Central Artery I 93 Tunnel I 90 Project

Boston's Central Artery/Tunnel Project, a 7.8 mile system of bridges and underground highways and ramps, is the most expensive public works project ever undertaken in the United States. The original cost estimate of $2.6 billion has already been exceeded by $12 billion, and the project will not be completed until 2005, seven years late. The Massachusetts Turnpike Authority (MTA), the public steward of the project, requested that the National Research Council carry out an independent assessment of the project's management and contract administration practices, with a focus on the present situation and measures that should be taken to bring the project to a successful conclusion. This report presents the committee's findings and recommendations pertaining to cost, scheduling, and transitioning from the current organization dominated by consultants to an operations organization composed largely of full-time MTA staff. The report recommends that MTA establish an external, independent, peer-review program to address technical and management issues until the transition to operations and maintenance is complete; begin a media campaign now to teach drivers how to use the new system safely; and develop, immediately implement, and maintain a comprehensive security program.

The Central Artery/Tunnel (CA/T) Project in Boston, MA, is the largest federally funded public works project in recent history, involving the reconstruction of I-93 and the extension of I-90. The CA/T Project is approx, 7.5 miles long and includes approx. 160 lane-miles of new and reconstructed highway. The majority of the CA/T Project is below ground. More Fed. funding ¿ $5.8 billion and growing ¿ has been allocated to the CA/T Project than to any other construction project of its kind. Contents of this review conducted in 2000: Objectives: Assess the Oversight Process; Review the Management Structure; Validate the $1.4 Billion Potential Cost Overrun; Identify Potential New Cost Indicators; Identify Potential Cost Saving Measures. Charts and tables.