Number of accidents in Big Dig tunnel spurs an investigation

[Ian David]

Number of accidents in Big Dig tunnel spurs an investigation
Activist draws attention to trend

By Associated Press | July 24, 2007

The Massachusetts Turnpike Authority is investigating the geometry of the Tip O'Neill Tunnel after an activist proved to state officials that there have been significantly more car accidents in the new tunnel compared with nearby tunnels.

There were 614 crashes in the new O'Neill tunnel in a two-year period ending in February, compared with 28 crashes in the same period in the Callahan and Sumner tunnels, according to statistics that Boston activist Vincent Zarrilli obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request, which he supplied to the Associated Press.

The O'Neill tunnel, part of Interstate 93, is about 1.5 miles long; the older tunnels, which link downtown to East Boston, are about a mile long.

"The Massachusetts Turnpike Authority has launched an evaluation of the accident data and the geometry of the highway and tunnel," authority chief of staff Stephen Collins wrote in a July 20 letter to Zarrilli. "This engineering evaluation includes an assessment of the pavement condition, horizontal and vertical curvature, sight distances, signage, lighting, and all engineering aspects of the roadway and tunnel," Collins wrote.

More:
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2007/07/24/number_of_accidents_in_big_dig_tunnel_spurs_an_investigation/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+--+City%2FRegion+News