Word: mbta
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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...walking through a mine field. Shoppers tread on shaky wooden boards while on the left and right simultaneous explosions, car horns and workers' shouts make conversation impossible. If this is annoying for the pedestrian, construction troubles, sky-rocketing costs and labor troubles have caused nothing but headaches for the MBTA...
While L. Edward Lashman, director of external projects for the University, paints a rosy picture of the MBTA project and its relations with Harvard--he says the University is satisfied with its $900,000 settlement with the MBTA for the use of University land and subcontracting priviledges--he refuses to comment on the construction's effect on Hemenway Gym, an issue which is worrying more than one MBTA project engineer...
According to MBTA Engineer George Wey, the outbound tunnel from Harvard Square to Porter Square will come within feet of the gym, which is located on "very soft soil." In the past, the University worked out an agreement with the MBTA to soundproof and underpin certain Harvard buildings, including Wigglesworth and Wyeth Halls. But Wey says that no provisions have been made...
...Harvard isn't expressing concern, the MBTA is. However, it plans to wait another two months until the construction is 150 ft. away from the gym before starting comprehensive tests, Wey says. He adds that, if their fears are borne out, the money for the $60,000 underpinning exists, but the MBTA doesn't want to spend it "unless it's absolutely necessary...
...Harvard station isn't the only place where the MBTA has run into unexpected construction troubles. Recently, the Alewife station crews dug up soil in a W.R. Grace and Co. chemical landfill. Going undetected, the acidic soil would have eventually eroded any construction on the site. However, after months of negotiations, the MBTA and the chemical company finally settled. They are now jointly neutralizing and removing the more than 10,000 cubic feet of contaminated soil, but the bargaining slowed the construction for weeks...