The Big Dig

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There is a cynicism that hangs over the topic of American infrastructure – whether it’s high-speed rail or off-shore wind – it feels like this country can’t build big things anymore. No one project embodies that cynicism quite like what Bostonians call ‘The Big Dig.’ Infamous for its ever-increasing price tag, this massive highway tunneling effort was once ridiculed as the Big Mess, the Big Hole, the Big Pig, the Big Lie. But now, decades later the story looks more complicated. So how did the narrative around this project go so horribly wrong? And what lessons can it offer for the ambitious projects of today? The nine episode series is produced by GBH News and hosted by Ian Coss. Producers are Ian Coss and Isabel Hibbard. Editor is Lacy Roberts. Executive Producer is Devin Maverick Robins. Editorial Advisor is Stephanie Leydon with fact checking by Lisa Wardle. The Project Manager is Meiqian He.

GBH


    • May 21, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 40m AVG DURATION
    • 30 EPISODES
    • 2 SEASONS

    Ivy Insights

    The "Big Dig" podcast is truly an exceptional audio documentary that delves into the history and significance of this major infrastructure project in Boston. The reporting and storytelling are impeccable, capturing the essence of the project and its impact on the city. The archival footage and thorough current interviews make this podcast a valuable and comprehensive capture of a significant event in Boston's history. Kudos to the entire team for their outstanding work.

    One of the best aspects of this podcast is its ability to make a seemingly mundane topic such as infrastructure so incredibly riveting. The storytelling is engaging, keeping listeners hooked from start to finish. The level of research that went into uncovering the backstory and intricacies of the Big Dig is impressive and adds depth to the narrative. It's not just about construction and engineering; it's also about politics, power dynamics, and human stories that bring this massive project to life.

    If there is one criticism to be made, it would be that at times, certain aspects may feel overwhelming or confusing due to the complexity of the subject matter. However, this can be easily overlooked considering how well-presented and informative the overall podcast is. The team does an excellent job of breaking down complex concepts into digestible information while still maintaining a high level of detail.

    In conclusion, "The Big Dig" podcast is an outstanding piece of journalism that offers a fascinating glimpse into one of Boston's most significant projects. It successfully combines meticulous reporting with captivating storytelling, making it both entertaining and educational. Whether you have personal connections to Boston or are simply intrigued by large-scale infrastructure projects, this podcast is highly recommended. Prepare to be enthralled by a deep dive into a pivotal moment in history.



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    Latest episodes from The Big Dig

    The Birth of McCarthyism from American Experience Presents

    Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2025 27:59


    American Experience Presents stops by to share the fascinating story of Joseph McCarthy. From humble beginnings on a Wisconsin farm, to leveraging his military service after World War II to launch a successful Senate bid, McCarthy's story is one of ambition and opportunity. As Cold War tensions escalate, McCarthy masterfully taps into America's deepest fears about communism, positioning himself as the nation's defender against an invisible enemy. Discover how his rise coincides with a national climate of paranoia, setting the stage for the demagoguery that would define McCarthy's career—all against the backdrop of a nation grappling with its identity and values.You can find all episodes of American Experience Presents wherever you listen. Learn more about American Experience Follow the show on Instagram, X, Facebook, Threads

    An architecture mystery from Antiques Roadshow

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2025 29:35


    The team from Antiques Roadshow Detours stops by to share a historical fact that they just can't seem to get right. This is one for the architecture and urban design enthusiasts. You can find all episodes of Antiques Roadshow Detours wherever you listen. 

    How to sue the government, and win

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 9, 2025 45:20


    Last week, we heard about a movement to challenge the authority of government agencies and push power down to the people. This week, the story of a central figure in that movement: Ralph Nader. This episode comes from NPR's Throughline, co-hosted by Rund Abdelfatah and Ramtin Arablouei. 

    Why do some parts of government work better than others?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 2, 2025 43:55


    This podcast has featured two stories about government endeavors: the much-criticized infrastructure project known as ‘The Big Dig,' and of course the wildly successful state lottery. So why do these two stories play out so differently?In the final interview episode for this season, host Ian Coss speaks with Marc Dunkelman, a research fellow at Brown University, about why some parts of government draw intense scrutiny while others run quietly in the background. Dunkelman's new book is "Why Nothing Works: Who Killed Progress -- and How to Bring It Back."

