RE: Thank you, America!

[AustinBoston]

 
I want to thank all the hard working, tax paying citizens and other residents of the United States of America.
 
 You see, this weekend, a section of the " Big Dig"  will open.  It is about 2.5 miles long, and cost over six billion dollars ($6,000,000,000).  That translates to about $500,000 per foot.  It is by far the most expensive piece of road in the world.
 
 There is no way to describe the frustration that comes with an underground construction project.  Seeing road blocks and detours, money and men, all disappear into the ground, seeing work, work, and more work being done, but not seeing any progress because it is all under ground.  It is encouraging to see this section of road finally opening.
 
 The Big Dig isn t over, but it is nearing completion.  Some of us thought it would be a cold day in a hot place before the project would end, but the day is coming...
 
 The primary engineer on the project back in the 80 s, who lobbied for it for years, has said that we in Massachusetts will have to be willing to support other big cities as they try to solve their own traffic nightmares.  Based on roads built in the 1950 s and 1960 s, and painfully obsolete today, there are some real challenges ahead.  Many will face the same technical and financial challenges that we have faced in Boston.  We in Massachusetts have to be willing to return the favor.
 
 Perhaps the single biggest success of the Big Dig is this:  Despite the many miles of new and expanded roadway in one of the largest and most compact cities in the country, not one person lost their home to this project.
 
 BTW, there were 2,000 invitations printed up and sent out for the ceremonies today.  In them, the name of the Ted Williams tunnel was badly mispelled.
 
 Austin

[Viking99]

 AustinBoston
Congrats! We have been keeping an eye on that project here at work (AEI) firm. Is the new section going improve things now, or will it take the whole thing to see any results?

[AustinBoston]

 Viking99

ORIGINAL:  Viking99
 Is the new section going improve things now, or will it take the whole thing to see any results?

 Results should make a huge diff (45 min down to 8 min) for a ride from the west towards the airport.
 
 Austin
 

[bikolee]

 AustinBoston
Anything to help A-B.

[tlhdoc]

 AustinBoston
When I worked nights I used to listen to WBZ.  I used to keep up with the Big Dig but haven t heard anything lately.  Thanks for updating us.[]

[marybeth1024]

 AustinBoston
A couple of years ago we were in the Boston area and a friend of mine from RI told me to watch for the " Big Dig"  when we go into Boston. I grew up in Northern NJ and drove into NYC alot. I thought how much worse can  Boston be then NYC?
 
 As Phill Rizzuto used to say, " Holy Cow!"  I never saw anything like it and attempting to drive thru Boston was a nightmare.
 
 I can t wait to go back up there and see how it came out.
 
 Mary Beth

[Turn Key]

 AustinBoston

Perhaps the single biggest success of the Big Dig is this: Despite the many miles of new and expanded roadway in one of the largest and most compact cities in the country, not one person lost their home to this project.

 Well, that s great to hear!  They are usually pretty quick to rip down housing for these kinds of projects.
 
 Recall seeing a special about that thing on TV about a year or so ago.  Very impressive.  Thought it wasn t suppose to be near ready for a good bit yet.  Any how, for what it costs I hope it helps your traffic problems.
 

[AustinBoston]

 Turn Key

ORIGINAL:  Turn Key
 

Perhaps the single biggest success of the Big Dig is this: Despite the many miles of new and expanded roadway in one of the largest and most compact cities in the country, not one person lost their home to this project.

Well, that s great to hear!  They are usually pretty quick to rip down housing for these kinds of projects.

 That was a specific goal.  The engineer I mentioned (the primary architect), saw how it disrupted his Mother s life in the 1950 s when the original Central Artery was built.  Thousands of people were thrown out in the same manner.  Part of the Big Dig is replacing that Central Artery, and he made it a personal and project goal to not tear down or displace people s homes.
 
 That same kind of disruption brought about such protests (in the early 1970 s) in NYC that entire projects were cancelled.  Although it means getting through and around the city is (maybe) more difficult as a result, I think the city is better off for it.  The original Central Artery in Boston was an asthetic disaster, a functional nightmare, and a social catastrophy that cuts the city in half.  One of the results of the big dig will be the removal of that ugly mostrosity and replacing it with open space the likes of which few cities have.
 
 Austin

[Miss-Teri]

 AustinBoston
Wonderful to hear!