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Tour of the Big Dig in Boston
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" Now what was the problem here was the motivation for this project will bump right in the center of Boston Isabel they're highly forty feet high -- And it's only six lanes wide. And those six -- of being Fed into -- 38 and it means traffic. Getting in on him to know trying to do is correct that problem in the past now that -- it. Some. Built in Bosnia now handles over 200000 so Bob -- director --"
" And not only that but it it kind of splits the traditional heart of the city the financial district in the antique districts of Boston -- to him absolutely it divides that he might happen. Waterfront apartment this will bring that city and then this -- And what we're doing is all underground tell us a little bit about what we're doing what we're standing right on top of four lanes of interstate highway four lanes of subterranean highway. Isn't the northbound lanes of the future 93. Going -- in the city. Okay and what's interesting to me is that we're in a spot that when all this construction is completed we'll be rather park like they'll be a four lane road through here but the sidewalks are going to be 25 feet wide there's going to be all sorts of Linden trees all over the place exactly yeah we're -- be looking at this. Which is really the 21 century this is Boston's south station. Which is connected with that the the antique train station here yeah exactly worthiness of the historic district south station -- in the new. Callable transportation intermodal transportation all of us have it right and what we're really looking at is likely set it apart space right when he put brick sidewalk -- granite terms -- the 21 century -- the nineteenth century but what we want to do -- we -- go -- about a hundred feet underground. Will go about a hundred feet on the ground that's right -- to start okay."
" And Daniel like this project so much you decided to be a neighbor at a lot project right that's right you couldn't get enough -- right thing building here in a nursery -- attic. Now we are Bob and concrete down about what eighty -- here at the almost a 180 exactly. All of they celebrating in working button that would -- just today have tribes thought that -- literally enormous fight that we're looking. Well look yes -- spots are acting as -- Mechanism so let's learn more of the wall on the other side of the highway tunnel. The glass. Let's get down next okay."
" Okay again there -- Putting finishing touches on on big concrete pour that is that what level is that or cars will actually be rolling back that's going to the foundation of the superhighway. And twelve feet up whether actually surfacing of the material right now we'll be you don't need road's surface that the road trucks and cars -- the that's just the foundation. That's right OK just if this gets so complicated because I mean we just heard a train a minute ago we got buses trains aren't everything I mean what can you explain. All the different levels work certainly this."
" And the -- of transportation from Boston this this college solo is diving down to 5% grade it underneath the somewhere along the Red Line until nineteen. Team Boston the first subway we couldn't move it so we're going underneath it. But won't go underneath the subway -- try to -- as part of the entire project about a 140 feet down. Above the highway tunnel though will be existing red line subway above the subway lines were building a new subway line. Called the Silver Line -- transit line. That'll be at first a rubber tired much to get the bugs. Above that will create a lobby in the lobby will be servicing both the new transit line. And the existing red line subway and there were talking a total of 240. Feet of layers exactly. All of the surface has gone down."
" Then this is the biggest page of reinforcing. Bars. That I've ever seen now what what happens here this is they highway wall. The walls -- to the columns where traffic urgent because we're one lane of interstate here anomaly here. -- similar to other people -- OK so what we're looking at here where you've got actually the epoxy treated rods the Greenland those will be column. That's relevant elements of salt water column and so we are standing where several major roadways will intersect below ground here that's right interstate ninety. Assessment 93 going north the worst thing and -- nine OK and now we're close to where the men of foreign. Pouring that that concrete that -- but they're still good ten or fifteen feet difference between where they -- where I'm standing what happens down below there."
" Let's talk one of the most drivers don't know -- about this pilot solvent. Twelve feet below the foundation of the tunnel and -- and ventilation shaft that'll carried exhausted air out of the tunnel. -- on the question of the apartment down below. Traveled through vent above the surface what we are now -- fresh air mix with the exhaust -- air. And because they're taken away -- buildings have collapsed on the road that that the exhaust fan if you can compare almost to a kitchen this members of the its seven city blocks. Remove from here exactly seventy blocks north. You -- the largest analysts. The world and it. As broad as anybody calculated just how many tons of earth and concrete are being moved around in the front and back down that's -- time we've gotten -- that we -- This project and they did it help him and I believe it."