Corroding Lighting Fixtures in Tunnels a Huge Headache for Boston's Big Dig

As if Boston didn't have enough problems with its infamous “Big Dig” construction project, one of the most expensive constructions since Egypt's Great Pyramid at Giza. According to a recent posting at www.boston.com, Massachusetts' top highway official says all lighting fixtures in the Big Dig tunnels must be replaced at a cost of $54 million because of problems with corrosion and be replaced with LED lighting fixtures. www.boston.com said one of the eight-foot lighting fixtures fell from the ceiling of the Thomas P. (“Tip”) O'Neil Tunnel in Feb., 2011, and since that time engineers have “temporarily shored up the 8-foot light fixtures in the 7.5 mile tunnel system with plastic ties.” The fixtures were manufactured by NuArt Lighting, which was acquired in 2006 by National Signal Corp.