Kerry, Kennedy call for new reviews of highway projects
On the year anniversary of the Big Dig tunnel collapse, Massachusetts' two US senators are calling for independent engineers to review the construction methods used on major federal highway projects.
US Senators John F. Kerry and Edward M. Kennedy proposed the legislation today as the National Transportation Safety Board released its findings on the cause of the collapse, which killed 38-year-old Milena Del Valle on July 10, 2006.
The investigation has focused on the type of epoxy, or glue, used to secure concrete panels to the ceiling of the I-90 Connector tunnel. Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff oversaw the Big Dig's construciton for the state and Modern Continental Construction Co. built the ceiling.
"Today's report proves that Bechtel and Modern Continental incompetently used the wrong epoxy to secure the tunnel ceiling and that state and federal inspectors failed abysmally to provide the basic oversight that could have caught this mistake," Kerry said. "Congress needs to do its part to help prevent another fatal accident and protect taxpayers."
Kennedy said the bill "would provide another important tool ensuring the safety of highway tunnels."
The proposed legislation requires the US Department of Transportation to develop a tunnel inspection program that will set inspection guidelines for state officials and ensure that tunnels are continuously inspected.
