Sunday, November 14, 2004

The Big Dig - not "worth the wait" and not worth the expense

Everybody in Western Massachusetts hates the Boston roadway project known as "The Big Dig" because it sucks away highway funds for the rest of the state. Now even Boston-ites can't hide the fact that Ted Kennedy's $14 billion boondoggle is a horrible mess. Here's a great article by Sam Allis in today's Boston Globe titled "The Big Drip":
The Observer likes a good cliche as much as the next person, so let's try this one: ''The straw that broke the camel's back." What else do you call the news last week that the Big Dig tunnel leaks like an old garden hose?

It's not just the sheer number of leaks -- a breathtaking 400 of them -- that smacks of Soviet efficiency. It's not just the rank cowardice among the rogue's gallery of players associated with the project who have streaked from responsibility like Olympic runners.

What's most galling about the news is its timing. It comes after we had been assured that the project is all but done and our long nightmare over. We were just beginning to cotton up to the damned thing. Maybe the $14.6 billion was worth it after all. If the tunnel looks like hell, at least it works. Wrong.
He notes later in the article that (unless you're going to Logan airport) the enormous project hasn't done anything to reduce commuting times for most Boston residents. Your tax money in action, America.

3 comments:

enobarbus said...

You make an important point, addressing this to American taxpayers. I've talked to too many out-of-staters who have laughed at our big-dig boondoggle. They usually stop laughing when I tell them that they're paying for it too.

Anonymous said...

To be fair, it was Tip O'Neill who shepparded this through (probably too much work for Teddy and John). I live south of Boston and the commute seems worse since the whole thing (more of less) is open. Next they will tell us a nice elevated road is what we need. Reminds me of the Simpson monorail episode.

Anonymous said...

To be fair, it was Tip O'Neill who shepparded this through (probably too much work for Teddy and John). I live south of Boston and the commute seems worse since the whole thing (more of less) is open. Next they will tell us a nice elevated road is what we need. Reminds me of the Simpson monorail episode.