Big Dig, Bay Bridge, BIG BUCKS! but no Big Deal?

[Lincsong]

Let's see; the Big Dig in Boston has turned into a big money pit of endless expenditures, shoddy workmanship and loss of life. 3500 miles away the Oakland-San Francisco Bay Bridge is turning into a $15 billion boondoogle for a bridge that only goes less than 2 miles. What waste of money is going on in your area? And is it like Boston and San Francisco were the voters don't care?

 

[Hemingway Jones]

And is it like Boston and San Francisco where the voters don't care?

On the contrary, the citizens and media are up in arms here in Boston. Discussions here, on talk radio and the local news, are eclipsing all else. A woman died, remember, from a superfluos design flourish. People are outraged that what was purported to be to be the cutting edge in structional engineering turned out to be more worthy of a third world country. It's embarrassing.

 

[Pilgrim]

We have possible problems with the concrete on some runways at Denver International Airport - it is suspected that some contractor shenannigans may have taken place. If so, it will mean megabucks to repair, as there are many miles of concrete out there and you can't have jet engines picking up loose concrete chips!

I guess if I had to repair a project, I'd rather do it on the ground's surface rather than in a tunnel.

What's the alternative? I don't know. This stuff needs to be done sometime. In Denver, we have a substantial widening of I-25 that is taking place 15 years later than it should have. IMO this widening was stalled due to tax-abatement legislation, running up the bill considerably.

I believe it's ahead of schedule and under budget, due to early completion incentives...which have become a new idea in the last few years. It appears those early completion incentives work; I wish they had been used before now.

 

[Dixon Cannon]

Light Rail...

In the Phoenix Metro area a Light Rail system is being built for the three people that have the urgent need to wait at a rail stop in 110 degree weather to ride from nowhere to noplace and back again rather than ride on the empty bus that goes to and from the same place. No doubt the plan is for the proletariat to ride this boondogle to the government built Sports Stadium for the weekly circus. Afterwards to enjoy bread in the government mandated downtown revitalization complex, paying an additional sales tax to fund the next grand scheme.

Maybe it's time for taxpayers to just say "NO!" :rage:

-dixon cannon

 

[Lincsong]

On the contrary, the citizens and media are up in arms here in Boston. Discussions here, on talk radio and the local news, are eclipsing all else. A woman died, remember, from a superfluos design flourish. People are outraged that what was purported to be to be the cutting edge in structional engineering turned out to be more worthy of a third world country. It's embarrassing.

Thank's for the update. WOW! Now, I can say that Boston is above the San Francisco Bay Area on the IQ scale. Over, here with runaway expenditures on the Bay Bridge all we get are nut cases asking; "what is the percentage of minority contracts".lol Or; "we need to let state workers retire at 80% of their last years salary, with COLA, after 25 years of working for the state. Actually, I shouldn't be laughing, but it's so comical here; traffic backs ups for miles, the roads are crumbling, pot holes the size of a Crown Victoria on the 101 Bayshore and Nimitz. Devil's Slide, slid into the Pacific Ocean, it's tunnel, which should have be built in 1952, won't be complete until 2010. Environmental nut cases want to take 2 million acres out of housing development, yet want to use eminent domain to take out existing single family homes and industrial parks to build high rise, low-income housing.

 

[Paisley]

And then there's the bridge to nowhere in Alaska.

 

[WideBrimm]

Government Corruption

Well said, everyone !

 

[Dixon Cannon]

Oh yes!....

And then there's the bridge to nowhere in Alaska.

That's the big scheme being backed by a Republican Senator named Ted (Stevens). He's already managed to have Anchorage Airport named after himself, and he ain't dead yet!.... there's a lot more money to be spent first!

-dixon cannon

 

[Daisy Buchanan]

On the contrary, the citizens and media are up in arms here in Boston. Discussions here, on talk radio and the local news, are eclipsing all else. A woman died, remember, from a superfluos design flourish. People are outraged that what was purported to be to be the cutting edge in structional engineering turned out to be more worthy of a third world country. It's embarrassing.

