The Big Dig fiasco continues to create problems for Boston. The $15 billion boondoggle, which has absorbed billions of dollars from the federal government, courtesy of the legislative clout of Ted Kennedy, not only went far, far over budget and behind schedule. It also may be hazzardous for those who drive through.

The Boston Globe reports

The engineering specialist who led the investigation into leaks in the Big Dig says he can no longer say with confidence that the Interstate 93 tunnels are safe to drive in, according to a letter obtained by the Globe..... 

Lemley wrote, new information has surfaced that more than 40 large sections of tunnel wall contain construction defects and that fireproofing material has been damaged by leaks and fallen into the roadway....

The Globe first reported on Nov. 10 that the Big Dig's I—93 tunnels are riddled with leaks. The majority of those leaks are located where the tunnels' walls meet the roof.

A Feb. 16 memo from Kenneth M. Mead, inspector general of the US Department of Transportation, said that there were 438 such leaks at that time. Those leaks have damaged the tunnels' fireproofing material, some of which fell onto the northbound tunnel's breakdown lane recently.

A subsequent investigation found 40 areas where water and ice had damaged the fireproofing.

Richard Baehr  3 15 05