Romney seizes control of 'Big Dig'

Question: what was estimated to cost $2.6 billion, ended up costing $14.6 billion, and isn't done yet?

Answer: that would be Boston's Big Dig project, the estimation process for which failed to account for little factors like, oh I don't know, inflation.

Today, Gov. Mitt Romney officially seizes control of the Dig, with a hand-picked new Mass Pike Chairman and revocation of perqs for Big Dig managers (like their free FastLane electronic passes).

Last month's tragic accident, which killed a 39-year old Boston driver when 12 tons of panels fell from the roof of a Big Dig tunnel, was only the latest incident in the long-running construction debacle. Leaks, cost overruns, and a series of bizarre management gaffes have been constants over the course of the project. I could use a cheap-shot here (specifically, which party dominates Massachusetts politics and has a long history of questionable behavior?), but I won't.

Suffice it to say, I'd rather eat a fire-ant sandwich than have this cast of characters manage anything more complicated than a sandbox.

Boston Globe: Romney officially seizes control of Turnpike board and Big Dig