The Murky Future Of Megaprojects In The US

The Bay Bridge in San Francisco is fast becoming a poster child for megaprojects run amok.

1 minute read

June 21, 2004, 5:00 AM PDT

"For the eastern span of the Bay Bridge, the latest bid merely adds to a history of false starts and missed estimates. Indeed, with Boston's Big Dig wrapping up, the eastern span is fast becoming the national poster child for megaprojects run amok... To be sure, the cost of building massive structures has spiraled beyond expectation since the days of the pyramids. But the fact that the US hasn't significantly upgraded its infrastructure since the 1960s has driven many construction companies into oblivion. Moreover, insurance costs in post-Sept. 11 America have shortened the list further. The result is a new economic reality as a lack of corporate competition drives up costs for major public projects from Washington State to the Beltway."

Thanks to Chris Steins

FULL STORY: A troubled bridge over Calif. waters

Sunday, June 20, 2004 in The Christian Science Monitor

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