Boston.com / The Future of Boston

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Brandon (Moderator) 12:58PM	Good afternoon, we're here with Dan McNichol, an former official spokesman for the Big Dig and author of The Big Dig book. He'll answer all your questions about The Big Dig and the other large projects being developed in the Boston Area
Dan McNichol 01:01PM	Hi Chatters, I'm looking forward to sharing with you what I know about the Big Dig and how it's shaping Boston's future.
RamKelath 01:08PM	Hi Dan. I'm really interested in the future of the Surface Artery - I took part in one of the Beyond the Big Dig workshops
Dan McNichol 01:08PM	Hi RamKelath, The downtown is a huge opportunity for the Big Dig, but even more importantly for the city. Beware, the downtown is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Big Dig parks. There are 100 acres out in the harbor and 44 acres under the new Zakim bridge. I hope you enjoyed the workshop. Please stay involved, your support is needed!
jimmy 01:11PM	when is the whole project going to be completed
Dan McNichol 01:11PM	Jimmy, The project will be complete, according to the MTA, in December 2004. I believe sometime in the year 2005, you'll be traveling through the tunnels in your car, but it may not be until 2006 or 2007 that the parks will be finished and the all the construction equipment will have disappeared.
sammy 01:14PM	Dan; What is the status or time frame for completing the north-south link between the two railstations
Dan McNichol 01:14PM	Sammy, The proposed North-South rail link is Big Dig not a part of the Big Dig. Fred Salvucci, the father of the Big Dig and an MIT professor, lements that the link is a 5 billion dollar tunnel that will probably never be built.
NE123 01:15PM	Hi Dan. Do you know if the Big Dig tunnels will have cell phone service?
Dan McNichol 01:15PM	NE123, Yes. Although, I wouldn't encourage driving and talking through the tunnels with Boston drivers at large.
allyn 01:18PM	hello all, dan i was wondering what is the most important aspect to all these projects that you have outlined so well, and in addition how does it change the lives of bostonians????
Dan McNichol 01:18PM	Allyn, Thanks for your nice comment. The most important aspect... They work in tandem to facilitate multi-model transportation in Boston, whether you're walking, taking mass transit, driving, flying or even boating, these six great projects will get you there. Some of them even beautify Boston.
lemur 01:23PM	Has anything interesting been excavated during the Big Dig?
Dan McNichol 01:23PM	Lemur, Tons! Probably the most interesting was a privy (aka toilet) in the North End. It belonged to Katherine Nanny Naylor who lived under the elevated highway (obviously before it was there) between 1670 - 1700. Like a good colonist she had it sealed befored she moved to Charlestown. Big Dig archeologists uncovered it and found remarkable artifacts inside of it, like the oldest bowling ball found in America. Visit the State Archives building across from the Kennedy library. They have a wonderful exhibit of Big Dig artifacts.
Bob in Va 01:28PM	I have your Big Dig book Dan, it is great. The Mass Pike will soon begin at Route 1A in East Boston, which will mean more traffic there...any plans to address the traffic headaches on route 1A North through Revere?
Dan McNichol 01:28PM	Bob in Va, I'm glad you enjoy the book. Please tell everyone you know it's coming out in paperback in a week! In the late 80s, the federal government warned Massachusetts that if they tried to widen the Ted Williams tunnel and increase traffic flow to Route 1A, they would risk losing support on the project from a funding and neighborhood stance. The Ted Williams tunnel brings I90 to an end at the airport and one of the last major Big Dig contracts will improve the connection between 1A and Logan Airport. That should help, but there will still be a rotary and Dunkin Donuts just beyond these improvements. The Big Dig goal was not to increase capacity on 1A, just to reduce congestion around the airport.
former emp 01:36PM	dan why can't they all agree on the disposition process. seems to me it is land smack in the middle of the city the city should govern what happens
Dan McNichol 01:36PM	Former Emp, Nothing on the Big Dig is easy, it seems. 50 years ago that property was private property and was taken by the Department of Public Works to build the Central Artery (aka the Green Monster). In the late 1980s the Massachusetts Highway Department/DPW/EOTC took on the Big Dig and controlled that property. In 1997, the state legislature turned it over to the MTA. All these bureacracies! The city should be a key player in all of this, but it's going to take some elbowing on their part.
Jordan Levy 01:42PM	Dan, What was the reasoning behind raising the Tolls on the Mass Turnpike vs, 93? The residents of the Metrowest feel they are being cheated by raising tolls that should have been eliminated years ago.
Dan McNichol 01:42PM	Jordan Levy, Is that really you? You know this answer cold, but I'll recap... The interstate system was designed to be toll-free. For better or for worse, the Pike was allowed to keep their tolls in place. When I93 was built in the mid 1960s, it was done so without tollbooths, as was required by FHWA. Right now it is an unfair tax on the western commuters. Something more equitable, like a gas tax is never a popular propisiton for a politician to propose.
deetee 01:48PM	Hi Dan. It says here that you have led the production of numerous international documentaries about the project. Are there any good videos or programs that you recommend for learning the history of this project?
Dan McNichol 01:48PM	Hi Deetee, As a spokesperson for the Big Dig, I was involved in some wonderful productions. A German television crew spent 3 weeks on the Dig with me and left with 24 hours of footage and produced a wonderful piece on the Big Dig. My favorite national production is the History Channel's 1999 45 minute show on modern marvels. Did I say that my book is coming out in paperback? :) Just kidding!
Chelsea 01:53PM	Hi Dan! Just saw that you were on line!! Hope you are doing well!! So, here's my big dig question...when is the new bridge going to be open to drivers? Thanks. Hope to run into you again soon! -Chelsea Blanchard from Hickox Williams Architects
Dan McNichol 01:53PM	Hi Chelsea, You'll have to organize another bike tour for your new firm. I hope you like your new digs. The I-93 Northbound tunnel is holding up the opening of the northbound side of the bridge. The MTA says we can expect it opening sometime in mid-December, but I would be psyched to drive across that piece of art sometime in January, as the MTA admits they might be as late as 6 weeks.
gevann 01:58PM	Dan - How about the governance of the land that will become available when the elevated comes down. Do you think Mass./Boston politics will get in the way or will the appropriate "trust" be developed to act as the client for future development?
Dan McNichol 01:58PM	Gevann, That's a good question, but I have faith. The Commonwealth has its own brand of politics, some good some bad, but there's too much political opportunity and potential gain for this ball to be dropped. If you think about it, that fact that the Big Dig became a political reality maybe more impressive than its engineering and construction, which is unmatched in the world.
Jane S from Beacon H... 02:03PM	Dan: Do you think the Big Dig can stay within budget? If not, who should pay for the extra charges?
Dan McNichol 02:03PM	Jane S, Trying to manage this project to a dollar amount has been the bain of several Big Dig officials. A private investment firm projected that if cost continued to rise at their historical rate, we could have a 16.2 billion dollar project. Before lunch today, it was a 14.6 billion dollar project. The project is unpopular in Washington and a funding cap of 8.5 billion was placed on it. It looks like we'll be paying the balance. I believe this extraordinary investment will continue to yield extraordinary gains.
Brandon (Moderator) 02:04PM	Deetee -- To follow up, please go to the Big Dig Web site (bigdig.com) explains how to buy the videos. Also, you might want to check the History Channel's Web site.
Dan McNichol 02:06PM	Thanks for the incredible reponse and great questions. I wish we had more time. I hope to chat with you again soon!
Brandon (Moderator) 02:06PM	Thanks again from Boston.com. We apologize if we were unable to answer all your questions. Please go to www.boston.com/advertisers/bigdig for our informational supplement from the Boston Globe.