« Sick and Tire of Muslim Outrage | Main | Now for the sports report . . . Pac-10 apologizes to OU, suspends officials »
September 18, 2006
More Big Dig Folly
A failed ceiling bolt from Boston's Big Dig.
Here is a story that is certain to be talked about.
A designer of Boston's Big Dig originally wanted twice as many ceiling bolts than were actually installed.
Half of the desired bolts were installed because project managers disagreed with the designer as to how many bolts were needed.
Here is the beginning of the AP story, as posted on the website of WJLA-TV (Story Link):
BOSTON (AP) - Big Dig project managers persuaded the designer of the Interstate 90 connector tunnel ceiling to reduce by half the number of bolts supporting each ceiling hanger, The Boston Sunday Globe reported. The newspaper reported it obtained a 1998 memo in which an official of Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff, the joint venture that supervised the Big Dig, expressed confidence that two bolts would hold up the concrete ceiling panels.
Why did the Big Dig's project managers cut in half the number of ceiling bolts that the designer wanted?
I suspect that there are several answers to this question. I also suspect that one of the answers is money.
it is likely that a 4-bolt system would have cost more than a 2-bolt system, and the managers of any public building project are under pressure by politicians to keep costs down.
I am only guessing here, and I could be wrong.
However, if money wasn't an issue, then why didn't the project managers approve of using a 4-bolt system, which would have been stronger bolt system?
Inquiring minds want to know.
Posted by Dodo David at September 18, 2006 03:30 AM
Trackback Pings
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.lifelikepundits.com/cgi-bin/mt3/mt-tb.cgi/2812
Comments
Dilbert lives
Posted by: Charles at September 18, 2006 12:18 PM
That looks like a cable TV wire.
Posted by: DoubleU at September 18, 2006 08:08 PM