    Should we be nostalgic for machine politics?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2025 39:10


    There's a lot of talk lately about patronage politics returning to Washington – a system based on loyalty, relationships, favors and transactions – but this kind of system is not new. Patronage was once the beating heart of the Democratic Party, and of course, the Massachusetts state lottery. So what changed? How did the party of patronage become the party of technocrats?In this second interview episode, host Ian Coss speaks with historian Lily Geismer, co-editor of a new book about the evolution of the Democratic Party: “Mastery and Drift: Professional Class Liberals Since 1960.”

    Why does sports betting feel different?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 19, 2025 49:05


    Lotteries are part of a long trend toward more and more legal gambling: bingo helped open the door for lotteries, just as lotteries helped open the door for casinos. And by that logic, sports betting is just the latest addition to the trend. So why does it feel so different?In the first of three interview episodes expanding on themes from the series, host Ian Coss speaks with gambling historian Jonathan Cohen about why this expansion of legal gambling is unlike anything that came before it.Cohen's new book "Losing Big: America's Reckless Bet on Sports Gambling” is out April 1st, 2025.

    Part 8: The Other Massachusetts Miracle

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2025 46:32


    Most lottery games follow a predictable life cycle: a burst of interest followed by a long decline. But something else happened with the scratch ticket, and it changed how every lottery in the country operates. ---------------------------Credits:Host and scriptwriter: Ian CossExecutive Producer: Devin Maverick RobinsProducers: Isabel Hibbard and Ian CossStory Editor: Lacy RobertsEditorial Advisor: Jen McKimFact Checkers: Ryan Alderman and Isabel HibbardScoring and Music Supervision: Ian CossProject Manager: Meiqian HeGraphic Design: Bill Miller

    Part 7: The Dirtiest Race in the Commonwealth

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2025 51:05


    By 1986 Treasurer Bob Crane has turned the lottery into the most successful operation of its kind, but now he's in the fight of his political life with a challenger who says he's the real crook. To cement his legacy he will have to win one last election, and it's a dirty one.---------------------------Credits:Host and scriptwriter: Ian CossExecutive Producer: Devin Maverick RobinsProducers: Isabel Hibbard and Ian CossStory Editor: Lacy RobertsEditorial Advisor: Jen McKimFact Checkers: Ryan Alderman and Isabel HibbardScoring and Music Supervision: Ian CossProject Manager: Meiqian He

    Part 6: The Game Dreams Are Made Of

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2025 45:59


    The Mass Lottery stumbles when it attempts to launch the nation's first ‘lotto' game. But that failure soon becomes an opportunity – and a national craze – when Treasurer Bob Crane brings in a new agency to take over the state's marketing efforts.

    Part 5: The Cherry Sheets

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2025 56:02


    The lottery was never just about stopping crime; it was about bringing in money. In 1980, an anti-tax ballot measure throws Massachusetts state finances into chaos, putting new pressure on the lottery to close the gap. 

    Part 4: The Last Mafia Boss of Boston

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2025 43:48


    The state lottery can't run the mob out of the numbers business on their own. Luckily they've got help from the FBI, who are just launching a daring operation of their own – to bug the headquarters of the Boston mafia.

    Part 3: Have You Played Your Number?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2025 50:52


    Before the Massachusetts Lottery can claim to be number one, they have to take out the competition. So in 1976 the state lottery challenges organized crime head on by copying their most popular game: 'the numbers.'

    Part 2: The Lottery Czar

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 29, 2025 56:50


    When states got into the gambling business, they wanted the same thing organized crime wanted: money and power. The question now is who in government will get to wield that awesome power? 

    Part 1: The Instant Ticket

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 29, 2025 49:36


    It's 1974, illegal bookies are everywhere and the brand new state lottery is struggling to compete. But a simple piece of paper is about to change the game forever: the nation's first scratch ticket. 

    Introducing: Scratch & Win

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 22, 2025 4:02


    Legal gambling is everywhere. But how did it get like this? And why can't we fully embrace it? "Scratch & Win" looks for answers in the unlikely story of America's most successful lottery, and the charismatic state treasurer who was determined to beat the mob at their own game. 

    A new series from the Big Dig team

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 9, 2025 0:43


    Heads up: in two weeks this feed will transform into a new show produced by the same team as the Big Dig. It's called Scratch & Win. Stay tuned.

