Gov. Romney Seeks Control of Big Dig Inquiry

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/13/us/13cnd-tunnel.html?ex=1310443200&en=e304e6ebc7fa7098&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss

July 13, 2006
Gov. Romney Seeks Control of Big Dig Inquiry
By PAM BELLUCK

BOSTON, July 13 — More problems with the Big Dig tunnels became apparent today, and Gov. Mitt Romney filed emergency legislation to take control of the investigation of the tunnel accident in which concrete slabs fell from the ceiling Monday and crushed a woman to death in her car.

“There should no longer be any doubt — the Turnpike Authority has failed to do its job,” Mr. Romney said of the independent agency that oversees the massive Boston highway project. “It’s hard to view Monday’s catastrophe as an accident.”

Mr. Romney’s move comes a day after Turnpike Authority officials said they found 60 problem areas in the eastbound side of the tunnel where bolts were loose or there were gaps between the roof and metal plates that hold up the concrete ceiling tiles.

The state’s transportation secretary, John Cogliano, said today that inspectors have told him that “the westbound side is actually in worse shape than the eastbound,” and he said that in the eastbound side, “some of the steel plating has been askew or has moved.”

....

Mr. Reilly, (the attorney general) a Democratic candidate for governor, said that as investigators examined the ceiling tiles that were being removed for inspection “you can visually see some of these problems, you can see some loosening of those anchor bolts, and you can see some anchor bolt systems in places where they are not designed to be.”

more....