This channel normally posts board meetings and short progress updates on specific sections of the project in a pretty dry way. This is the first time I’ve seen them lean into a more engaging method of getting the word out.
This channel normally posts board meetings and short progress updates on specific sections of the project in a pretty dry way. This is the first time I’ve seen them lean into a more engaging method of getting the word out.
The Big Dig in Boston began planning phases in 1982, and was estimated at $2.8 billion in 1985. It was scheduled to be completed in 1998, but was actually completed in 2007 at a cost of $21.5 billion. From original conception to completion, that’s 25 years and a 768% cost increase (289% adjusted for inflation).
That seems eggregious until you realize the economic impact eclipses the original costs by an order of magnitude via development of the Seaport, North Station, Cambridge Crossing, Assembly Square, Fenway, and Allston, not to mention the health impact of replacing a traffic-snarled viaduct in the heart of the city with 30 acres of parks.
As a disclaimer, I also realize that the Big Dig was almost exclusively a highway capacity project. I’m not saying that it was an ideal project in that respect. I’m also not saying that we should ignore the corruption, safety issues, and cost & time overruns, but if we can all agree that these projects are worth doing even if it’s an ugly process, maybe we get fewer overruns and the process is a little less ugly. The cynicism and pessimism that we approach mega projects with is, IMO, part of the problem.