Editing Big Dig (section)

== Final phases ==
[[File:Tunnel-large.jpg|thumb|The Interstate 93 tunnel]]
[[File:Greenway Aerial Shot.jpg|thumb|The [[Rose Kennedy Greenway]]]]

On January 18, 2003, the opening ceremony was held for the I-90 Connector Tunnel, extending the Massachusetts Turnpike (Interstate 90) east into the [[Ted Williams Tunnel]], and onwards to Boston [[Logan International Airport]]. The Ted Williams tunnel had been completed and was in limited use for commercial traffic and [[high-occupancy vehicle]]s since late 1995. The westbound lanes opened on the afternoon of January 18 and the eastbound lanes on January 19.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe/172257790/ |title=I-90 extension to open this weekend |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=January 17, 2003 |pages=A1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe/172257673/ B4] |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

The northbound lanes of the I-93 tunnel opened on March 29, 2003.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe/172329154/ |title=Another piece of the puzzle |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=March 27, 2003 |page=B4 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe/172329194/ |first=Mac |last=Daniel |title=Motorists urged to steer clear of Central Artery |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=March 27, 2003 |page=A1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe/172329262/ B5] |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> A temporary ramp from I-90 westbound to I-93 southbound opened on December 6, 2003, as did Cross Street on the surface.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe/172331225/ |first=Anthony |last=Flint |title=Big Dig I-93 south ramp set to open |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=December 5, 2003 |page=B4 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> The southbound lanes of the I-93 tunnel opened on December 20, 2003.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe/172331415/ |first=Anthony |last=Flint |title=Street Revival |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=December 17, 2003 |pages=B1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe/172331443/ B4] |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> A tunnel underneath [[Leverett Circle]] connecting eastbound Storrow Drive to I-93 North and the Tobin Bridge opened December 19, 2004, easing congestion at the circle. All southbound lanes of I-93 opened to traffic on March 5, 2005, including the left lane of the Zakim Bridge, and all of the refurbished [[Dewey Square Tunnel]].

By the end of December 2004, 95% of the Big Dig was completed. Major construction remained on the surface, including construction of final ramp configurations in the [[North End, Boston, Massachusetts|North End]] and in the [[South Bay, Boston, Massachusetts|South Bay]] interchange, and reconstruction of the surface streets.

The final ramp downtown — exit 16A (formerly 20B) from [[Interstate 93|I-93]] south to Albany Street — opened January 13, 2006.<ref>{{cite news | first=Casey | last=Ross | url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/bostonherald/access/969503741.html?dids=969503741:969503741&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Jan+14%2C+2006&author=CASEY+ROSS&pub=Boston+Herald&edition=&startpage=009&desc=Hallelujah+Hub+drivers!+Last+Big+Dig+ramp+done | title=Hallelujah Hub drivers! Last Big Dig ramp done | newspaper=Boston Herald | date=January 14, 2006 | access-date=July 18, 2006 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104142842/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/bostonherald/access/969503741.html?dids=969503741:969503741&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Jan+14,+2006&author=CASEY+ROSS&pub=Boston+Herald&edition=&startpage=009&desc=Hallelujah+Hub+drivers!+Last+Big+Dig+ramp+done | archive-date=November 4, 2012 }}</ref>

In 2006, the two Interstate 93 tunnels were dedicated as the [[Thomas P. O'Neill Jr. Tunnel]], after the former [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] speaker of the [[United States House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] from Massachusetts who pushed to have the Big Dig funded by the federal government.