The state's original plan for the bridge and highway interchanges was strongly opposed by many people, on a variety of grounds. Some felt it was too massive, that it interfered with the parks along the river; it was ugly and the traffic moves required were confusing. The state convened an advisory committee to devise a new crossing plan. The state redesigned the crossing in a way that met the objections of some people, but not all. The crossing, along with the rest of the CA/T, is under construction.

The archival part of the site contains a chronological list of primary documents, representing milestones in the history of the project; some of which link to extracts from the documents. There are also links to environmental and transportation legislation.

The interactive part explores an important theme in the Central Artery project: how public opinion, backed by recent environmental legislation, shapes engineering design. To this end, key players who were most directly involved in the controversy are asked for their input on the history of Scheme Z. This group includes government officials, representatives of environmental organizations, Central Artery project staff, urban planners, journalists and local residents. They are invited to comment on their experiences, which then become part of the archive.

Contact Information:

Sara Wermiel
(Primary Implementor)
E-mail: swermiel@mit.edu
Tel.: (617) 253-4041