The Big Dig

The Big Dig: A Study in American Infrastructure podcast draws from hundreds of audio and visual materials spanning over 40 years of GBH reporting. This special collection features a curated selection of clips used in the podcast series, as well as additional media from GBH programs like The Reporters, Byline, Ten O’Clock News, The Group, Greater Boston, and more.

These materials trace the long emotional arc of the Big Dig – from a longshot idea and historic undertaking, to a subject of scrutiny and outrage. We can see Governor Michael Dukakis proposing the project to the public for the first time, backed by a row of maps and renderings. And we can see Mayor Tom Menino cutting the ribbon decades later, even as controversy swirls.

To learn more about the podcast and find out how to listen, go to The Big Dig podcast page on WGBH.org.

▶ Collection Background
Featured media
Additional media
Other Resources

The materials is this collection were identified by researchers Isabel Hibbard and Ian Coss during the production of The Big Dig: A Study in American Infrastructure.

The media in this collection was digitized with funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities (2018–2023), the Institute of Museum and Library Services (2011–2012), and the Council on Library and Information Resources (2010). This collection was added to Open Vault in September, 2023.