Big Dig Repair Tab May Fall On Taxpayers

BOSTON -- Taxpayers may shoulder the cost of Big Dig repairs after all.

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NewsCenter 5's Janet Wu reported that a House government reform committee came to Boston Friday looking for answers to the Interstate 93 tunnel leaks.

Representatives from contractor Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff, the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, federal officials and independent consultants agree that the tunnels are safe. They do not agree on who will pay for the tunnels' repairs after last September's slurry wall breach and the discovery of hundreds of other leaks.

"The (Turnpike Authority) has said that its contractors are going to pay to fix the leaks. We are not entirely confident about this. According to the authority, contractors have already been paid $7 million for leak repairs, and they estimate they will have to pay another $10 million. We are concerned that the costs of payments related to leaks and water problems may significantly exceed $17 million," said U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General Kenneth Mead.

Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff, who admitted knowing about problems with the slurry wall three years before the leaks, said it would pay its fair share of repair costs. A federal watchdog group said the balance of the costs may come from taxpayers.

Massachusetts Attorney General Thomas Reilly said he is not satisfied with the repair efforts to date.

"We are not confident with the approach that has been taken in terms of grouting -- filling those leaks and those holes with grout. You cannot, in our estimation, you cannot grout your way out of this problem," he said.

"I have a bad feeling about this. I think the numbers we are seeing here for, you know, just counting heads in that tunnel, the number of people who are fixing and plugging those holes and the number of leaks we have -- it didn't get any better this summer than it did last winter. I think we have a whale of a problem down there," said Rep. Stephen Lynch.

Some on the panel wanted to know if there was any collusion surrounding the leaks.

"I don't think the jury is in yet on the extent that we may find malfeasance on this project," said engineering consultant George Tamaro.

Reilly said the state may not be able to collect all the money owed to it because the statute of limitations has expired.