Boston’s Central Artery Project

* A Times article (April 24) and an editorial (April 25) on Theodore Weigle’s prospects for becoming chief executive of the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority contain some curious statements about Boston’s Central Artery/Tunnel Project, where Weigle was once a top manager. Not only are your statements misinformed, they contradict earlier reporting in your own newspaper.

You characterized the project as a “money sinkhole,” and suggested that increases in our budget are due to cost overruns. In fact the budget has grown from $2.5 billion in 1982 to $7.78 billion today due, in roughly equal portions, to inflation and to more than 130 major additions to the scope of work required by environmental concerns and other needs of the constituencies for whom we are building the project, including the federal government. Effective cost containment has kept the budget under control during this dramatic expansion of our scope.

Last July, your newspaper portrayed our costs as the result of the process of gaining consensus approval for construction, including our mitigation program for keeping Boston open for business during our work. I am proud of all we are doing to make sure that we treat everyone in our city fairly during 14 years of construction, and of the fact that we are spending not one dime more than we need to spend.

The federal government--which pays most of our costs--agrees we are managing our budget well. The Federal Highway Administration recently approved our financial plan, satisfied that all funding is in place to finish the job.

PETER M. ZUK, Director

Central Artery/Tunnel Project

Massachusetts Highway Dept.

Boston