Thursday, 4:30 PM
Federal transportation safety board launches Big Dig probe
By Rick Klein
Globe Staff
WASHINGTON -- The National Transportation Safety Board has announced that it will conduct a formal investigation of the Big Dig tunnel collapse, a day after the Massachusetts congressional delegation called on the agency to get involved.
``This tragic accident raises some serious safety issues that require independent investigation,’’ Mark V. Rosenker, the NTSB’s acting chairman, said in a statement.
Members of Congress had called on the NTSB to investigate the accident because the board _ which is not affiliated with the Federal Highway Administration or the Department of Transportation _ is one of the few government entities that has had no involvement in the sprawling construction project.
The highway administration, which is also investigating the accident, is led by J. Richard Capka, who served as director of the Big Dig project from 2000 to 2002. State-level investigations are being conducted by Governor Mitt Romney and Attorney General Thomas Reilly, both of whom have political considerations that could potentially complicate their inquiries.
