace all the light fixtures in the Big Dig tunnels because of design or manufacturing defects that have led to dangerous corrosion that could result in them falling onto traffic.

Frank DePaola told the Massachusetts Department of Transportation directors Wednesday that since a light fixture fell onto the road in the Thomas P. O'Neill Jr. Tunnel in February 2011, engineers have temporarily reinforced the 8-foot light fixtures in the 7.5 mile tunnel system with plastic ties.

DePaola says a complete replacement is the best solution.

The Boston Globe reports that the new fixtures will use energy-efficient LED lights that could save $2.5 million a year in energy costs.

The replacement project is expected to begin next year.

The Big Dig, a megaproject in Boston that rerouted the Central Artery (Interstate 93), through the heart of the city, into a 3.5-mile (5.6-km) tunnel, was concluded on December 31, 2007 at a cost of over 14.6 billion. Originally scheduled to be completed by 1998, the project was plagued by escalating costs, scheduling overruns, leaks, design flaws, charges of poor execution and use of substandard materials, criminal arrests, and even four deaths.

The Big Dig was the most expensive highway project in the U.S.

in the 1980's, even the wild spending liberal Ronald Reagan vetoed funding.
He said it was too expensive. Congress however, overrorde Reagan !!


Who got rich off this fiasco ?

interesting background info

Big spending liberal Ronald Regan? What does that make Obama... a Galactic-scale spending liberal?

Yea... this is only one of the major issues with the project. There is a huge problem with the concrete as well. It just keeps getting worse. The Big Dig is part of then Gov Romney's professional 'accomplishments' that you don't hear him mentioning. Sure, he'll blame Obama for everything that happens during his administration but is totally silent on what happened under his governorship. We got universal health care and the Big Dig. Thanks Mitt. Good job.

Originally posted by sprtpilot
Big spending liberal Ronald Regan? What does that make Obama... a Galactic-scale spending liberal?

Actually that was a joke.

Today's Republicans might view Ronald Reagan as a "wild-eyed, socialist, tax-hiking class warrior," and the late conservative icon's views on taxes might have disqualified him from the party's nomination in 2012, President Barack Obama said Wednesday.

Obama on Reagan: a ‘wild-eyed, socialist, tax-hiking class warrior'

Originally posted by jtma508
Yea... this is only one of the major issues with the project. There is a huge problem with the concrete as well. It just keeps getting worse. The Big Dig is part of then Gov Romney's professional 'accomplishments' that you don't hear him mentioning. Sure, he'll blame Obama for everything that happens during his administration but is totally silent on what happened under his governorship. We got universal health care and the Big Dig. Thanks Mitt. Good job.

I thought Romney was Governor from 2003 - 2007.

The project was well under corruption since 1991.

Unless He was involved before he was the Gov ?

Maybe some of his business dealings perhaps ?

Now's the time for exposures.

reply to post by xuenchen


Design defect?

Umm..

Make the manufacturer replace them for free.. duh?

I mean think about it. Make a crappy product that deteriorates .. then get the client to buy the upgrade to the original product..

Is this realistic? Does it really cost $54m to replace 25000 fixtures? Sure, add them all up ,but after about 4 years (Dec 31 2007) they all have to be replaced? Is this tunnel worth $54m every 4 years or even $1m?

Originally posted by Rockpuck
reply to post by xuenchen

 

Design defect?

Umm..

Make the manufacturer replace them for free.. duh?

I mean think about it. Make a crappy product that deteriorates .. then get the client to buy the upgrade to the original product..

That makes sense of course.

But I bet there's some kind of disclaimer clause somewhere.

Or the price was higher if the contractor had to take and keep the responsibility.

But then again, criminals are in the business.

Originally posted by silverking

Is this realistic? Does it really cost $54m to replace 25000 fixtures? Sure, add them all up ,but after about 4 years (Dec 31 2007) they all have to be replaced? Is this tunnel worth $54m every 4 years or even $1m?

And that's probably for the same cheap units.

That's why it's called highway robbery.