I second that Hem. It is the hot topic on everybodies lips. I haven't been anywhere over the past few weeks where I haven't heard this debaucle mentioned. Not only is it so sad making and terrifying to drive through, but, I haven't noticed any change in the major city gridlock that is commonplace for Bostonians to sit through every day. The Big Dig was supposed to bring us much needed relief from this. I think traffic is worse.
But, we citizens are up in arms.We will be heard. We have had it with the entire mess, and the scoundrels who have created it. Spend a few days here, you'll get the idea of the sentiment. We are stark raving mad, and tolerance has fleeted, and yes, embarassed too. No, we are not standing idley by....

 

[Daisy Buchanan]

Thank's for the update. WOW! Now, I can say that Boston is above the San Francisco Bay Area on the IQ scale. Over, here with runaway expenditures on the Bay Bridge all we get are nut cases asking; "what is the percentage of minority contracts".lol Or; "we need to let state workers retire at 80% of their last years salary, with COLA, after 25 years of working for the state. Actually, I shouldn't be laughing, but it's so comical here; traffic backs ups for miles, the roads are crumbling, pot holes the size of a Crown Victoria on the 101 Bayshore and Nimitz. Devil's Slide, slid into the Pacific Ocean, it's tunnel, which should have be built in 1952, won't be complete until 2010. Environmental nut cases want to take 2 million acres out of housing development, yet want to use eminent domain to take out existing single family homes and industrial parks to build high rise, low-income housing.

Yup, sounds pretty much like Boston. Except you have to add to the list the stealing of funds, the drinking on the job, and countless other intolerable errors by sleazy people. But let me point out that, although I think a lot of people are quick to jump on the anti-republican band wagon, we in Boston have a lot of sleazy people on the other side of politic. In general, we have a huge disaster on our hands, and everyone involved has done something corrupt, and we the citizens are paying for it dearly.

As for the bridge to nowhere in Alaska, HA, so silly. That is the dumbest thing I have ever heard of. Wonder what gridlock is like on a bob sled?

 

[RedPop4]

We have lots of things like this, here.
We had some problems with levees 11 months ago.

 

[pablocham]

Was the big dig done by Bechtel?

 

[Daisy Buchanan]

We have lots of things like this, here.
We had some problems with levees 11 months ago.

You had problems with levees did ya? Ha, never heard a thing about it on the news.
No, but really. You all went through heck. Your beautiful city is always in my heart. I hope you are living back to the way you are accustomed.

 

[Atomic Glee]

Not only is it so sad making and terrifying to drive through, but, I haven't noticed any change in the major city gridlock that is commonplace for Bostonians to sit through every day. The Big Dig was supposed to bring us much needed relief from this. I think traffic is worse.

It's been my experience that this is usually what happens after a big new road project is finished. Adding lanes usually just adds traffic. Sure, at first it'll make things better, maybe. But then, more and more people will decide to drive the newer wider road, which just clogs it up all over again. It's a deadly cycle, one that unfortunately we have not yet done much to break.

 

[Daisy Buchanan]

It's been my experience that this is usually what happens after a big new road project is finished. Adding lanes usually just adds traffic. Sure, at first it'll make things better, maybe. But then, more and more people will decide to drive the newer wider road, which just clogs it up all over again. It's a deadly cycle, one that unfortunately we have not yet done much to break.

I'm sure you're right, in some cases these projects can make things better. Not so in the case of Boston. I can remember, ever since I was a kid, the horrible traffic from the Big Dig. It has, after all, been under construction for the majority of my life. I can't remember a time that traffic ever got better. There are a few roads that are more convenient, like a direct route to the airport, but that road is now deadly. It doesn't matter where you drive in this city, there's always traffic! The best way to get around, if you ever want to come here, is by taking the T. I live right on it. It is a 40 minute train ride to Logan, including 2 different trains and an underground bus. If I drive to Logan, I can get there in 15 minutes, but that is so rare. I'd much rather not risk it, and take a 40 minute train ride with all my luggage, it's actually easier! The Big Dig should really be called The Big Mess.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Was the big dig done by Bechtel?

