Uncovering Boston's "Big Dig" 

People simply can’t understand what this project was. You cannot fathom the massive scale and what went into making this work. You had to work in the project or live in the area before, during and after. I luckily moved to Boston in 2002 and moved out in 2017. I saw this city flourish from an empty, dirty Fenway riverway, the mess that was “big dig”, and disgusting “seaport” to a modern, clean Fenway, a beautiful surface downtown park, a state of the art 8-lane underground highway and the clean “glass city” that is seaport, the new place to hang out. Put it this way, with all their construction, New York looks the same, still dirty and messy while Boston blossomed into a clean night & day type change city.

I learned to drive in the Big Dig. The first time I drove in NYC and thought it would be scary, but the Big Dig prepared me for anything. It's pretty great today, a trip from Somerville to Logan used to take close to 40 minutes, today in low traffic it only takes about 10 minutes. Boston traffic still sucks, but it sucks everyplace.

I worked on the Dig from beginning to end. It was the key to closing the door to the 20th century & opening the 21st. Boston had to do it to ensure a viable future. We're better off.

I'm a historian/tour guide in Boston. This project was totally worth every penny, especially when you consider what the city would be like if nothing was done (hint: it would be awful). Since the completion of the project in 2006, the economy of the Boston region has greatly expanded. Much of that growth was made possible by the Big Dig. Those cranes are all still in Boston, but they're building high-rises and corporate headquarters in South Boston, East Cambridge, Charlestown, Brighton, etc. Much of the engineering for the tunnels were things that had never been done before because of the physical constraints of building in a dense city. Air pollution is down, and even though traffic is still a problem, at least its in a tunnel underground, away from street level. The North End and waterfront have been reconnected with beautiful parks and pedestrian ways. Its made it much more enjoyable for residents and tourists. Yes, its expensive to live here and its not for everyone, blah blah, its a fantastic city that I get to show off for work! The Federal money that comes from the Boston area GDP funds the building and social programs of other states. Mass. provides more federal revenue than it gets in return in the form of federal funding (by about 20 Billion in 2020!) So Kentucky, Arkansas, Indiana, Idaho, (insert red state here) you've welcome for your Social Security, interstate highways, Medicaid, and other federal programs that YOU DON'T PAY FOR but its for the greater good of us all.

I have worked for many years in the Back Bay (Boylston Street and then Huntington Ave) and when I used to commute from central MA, I often walked from North Station to work. The area around North Station used to be ugly and depressing, with elevated train tracks and highways darkening the neighborhood. Now the area is actually open and pleasant. Now that I live much closer to the city, I often walk that route in reverse in the spring and summer, from Back Bay TO North Station, just to see all the interesting new attractions now opening in that area.

Almost every large engineering project goes over cost because anyone who estimates a realistic price loses the contract. Companies can not get the contract for any part of a project while giving a practical estimate because the government will choose a competitor who gives a lower, less realistic estimate

it's kinda sad to see them whining and moaning about the politics and budget of the Big Dig when now, it's finished and Boston is so, SOOOO much nicer for it. I wouldn't want the Big Dig to be reversed even if everyone got all their money back with interest. the greenway is a such a nice part of the city now, and I'm glad it replaced that gross overpass.

People always complain about large projects like this one. Until the project is finished though. And they start reaping the benefits.

“Oh my god!! Look at that dust, take a picture of that dust!” 🙀

Well...it turned out to be a huge success, and Boston is as beautiful and as convenient as ever!

Lived in Boston in 1996 and '97 and it was a mess. I haven't been back since and I cannot wait to see how different the city is now.

I lived through the Big Dig, found it frustrating and confusing when I traveled to Boston. Before it was completed, I moved to GA and when the Big Dig was done, and I would fly home it was wicked awesome to travel through the tunnel and be on the Pike to and from Logan a blessing indeed. That overhead central artery was an abomination. After it was removed I never got to travel though Boston because I would fly into and out of Logan traveling from Worcester and it was a pure joy. I remember I could travel to Boston 40 mins on the Pick and it would take longer than that just to get to the tunnel to get to Logan something I hated so much. After the Big Dig getting in and out of Logan was a pure joy. It's been years since I have flown into Logan so I am not sure how it is today because the last few times I have traveled home it's been by car. I am too old to make that drive but next time I travel home I hope traveling the Pike to and from Logan is the same joy I receall and if it be so then the Big Dig was worth it's weight in gold. I now live in the Metro Altanta Area and they have 6 lanes of Highway running through Atlanta and they need 12 because its a nightmare much like everything merging in Boston with its 3 lanes.

Awesome fresh footage. Original Content!

I wonder if Uber has put that cab driver out of business yet

I remember going to Boston in the mid 90's to visit friends and they always took me to see the Big Dig. I cannot believe it's finished.

