Construction materials from the Central Artery / Tunnel demolition and excavation from the early days of the nation’s largest public works project may prove central to the Big Dig’s construction problems. Recycled into project concrete, could the contaminated dirt cause multi-million gallon tunnel leaks and 3-ton concrete slabs suspended overhead to crash to the ground less than 3 years after tunnel and connector opening events? Will the uncompressed Boston Blue Clay from the harbor tunnel prove too corrosive for the steel infrastructure? The slump test of the CA/T concrete might have been too little and too late, similar to the political maneuvers of Governor Mitt Romney to oust Mass Turnpike Chairman Matt Amorello.

Boston visitors and travelers should avoid using the $14.6 billion dollar Boston CA/T Tunnels until a full federal investigation occurs. Significant scrutiny of project decisions, including the opinions of project engineers unrelated to the project or any of its major players should certify the safety of the tunnel structures first. The Central Artery/Tunnel (CA/T) Project, now the property of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, needs to reassure the public. We expect answers to these questions about what $14.6 billion dollars of federal and state taxpayer money bought for the people of Massachusetts before our students, commuters, visitors to Boston and the millions of travelers who use the Interstate Highways each year continue to travel the tunnels.

1. Was a contamination clearance analysis for concrete corrosives and expansion properties established prior to using the stored 4,000 miles and over 11 million cubic yards of excavated construction materials destined to be recycled within the project’s concrete and other state projects?

2. Were the standards for recycling concrete aggregate systematically and uniformly applied to all materials recycled into this project?

3. Can the process of application of those standards be substantiated by contracts established with contractors that document review of the requirements for contamination? Was testing of concrete mix for strength and temperature performed by the Joint venture on materials supplied by contractors the only measure required?

We possess memos that outline the Massachusetts Highway Department and Department of Environmental Protection testing procedure of contaminated soil that was excavated during the Big Dig and stored at Suburu Pier and Massport. The agreement and memos stipulate which truck loads of material will be tested, the first of every 5 trucks. This process practically assured that questionable materials could easily pass through the first line of defensive inspection if that was desired by the Joint Venture. Bechtel and the state (the Joint Venture) were the people charged with recycling or disposing of all of the dirt and excavate.

Key Contaminants Affecting Humans and Wildlife

The Department of Environmental Protection storage criteria for Big Dig excavated materials is contained in documents we possess. If the excavated material was highly corrosive (pH1.5), reactive, ignitable (flashpoint