As a matter of fact, it was -- Bechtel's been mismanaging the project for seventeen years now. Blame the government all you want, but there's plenty of good old fashioned corporate corner-cutting, contract-chiseling and irresponsible dirtbaggery to go around. Nobody's hands are clean on this one.

An interesting overview of Bechtel's involvement can be found at http://www.boston.com/globe/metro/packages/bechtel/

 

[Daisy Buchanan]

As a matter of fact, it was -- Bechtel's been mismanaging the project for seventeen years now. Blame the government all you want, but there's plenty of good old fashioned corporate corner-cutting, contract-chiseling and irresponsible dirtbaggery to go around. Nobody's hands are clean on this one.

An interesting overview of Bechtel's involvement can be found at http://www.boston.com/globe/metro/packages/bechtel/

Thanks for the link Lizzie. It's amazing to see how many people around the country are aware of the Big Mess that's going on in our city. Being that you're in Maine, I wouldn't be surprised if it's affected you. Hemingway and I sometimes leave very early on a Saturday to drive to Kittery, it could be 7 in the morning on a weekend, and there's traffic, sometimes that reaches as far as Portsmouth, on both the inbound and outbound sides. We stopped getting up early to go there, it wasn't worth it anymore, because any time we leave, we get stuck, either on Route 1 or 93/95/128. Not only do we have a terrible mess in our city, but I would imagine that someone from out of town, driving our main highways, would be incredibly confusing. Each highway has at least a couple of different names, some go through the city, some around it, others are just circles that meet up with each other at certain points. I've lived in this area almost all of my life, and I still can't give an out of towner directions. I don't know any of the real highway names, go right, go left, take the fourth exit, without any road names or exit numbers, I'm useless. But, there are so many names, the signs say one thing, locals call it something totally different. What a mess.

 

[Lincsong]

The Bridge to Nowhere? Yeah, stupidity and arrogance is a virus that shows no party affiliation. Most of it has to do with longevity in office. Once these guys keep getting re-elected their head balloons up. Former Oakland Mayor Lionel Wilson named a terminal at the airport after himself, as did Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley, Former Oakland Congressman Ron Dellums named a Federal Building after himself. All while these guys are still alive. Don't forget San Jose's Airport is now Norman Mineta International after that half-witted Secy of Transportation, former Mayor of San Jose and Congressman. What did he do other than make sure frail elderly people are scrutinized and practically violated before they get on planes?.:rage:
Daisy, I'm glad that people in Boston are up in arms. Here in the Bay Area, that wouldn't happen. People are more interested in where's the closest medicinal marijuana dispensary than anything of substance.:eusa_doh:
And in my hometown of San Leandro, a freeway overpass and conference room at the library were named after a Mayor who died in office while under indictment for tax evasion. His business partner was found guilty. But, hey man, where's the nearest pot club? The colors, the colors.

 

[Miss_Bella_Hell]

The Big Dig

Incidentally, the new tunnel has actually shaved an average of 12 minutes off drive time through downtown. Until it fell apart.

 

[Dalexs]

I'm sure you're right, in some cases these projects can make things better. Not so in the case of Boston. I can remember, ever since I was a kid, the horrible traffic from the Big Dig. It has, after all, been under construction for the majority of my life. I can't remember a time that traffic ever got better. There are a few roads that are more convenient, like a direct route to the airport, but that road is now deadly. It doesn't matter where you drive in this city, there's always traffic! The best way to get around, if you ever want to come here, is by taking the T. I live right on it. It is a 40 minute train ride to Logan, including 2 different trains and an underground bus. If I drive to Logan, I can get there in 15 minutes, but that is so rare. I'd much rather not risk it, and take a 40 minute train ride with all my luggage, it's actually easier! The Big Dig should really be called The Big Mess.

The funny part is that right before I left Portland, Oregon, the mayor was making this BIG push to do a Big Dig type of thing to the I405 loop around the city and make all this greenspace on top of it.
I can't image WHY the voters were opposing it!

And for those who have to drive thru it, believe it or not, traffic IS better.
I drove it before it starrted, when it started, and during it.
It IS better! Ok, so it has a few problems, give 'em a break, it only cost 40 billion some odd bucks...