As a north ender i can say this was entirely worth it. Our city is absolutely gorgeous now. Loving the green way so much! Does a way better job cutting us off from the rest of boston 😍

So many things… one of my uncles worked on this. Unreal really… lots of learnings. I also have friends who live in Boston, it’s an amazing city and surrounding area…. Our oldest went to Berklee school of music. My college buddy works in environmental cleanups… when we look at urban and rural and suburban works over time and space… the reality of work overlay is quite impactful.

So Marty Walsh actually owned a ice cream parlor before he became mayor?

Andrew Natsios' comment at about 8:30 is spot on. Frankly, we have forgotten. And what has replaced the Central Artery is such a huge improvement.

glad they finally finished it

IT WAS GREAT I WAS IN CONSTRUCTION BEFORE AND DURING THAT TIME IN BOSTON ,BUT ON THE OTHER HAND IT WAS THE START OF GENTRIFICATION FOR AREAS AROUND DOWNTOWN BOSTON .

I am positive that EVERY large civic project in the USA, particularly for transportation, goes over budget and takes longer than it was supposed to. Every one of them. I live in Honolulu and we're currently building an elevated train system that is getting the usual endless complaints, just like this did.

Rush hour return from Logan to Downtown, about 30-40 minutes, prior to the Big Dig, through the Summer Tunnel ( Calaghan in , Summer out ). Rush hour return from Logan to Downtown, about 10 minutes, through Ted Williams Tunnel. That and the fact you can coast Logan towards Metro West without having to cross downtown towards the Turnpike. And that the whole stretch between the waterfront and downtown has been reclaimed, once a dirt and convoluted swath of elevated pilings supporting I-93, which has become a magnificent open esplanade. Cost overruns asides, and the "big leak" aside, and death causing accidents aside, it was worth it.

I had forgotten about his little rhymes to close certain stories!

2:47 Lady: "OMG, that dust! TAKE A PICTURE OF THAT DUST!" Me: (o_O) You're a little too old to be that excited about a bit of dust blowing in the air

I knew a guy who rented two trucks and ran them 24hrs a day he rake in some dough and he didn't even work

Clearing 3 grand a week my uncle used to complain about how much taxes were taken out of his check.

The first time I traveled to Boston was in fall of 2003. I took the Chinese charter coach from lower Manhattan. I recall seeing the heaps and heaps of construction zones on I-93 and on the street downtown Two years later, I drove to Boston and the tunnel was actually done.

I gotta say more that 10 years after its completion Boston still have a huge presence in construction.

To all the people complaining about people complaining about the Big Dig. Look, this wasn't just "an expensive project that went over budget". This project was estimated at $5.8 billion, and at the time this video was made, the estimate was increased to $8.55 billion dollars. That's not just "oops we went over budget". That's already way more, percentage-wise, than is normal. BUT IT DOESN"T END THERE. This project ended up costing over $15 billion. And then $21 billion after interest (all these numbers are adjusted for inflation). That is full on corruption and mismanagement. No one is saying this project shouldn't have been done, just that everyone who was involved in the planning of it did a terrible job and if we could go back in time to do it again we should.

shoutout to whoever used Herbie Hancock for the background music haha

I remember going to the Museum of Science in Boston to see an exhbit about the Big Dig when I was in third grade. I was almost 26 by the time it was completely finished. I will say that it vastly improved traffic but I do kinda miss the views from the upper deck past Storrow Dr. At least there are videos of it on RU-vid floating around.

Yes, the Big Dig did make the city look better. As for easing our traffic problems? It didn't even make a dent. We're rated worst city in America as far as traffic congestion and it's only getting worse.

This had been one of the greatest things to every happen to Boston.

8:54 epic ending ! His speech mixed with the image 🤣🤣🤣

I wonder if that Nancy woman uses the tunnel or not.

2:57 "you like that ? Isn't it wonderful ?" 😂😂😂

We saw much of the work - taking my son to and from college during the work.

2:11 - Glory Hole?

The last construction project in the Commonwealth of this financial and political magnitude was Hoosac Tunnel.

I remember driving into Boston to work with my dad and the big sign saying “Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither will the Big Dig!” We always had to leave no later then 5am or we could expect up to a hour of extra travel time stuck in traffic!

I was on holidays in Boston in 99 and I went to see the big dig and I agree it was big

Thank god this project has been done for a long time. What a nightmare.

Meanwhile 65 percent of the roads I drive on in the USA are old, warped, cracked, and littered with bumps and potholes. I just drove I95 yesterday through south Georgia. They are doing construction but what a mess of a road that is. Our car was just constantly jumping up and down and swaying. Japan has nice roads, was there last summer with a rental car. The thing had 86hp but with the smooth glass feel of the roads and even transitions it made you always feel like you were a race car driver. The system just works so well. Their expansion joints on bridges dont sag like ours do. I thought I was crazy but nope. They build awesome roads that are thicker. Plus they are building more in Japan each day than America does in a month.

What a mess it was, but the results were awesome

Far and away… trappings of time and space…. And so many learnings. If we look… and listen. Oddly… Cincinnati’s and Orlando and stake holders over time and space… Orlando. Yet, translation and transportation… sure… intersections. But as the means of lense… not so much. But… very very impactful. Prometheus and primers of ACA and beyond. Fascinating really.

