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The Big Dig
 HBG
Constructors' work on this project is
part of a much larger project in Boston,
known as the Big Dig. The Big Dig is
the largest and most expensive highway
project in American history, and when
finished, will consist of an eight-to-ten-lane
underground expressway through the center
of downtown Boston. The Ted Williams
Tunnel, which connects the Boston/Logan
Airport to South Boston, directs airport
traffic out of congested downtown and
was the first major milestone to be
completed on the Big Dig on December
15, 1994. As of May 2002, the project
is over 80% completed.
Proponents of the Big Dig included
Fred Salvucci and Michael Dukakis.
Between 1975 and 1978 and again from
1983 to 1990, when Dukakis was governor
of Massachusetts, Salvucci served
as his Secretary of Transportation
of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Governor Michael Dukakis and Salvucci
pushed for building the new underground
expressway and raised public support
for the project. After years of planning
and raising financial and political
support, the federal government signed
off on the now $14.6 billion project.
The Big Dig will eventually replace
the Central Artery in Boston, known
as I-93. I-93 is not only a traffic
nightmare, but also cuts directly
through two of Boston's historic neighborhoods.
When it was built in 1949, it pushed
20,000 people out of their homes and
separated the waterfront neighborhoods
from the rest of downtown Boston.
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proposed
open space
photos
courtesy of the official Big Dig
website |
Despite the resistance to I-93 at
the time, Boston's city planners went
ahead with the project thinking that
this was a way to bring Boston "into
the future" as a city. After
40 years, the existing highway has
elevated accident rates and costs
over $500 million in wasted fuel from
idling traffic. Once the new tunnel
system is built, the central artery
will be demolished and the area between
downtown and the waterfront will be
transformed into over 260 acres of
parks and open space.
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