Thursday, 4:30 PM
Capuano calls for tunnel inspections
By Sean P. Murphy and Scott Allen, GLOBE STAFF
Upset that the Big Dig tunnel in which a ceiling collapsed had never been inspected, US Representative Michael E. Capuano filed a bill in Congress on Wednesday to mandate detailed inspections of all tunnels at least every two years.
Capuano, a Democrat from Somerville who sits on the House Transportation Committee, said Wednesday night that he filed the bill in reaction to the July 10 ceiling collapse that killed Milena Del Valle of Jamaica Plain.
Investigators quickly determined that the ceiling came down when a handful of bolts used to suspend it from the roof gave out. If inspectors had gone into the 5-foot-high crawl space above the suspended ceiling after the tunnel opened, they probably would have noticed bolts pulled out, perhaps alerting them to the danger of collapse, investigators have said.
"Clearly, more must be done to ensure the safety of the traveling public," Capuano said. "Apparently, if inspections are not required, they won’t be done. This bill would require those inspections."