Plato’s cave and beyond… the possible, actual, should and is and can and will… lots of choices and work

I'd rather live in the world of Boston 20 years ago a block away from the project than what the world has turned into today.

They obviously had an MIT mathematics professor who did nothing but calculate how much space all the dirt and stuff would occupy.

I Miss Charles!!

I understand the lady was upset that construction was going on but Jesus lady it’s called progress, moving forward. ( I realize this comment is 30 years late lol

The Big Dig did it really make things better cause traffic is still horrific going through Boston. 93 North and South in the mornings is like a parking lot most of the time. I'm sure the Big Dig helped out but no one took into account how much traffic would be in the future.

It ended up being worth it. Boston is 100X better without that massive overhead freeway. I still refuse to drive in Boston and will only take the T, but getting rid of all that traffic has also been great for non-drivers

I have a friend who was a construction supervisor on the big dig. He told me stories about the payoffs, the shoddy workmanship, the workmen who were paid only to clock in and clock out, but never did any work, the substandard materials and flawed engineering, the frequent collapses, and a number of other shocking practices and events. The big dig is emblematic of a city infamous for its corruption.

how do you estimate a job like that

we shut down one side of a 300ft bridge and get harassed for months a cant imagine being on this job ...but i would love it

I am not for the big dig or against it but i will say that everybody complains about the noise about the Dust about the congestion that construction creates but they never seem to complain about the finished product and they don't seem to understand all that goes in to doing and completing a job of this nature I will say this it's pretty hard estimate a job of this size to get an accurate cost analysis due to the fact that there are so many variables involved type of soil and environmental cost overruns labor so many things can happen

We need 2 new train tunnels under the Hudson here in NJ and NY.

Your amazing world....embrase it....one 💘

What year did they start it?

Intro song?

When you build something that has never been done... it’s near impossible to estimate accurately... get over it

i lived on stillman st in 1992. they were just starting to reroute traffic for the dig.

The biggest issue why would anyone halt work on a project like this. For free tours time is money

When did it end

@6:11 are they still giving tours of the big dig being built? i bet the tour costs $$$ now

ive never been to boston 😎

I commute daily from the North to State st. What many don’t realize is every night many lanes are closed for maintenance. What they are doing I don’t know. There are obvious leaks they must repair otherwise it will freeze/thaw during winter seasons and destroy the infrastructure but every night lanes are closed. The Airport/State St exit is often diverted to South Station exit. Its amazing this ongoing repairs just do not end. I am fully aware of pm (preventative maintenance) but this does not stop. And changing light bulbs must literally cost hundreds of thousands if dollars with the lane closures, Trooper support, and dozens of crew changing a light bulb or two. Above ground things look amazing compared to the behemoth that existed prior.

All my shortcuts are gone.

It would have been cheaper & easier to rebuild Boston on the Moon! Lol

I think at the end it was worth it

nice. Greetings from Florida

we probably all got some kind of cancer living for ten years with all of this . horrid .

I remember friends who used to go to work on it and it was so large they literally could disappear and get paid for doing nothing lol

Did you see that dust? Wretched construction workers

Will it be ready at he time the gas runs out

The guy in the beginning with the hard hat and the tie looks like a young Louis CK

Amazing project. I bet Nancy is embarrassed by her comments now.

We in Boston thank all for their financial contributions.

So what did happen to all that dirt?

Marty Walsh serving ice cream

Anyone get a feeling that this seems older then 2016 ?

This was a big Project

Glad it’s finished and people in Boston can enjoy the new areas that have been opened up but was it worth it in tax payer dollars?

Health, climate and tools… Framingham and beyond.

Does anyone know why the state didn’t lease “air rights” on the land above the new big dig? NYC did that when they buried their rail lines underground and it more than paid for that project. Having the “green way” in Boston is nice, but having reoccurring revenue from that free space would of been better.

This hole built an ecosystem around it 😂

The Big Dig needed to be done, traffic was choking and killing the city and it wouldn't have become the great city it has become. Now you can travel through it easier, buildings are being built everywhere. Yeah it was a PITA to deal with but it was needed.

Go Sox…. Truly…

Marvelous project All kudos to the Team Not simple to work on non virgin land and construct under a working city full of utilities.

Will I still be alive upon completion?

All they did was put all the traffic underground there was no relief in congestion

Inflated costs, government is horrible at everything

hi I said Boston today

Inertia and wagging tails and better feedback loops

ah, the Bahstan accent...still legally considered birth control in 49 states. Banacek for senate!

Why the creepy sun logo

Back when people actually cared about government cost overruns and financial waste. Now there is so much government debt and free money that no one cares how much anything costs.

Lmao Boston sooo corrupt you know everyone had their hands in this clusterfuck of a cookie jar 😭😭😭

This is how you take back your cities from cars