    A note from the Big Dig team

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 12, 2024 2:50


    Just dropping in to share some news about the show, and what's coming next. 

    Introducing: "What Is Owed?"

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 29, 2024 32:24


    Boston, a city entrenched in the history of the American Revolution, creates a task force to explore the city's history of slavery and economic discrimination and to consider reparations for Black citizens. The effort is delicately balanced to navigate political challenges – and yet it is immediately beset with delay and mismanaging, leading some city residents to wonder whether Boston is really serious.

    Introducing: Detours from Antiques Roadshow

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 29, 2024 36:47


    An episode from our colleagues at Detours: The Hardest Fact I Ever Checked Adam Monahan, producer for GBH's Antiques Roadshow, attempts to verify what could be one of the most valuable objects to ever appear on the program: a flag from John F. Kennedy's famed navy boat, the PT-109. With the help of a chemist, an appraiser, an author and a curator (oh, and his mom too), Adam tries to determine whether or not we have a national treasure on our hands.

    Introducing: The Frontline Dispatch

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 20, 2023 22:27


    An episode from our colleagues at The Frontline Dispatch: Documenting the Siege of Mariupol 20 Days in Mariupol is an unflinching, first-hand account of the early days of Russia's invasion of the port city of Mariupol, which remains under Russian occupation to this day. Ukrainian-born director and journalist Mstyslav Chernov and his colleagues from the Associated Press were the last international journalists to remain in Mariupol as Russian troops attacked. His new film, from FRONTLINE and the AP, draws on Chernov's news dispatches and his reflections as he documented the devastation of his home country for the world to see. Chernov sat down with FRONTLINE editor-in-chief and executive producer Raney Aronson-Rath and editor and producer Michelle Mizner in February 2023, as we marked the grim anniversary of the war in Ukraine. In this episode of The FRONTLINE Dispatch, recorded at the Boston Public Library, Chernov recounts the decision to go to Mariupol, how he and Mizner created a documentary feature from his Pulitzer Prize-winning journalism, and what he hopes people will take away from the film — today, and in years to come. “I know that we form our understanding of the current events of the world around us by watching news and consuming news,” Chernov said. “ But [we] form our understanding of our past with documentary films… Film is a medium which carries meaning across time, for generations to come.” An earlier version of this episode was published in July. You can watch 20 Days in Mariupol on FRONTLINE's website, FRONTLINE's YouTube Channel, the PBS App, and the PBS Documentaries Prime Video Channel. Want to be notified every time a new podcast episode drops? Sign up for The FRONTLINE Dispatch newsletter.

    Part 9: Hearts and Minds

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 15, 2023 37:32


    It's been fifty years since the Big Dig was first conceived, thirty years since construction began, more than a dozen years since it was completed – and the final twist is: the project has largely delivered on its promises. How do we reconcile that reality with the scandal and outrage we've heard so much about? Credits: Host and scriptwriter: Ian Coss Executive Producer: Devin Maverick Robins Producers: Isabel Hibbard and Ian Coss Editor: Lacy Roberts Editorial Advisor: Stephanie Leydon Fact Checker: Lisa Wardle Scoring and Music Supervision: Ian Coss Project Manager: Meiqian He

    Part 8: I Want Justice for What Happened

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 8, 2023 56:59


    Just as the project turns the corner towards completion, its entire legacy becomes clouded. The tunnels are leaking, concrete suppliers are being arrested, and everyday drivers are forced to wonder: are these tunnels safe? Credits: Host and scriptwriter: Ian Coss Executive Producer: Devin Maverick Robins Producers: Isabel Hibbard and Ian Coss Editor: Lacy Roberts Editorial Advisor: Stephanie Leydon Fact Checker: Lisa Wardle Scoring and Music Supervision: Ian Coss Project Manager: Meiqian He

    Part 7: The Turnpike Revolt

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2023 56:34


    By the year 2000, the Big Dig has passed through many hands, but in its final years a power struggle spills into public view – over who will determine the project's fate, and who will take responsibility for its mistakes. Credits: Host and scriptwriter: Ian Coss Executive Producer: Devin Maverick Robins Producers: Isabel Hibbard and Ian Coss Editor: Lacy Roberts Editorial Advisor: Stephanie Leydon Fact Checker: Lisa Wardle Scoring and Music Supervision: Ian Coss Project Manager: Meiqian He

