The salient question about the Big Dig is not “Is Boston even capable of building big public works projects?” (Opinion, Oct. 19), but does state government have the necessary expertise in finance and construction oversight? When I was researching a book on a similarly massive escalating construction project in Arizona, the author of a book on Bechtel, one of the companies that designed and managed the Big Dig,(engineering and construction division) told me, “if the Big Dig were a painting it would hang in the Louvre.”The Big Dig — when first proposed to Congress for federal funding — was estimated at $3 billion. The bill passed. Then once construction started it went up to $4 billion, then $8 billion. Soon it went up to $12 billion. Congress refused to authorize more federal money. Then when the streets of Boston were torn up everywhere, the price went up to $16 billion. Of course the state would pay whatever it cost to put the city back together.
By the time Charlie Baker became governor that price was another $5 billion for a total of about $21 billion. The real questions are: Are we still paying interest on the bonds Baker negotiated to give Bechtel Corp. its final payment, and where to park?
Judith Nies
Marblehead
The writer is the author of “Unreal City: Las Vegas, Black Mesa, and the Fate of the West.”