After two decades of mishaps, the $14.6 billion tombstone for Boston's Big Dig seems to be: "Don't try this at home."
The typical megaproject today is in a complicated setting-an existing urban area-that tends to be chock-full of engineering surprises. Design blueprints are rarely fully completed before construction starts, and changes are made on the fly. Neighborhood disruption must be minimized, an expensive exercise known as ''mitigation.'' And to win essential public support, planners end up promising that other, smaller and sometimes unrelated projects will also get done. The process ends up becoming a vicious circle, the authors suggest, in which the efforts to make megaprojects palatable lead to delays and cost overruns, which makes the public even warier than they were to begin with.
Thanks to ArchNewsNow
FULL STORY: Obstacle course
Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?
Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?
Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.
Greening Oakland’s School Grounds
With help from community partners like the Trust for Public Land, Oakland Unified School District is turning barren, asphalt-covered schoolyards into vibrant, green spaces that support outdoor learning, play, and student well-being.
California Governor Suspends CEQA Reviews for Utilities in Fire Areas
Utility restoration efforts in areas affected by the January wildfires in Los Angeles will be exempt from environmental regulations to speed up the rebuilding of essential infrastructure.
Native American Communities Prepare to Lead on Environmental Stewardship
In the face of federal threats to public lands and conservation efforts, indigenous groups continue to model nature-centered conservation efforts.
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