    Part 6: The Up Down Charts

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 25, 2023 50:07


    As work progresses through the 1990s and the tunnels take shape, the true cost of the Big Dig remains unknown to the public, until a series of revelations pulls down the curtain and shakes confidence in the whole project. Credits: Host and scriptwriter: Ian Coss Executive Producer: Devin Maverick Robins Producers: Isabel Hibbard and Ian Coss Editor: Lacy Roberts Editorial Advisor: Stephanie Leydon Fact Checker: Lisa Wardle Scoring and Music Supervision: Ian Coss Project Manager: Meiqian He

    Part 5: Hatchet Man vs. the 800 Pound Gorilla

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2023 53:37


    In 1991, the Big Dig is handed off to a new leader – the brash, aggressive, hatchet-toting Jim Kerasiotes – who makes it clear he plans to shake things up. The one thing he can't shake is the equally aggressive private company managing the project. Now they have to work together. Credits: Host and scriptwriter: Ian Coss Executive Producer: Devin Maverick Robins Producers: Isabel Hibbard and Ian Coss Editor: Lacy Roberts Editorial Advisor: Stephanie Leydon Fact Checker: Lisa Wardle Scoring and Music Supervision: Ian Coss Project Manager: Meiqian He

    Part 4: The Double Cross

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 11, 2023 56:05


    The project faces an unexpected challenge on the home front: resistance from local environmentalists and residents – the very people the Big Dig was intended to please. Now, they say that Fred Salvucci has lost his way. Credits: Host and scriptwriter: Ian Coss Executive Producer: Devin Maverick Robins Producers: Isabel Hibbard and Ian Coss Editor: Lacy Roberts Editorial Advisor: Stephanie Leydon Fact Checker: Lisa Wardle Scoring and Music Supervision: Ian Coss Project Manager: Meiqian He

    Part 3: All Politics is Local

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 4, 2023 53:32


    The Big Dig needs federal funding. House Speaker Tip O'Neill is determined to get it; President Ronald Reagan is determined to stop it – setting up a final showdown in one of the great political rivalries of the 20th century. Credits: Host and scriptwriter: Ian Coss Executive Producer: Devin Maverick Robins Producers: Isabel Hibbard and Ian Coss Editor: Lacy Roberts Editorial Advisor: Stephanie Leydon Fact Checker: Lisa Wardle Scoring and Music Supervision: Ian Coss Project Manager: Meiqian He

    Part 2: Unholy Alliance

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 27, 2023 52:00


    In the early 1970s a radical idea took shape: tearing down Boston's elevated downtown highway, and rebuilding it underground. But making it happen will require a grand bargain between two competing tunnel projects, and between bitter enemies. Credits: Host and scriptwriter: Ian Coss Executive Producer: Devin Maverick Robins Producers: Isabel Hibbard and Ian Coss Editor: Lacy Roberts Editorial Advisor: Stephanie Leydon Fact Checker: Lisa Wardle Scoring and Music Supervision: Ian Coss Project Manager: Meiqian He

    Part 1: We Were Wrong

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 27, 2023 54:17


    There is a strange irony behind the Big Dig: the most expensive highway project ever built in America began with a man who hated highways. This is the story of Fred Salvucci's journey into activism, during what is perhaps the most transformative anti-highway movement in the nation's history. Credits: Host and scriptwriter: Ian Coss Executive Producer: Devin Maverick Robins Producers: Isabel Hibbard and Ian Coss Editor: Lacy Roberts Editorial Advisor: Stephanie Leydon Fact Checker: Lisa Wardle Scoring and Music Supervision: Ian Coss Project Manager: Meiqian He

    Introducing The Big Dig

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 13, 2023 5:03


    Can America still do big things? Can we build the ambitious projects we will need to survive climate change and improve our cities? This 9-part series looks for clues in the story of the Big Dig – one of the most notoriously troubled infrastructure projects in American history. The nine episode series is produced by GBH News. Credits: Host and scriptwriter: Ian Coss Executive Producer: Devin Maverick Robins Producers: Isabel Hibbard and Ian Coss Editor: Lacy Roberts Editorial Advisor: Stephanie Leydon Fact Checker: Lisa Wardle Scoring and Music Supervision: Ian Coss Project Manager: Meiqian He

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