Was the Boston Big Dig a success or failure?


Was the Boston Big Dig a success or failure? When it was finally completed in 2007, the Big Dig did give the city of Boston a completely updated infrastructure with new roads, bridges, and tunnels. The city of Boston was dealing with unprecedented traffic gridlock due to a road system that was not designed to handle a growing and booming city.


Did the Big Dig reduce traffic?

The Central Artery/Tunnel Project was the largest, most challenging highway project in the history of the United States. It reduced traffic and improved mobility in one of America's oldest, most congested major cities. It built a framework for continued growth in Massachusetts and New England.


What was the criticism of the Big Dig?

With interest, the project could ultimately cost around $24 billion, finally getting paid off in 2038. Besides creating a financial nightmare, the Big Dig was plagued by huge constructional flaws – which obviously added fuel to the fiscal firestorm.


How much did the Big Dig cost inflation?

However, the project was completed in December 2007 at a cost of over $8.08 billion (in 1982 dollars, $21.5 billion adjusted for inflation, meaning a cost overrun of about 190%) as of 2020.


Who went to jail for the Big Dig?

Aggregate provided 60% of the concrete used to build the Big Dig. Indicted were: former general manager Robert Prosperi; dispatch manager Marc Blais; dispatch manager John Farrar; quality control manager McNally; district operations manager Gregory Stevenson; and dispatch manager Keith Thomas.