Boston "Big Dig" Tunnel collapse!!

[Disney1fan2002]

Will Romney fire him NOW?

 

[Virgo10]

I remember a couple of years ago there was some concern about the Williams tunnel and whether or not it was buried deep enough so that ships going by above wouldn't hit it.

Now there's a pleasant thought to start your day.

Condolences to the family of the woman who was killed.

 

[Crankyshank]

Will Romney fire him NOW?

Probably not. The man is like a cockroach

 

[goofy4tink]

How frightening. We were just there a little over a week ago, and due to the "wonderful" signage, ended up driving through several "extra" tunnels before we got to our destination.

My thoughts will be with her family.

Anne

Sorry you got so 'turned around' in our beautiful money pit Anne!! I have to tell you that on our driving to Tampa experiment last May, I found Florida to have incredibly easy to use road signage....so, thanks!! Maybe if you guys didn't make it so easy to drive down there, us 'northerners' would take buses/limos everywhere and not clog up your roadways!!! But it sure was easier getting to Tampa, then finding your way around the Boston area.

 

[AllyandJack]

Romney can't fire Matt. He's tried to remove him. He cannot be fired.

Now Depetro is laying into him....I wonder if he'll have the nerve to go Depetro's show. Doubt it.

Remember about 2 months ago he got that big award at the Four Seasons? He should give that back.

 

[kelleigh1]

Here's a picture from the tunnel:

 

[4cruisin]

It is so sad that something like this had to happen before people realized how dangerous these tunnels are. My dh works for a company that did work on all of the Central Artery Tunnels. When all the whispers started about structural problems with leaks etc, I told him that I really did not want to go through any of the tunnels as they seemed like a disaster waiting to happen. I have only gone through the tunnels maybe 7 or 8 times and each time, I cringe.

My prayers go out to the woman's family but I hope this is the wake up call that the Turnpike Authority needs to fix this mess. As far as Matt goes, he's a moron but there certainly is enough blame to go around. One person cannot be held responsible for this mess.

Howie must be going nuts right now!!

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

Romney can't fire Matt. He's tried to remove him. He cannot be fired.

Now Depetro is laying into him....I wonder if he'll have the nerve to go Depetro's show. Doubt it.

Remember about 2 months ago he got that big award at the Four Seasons? He should give that back.

I THOUGHT Romney tried to get rid of him and if I recollect he tried very hard.

I do not remember the award what was it for...fattest executive on the highway commission?

 

[Lynn CC]

Howie's back...I heard him yesterday.

I have no idea if I'm going to be able to get out of Boston. If traffic on 93S doesn't ease up by 3:30, I'm trapped until DH can get to me (he's coming from Reading). Plus, we're supposed to take a trip to Cambridge because my doctor moved and I have no idea where he is, so I was having DH take me on a test drive today. This stinks.

Thanks, MATT.

Maybe you should park and ride the T to Cambridge? It may be a lot less expensive than waiting in all that traffic and a lot less headache too. There's a parking garage off Cambridge ST. on Sommerset St that charges $31 for the day and it's open all night, they have valet parking too. Just an idea?

I go through the O'Neil tunnel atleast 4X a week. I always feel uncomfortable in those tunnels and can't wait to get out, especially when there is bumper to bumper traffic.

 

[beattyfamily]

DH took the commuter train into Boston today and instead of taking the silver line, he walked.

He was interviewed as he got close to his building (his building is right outside the tunnel in question) and he doesn't know which station it was!! All he could say was it wasn't channel 4 or 7. Men!

This is so scary and sad. That poor husband and her family. Very sad.

 

[AllyandJack]

Maybe you should park and ride the T to Cambridge? It may be a lot less expensive than waiting in all that traffic and a lot less headache too. There's a parking garage off Cambridge ST. on Sommerset St that charges $31 for the day and it's open all night, they have valet parking too. Just an idea?

I go through the O'Neil tunnel atleast 4X a week. I always feel uncomfortable in those tunnels and can't wait to get out, especially when there is bumper to bumper traffic.

