Editing Big Dig (section)

== Early planning ==
The project was conceived in the 1970s by the [[Boston Transportation Planning Review]] to replace the rusting elevated six-lane Central Artery. The expressway separated downtown from the waterfront, and was increasingly choked with bumper-to-bumper traffic. Business leaders were more concerned about access to [[Logan Airport]], and pushed instead for a third harbor tunnel.

In 1982, planning for the Big Dig as a project officially began. In 1983, environmental impact studies started. In 1987, after years of extensive lobbying for federal dollars, a public works bill appropriating funding for the Big Dig was passed by the [[Congress of the United States|US Congress]], but it was vetoed by President [[Ronald Reagan]] for being too expensive. When Congress [[Veto override|overrode]] the veto, the project had its green light. In 1991, ground was first broken.<ref>{{cite book|first=Dan|last=McNichol|title=The Big Dig|publisher=Silver Lining Books|year=2002|isbn=978-0-7607-3786-6}} Photography by Andy Ryan.</ref>

In 1997, the state legislature created the Metropolitan Highway System and transferred responsibility for the Central Artery and Tunnel "CA/T" Project from the Massachusetts Highway Department and the Massachusetts Governor's Office to the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority (MTA).<ref>{{cite news|title=Cerasoli charges Big Dig coverup|first=Thomas C.|last=Palmer Jr.|url=https://www.boston.com/globe/metro/packages/bechtel/archives/032101.htm|newspaper=Boston Globe|date=March 21, 2001|access-date=September 3, 2011|quote=Big Dig managers in the William F. Weld and Paul Cellucci administrations knew in 1994 that the megaproject's price tag was heading for $14 billion and schemed to hide billions in costs from the public and bond investors, according to a report issued yesterday by state Inspector General Robert Cerasoli.|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104000302/http://www.boston.com/globe/metro/packages/bechtel/archives/032101.htm|archive-date=November 4, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Federal Task Force on the Boston Central Artery/Tunnel Project: Introduction – Background|url=https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/reports/tunnel.htm#intro|agency=Federal Highway Administration, US Department of Transportation|publisher=Federal Task Force on the Boston Central Artery/Tunnel Project|page=7|access-date=September 3, 2011|quote=Although the Massachusetts Highway Department (MHD) is the nominal recipient of Federal-aid highway funds, State legislation in 1997 creating the Metropolitan Highway System transferred responsibility for the CA/T Project from the MHD to the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority (MTA).|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111015013148/http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/reports/tunnel.htm#intro|archive-date=October 15, 2011}}</ref>
The MTA, which had little experience in managing an undertaking of the scope and magnitude of the CA/T Project, hired a joint venture to provide preliminary designs, manage design consultants and construction contractors, track the project's cost and schedule, advise MTA on project decisions, and, in some instances, act as the MTA's representative. Eventually, MTA combined some of its employees with joint venture employees in an integrated project organization. This was intended to make management more efficient, but it hindered MTA's ability to independently oversee project activities because MTA and the joint venture had effectively become partners in the project.<ref>OIG Testimony CC-2005-027, "Impact of Water Leaks on the Central Artery/Tunnel Project and Remaining Risks"</ref>