Massachusetts AG settles last Big Dig build litigation

Massachusetts attorney-general Martha Coakley has announced settlements that should end litigation over the July 2006 collapse of the ceiling of the Massachusetts Turnpike's Big Dig I-90 tunnel. A woman passenger was killed and the tunnel was subjected to months of closures after it was revealed that large expanses of the ceiling hanger system was incompetently designed, incompetently built, and incompetently inspected.

In the last two settlements today Gannett Fleming, designer of the tunnel section that failed and Sika Corporation, manufacturer of the bum epoxy agreed to pay $1,525,000 and $200,000. Gannett also agreed to implement a corporate compliance program as part of the settlement.

The company acknowledged that epoxy adhesives should not be specified in sustained tension or overhead applications and is recommending retrofit of legacy adhesive systems with more robust mechanical attachments.

Sika has ceased manufacture and distribution of the failed adhesive, and is committed to recommend more robust attachments in line with a National Transportation Safety Board prohibitions on use of adhesive anchors.

Coakley says her office dismissed claims against Sigma Engineering, an inspection company, finding they were not involved in the ceiling fiasco.

The Gannett Fleming and Sika penalties are tiny compared to settlements reached with project managers Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff ($458m), Aggregate Industries ($50m), Modern Continental ($21m), and Power Fasteners ($15m).

These claims however covered a range of other problems in the project.

TOLLROADSnews 2009-03-26