I tried that once from my office in Boston. It took almost 2 hours of walking and train rides to get to where I need to be (near Mt. Auburn). Walk a few miles to South Station, get on the Red Line, get off at Harvard Square, walk a few more miles. I could have taken a bus, but they go about 5mph and I was walking faster than they were going.

There is almost always bumper to bumper traffic in that tunnel....nobody knows where to go. It's pitch black and lanes are starting and ending randomly. It's like a Fear Factor stunt.

 

[Mackey Mouse]

"It's like a Fear Factor stunt." I can imagine as I avoid it like the plague....

I know this has been said previously but I wanted to reiterate....Governor Romney did try to fire him, but could not......I cannot remember how it went down though.... Does anyone else??

 

[AllyandJack]

Mumbles is on WRKO.

 

[monarchsfan16]

Carla, on the news they're saying that they've added various routes to the MBTA so you might take a look online and see if it could help you today
Channel 7 just said it may reopen as early as tomorrow afternoon. I see they're taking everything as seriously as usual there

 

[chirurgeon]

I'm not from Boston or the NE area, so where are all these tunnels going to and from? What do they go under? I live in Pittsburgh (please don't flame me for that ) so I know what tunnels are about. We have several going under our many hills and they are planning to build one under the Allegheny River for our Light Rail Transit system. The other tunnels are decades old and the only work on them has been rehabs, I have never heard of a collapse, even historically and I'm in my mid 40's.

Prayers for the family.

 

[AllyandJack]

Carla, on the news they're saying that they've added various routes to the MBTA so you might take a look online and see if it could help you today
Channel 7 just said it may reopen as early as tomorrow afternoon. I see they're taking everything as seriously as usual there

That's what they're saying on the radio - noon tomorrow.

Menino is telling everyone to change their work hours, carpool, or stay home. Hello....not everyone is a hack that can do that crap.

 

[AllyandJack]

For all the Howie fans, he'll be starting at 2pm today. Depetro is staying on until 2pm.

 

[Mackey Mouse]

The tunnels go under the City of Boston....not sure I can explain it exactly right.....but I thought it was to alleviate traffic in the city....from one side of Boston to the other.....So from the South of Boston and there are various exits to allow you to get out of the tunnel and access parts of the City....to the North side of Boston.... There is also a tunnel that goes to Logan Airport and I believe that is where this accident occurred....

I am not great at explainly this.. anyone else care to try...

 

[4cruisin]

I'm not from Boston or the NE area, so where are all these tunnels going to and from? What do they go under? I live in Pittsburgh (please don't flame me for that ) so I know what tunnels are about. We have several going under our many hills and they are planning to build one under the Allegheny River for our Light Rail Transit system. The other tunnels are decades old and the only work on them has been rehabs, I have never heard of a collapse, even historically and I'm in my mid 40's.

Prayers for the family.

The tunnel did not actually collapse. It was a section of concrete roofing panel inside the tunnel that fell down and crushed the car. Think of a suspended ceiling in your house. The panels are held up with metal tracks. It's kind of the same thing in the tunnel except on a much larger scale. The concrete panels are something like 40 feet long and weigh about 6000 lbs. They believe that the steel girder that supports the concrete let go.

 

[AllyandJack]

Just imagine being in a dark tube that curves in various directions. Look to your left or right, and it's probably leaking because you're under water. Every now and then, a lane is added and new people come flying into the dark tunnel with you. Beware of the right lane....sometimes it exits with no warning and you'll go to the Airport, Storrow Drive, Government Center....you just never know. The most fun part is the Southbound side after the bridge where you take an exit and have to come to a screeching stop because some fool decided it would be a great idea to put a traffic light at the end of that ramp. You can't see the people stopped, because there is another curve.

Lord help you if there is an accident in there. No help can get in. You just have to sit there while they close down the opposite side and bring in the tow truck/police/ems from the opposite direction.

It's big fun.