Politics & Government
Big Dig Concrete Failing 20 Years Earlier Than Expected [Poll]
The latest fiasco to surface out of the $14 billion project that put the Central Artery beneath Boston is the contractor's use of concrete better suited for Southern climes instead of durable asphalt capable of handing New England weather.
The Big Dig isn't resting on its laurels as poster child for mismanaged major construction projects.
The Boston Globe reports that pavement going from the O'Neill Tunnel to the nearby Zakim Bridge is failing much sooner than expected. 20 years sooner.
It's down to the decision by Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff to use concrete when asphalt is better suited to New England weather. The first round of repairs is expected to cost $1 million and force traffic-clogging lane closures.
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The $14 billion Big Dig put the Central Artery beneath Boston. It has been plagued with problems, including a tunnel collapse that killed Jamaica Plain's Milena Del Valle.
Read the whole story at BostonGlobe.com (subscription required for viewing full article.)
Find out what's happening in Charlestownfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
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