Big Dig Boston

Radhe Krishna 19-07-08

Big Dig (Boston, Massachusetts)

The Big Dig is the unofficial name of the Central Artery/Tunnel Project (CA/T), a megaproject that rerouted the Central Artery (Interstate 93), the chief controlled-access highway through the heart of Boston, Massachusetts, into a 3.5 mile (5.6 km) tunnel under the city. The project also included the construction of the Ted Williams Tunnel (extending Interstate 90 to Logan International Airport), the Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge over the Charles River, and the Rose Kennedy Greenway in the space vacated by the previous I-93 elevated roadway. Initially, the plan was also to include a rail connection between Boston's two major train terminals. The project concluded on December 31, 2007, when the partnership between program manager Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff and the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority ended.^[1]

Contents

[hide]

• 1 Overview
• 2 Historical background
• 3 Early planning
• 4 Obstacles
• 5 Construction phase
  • 5.1 Engineering methods and details
• 6 Final phases
• 7 Mitigation projects
• 8 Impact on traffic
• 9 Problems
  • 9.1 "Thousands of leaks"
  • 9.2 Substandard materials
  • 9.3 Fatal ceiling collapse
• 10 See also
• 11 References
• 12 External links

  Overview

  The project was initiated because of chronic congestion on the Central Artery (I-93), an elevated six-lane highway through the center of downtown Boston, which was, in the words of Pete Sigmund, "like a funnel full of slowly-moving, or stopped, cars (and swearing motorists)."^[2]

  In 1959, the 1.5-mile-long (2.4 km) road section carried approximately 75,000 vehicles a day, but by the 1990s, this had grown to 190,000 vehicles a day. Traffic jams of 16 hours were predicted for 2010.^[3]

  The project was officially handed over to the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority at the end of 2007.

  The Big Dig has been the most expensive highway project in the U.S.^[5] Although the project was estimated at $2.8 billion in 1985 (in 1982 dollars, US$6.0 billion adjusted for inflation as of 2006),^[6] over $14.6 billion ($8.08 billion in 1982 dollars)^[6] had been spent in federal and state tax dollars as of 2006.^[7] At the beginning of the project, Congressman Barney Frank asked, "Rather than lower the expressway, wouldn't it be cheaper to raise the city?" The project has incurred criminal arrests,^[8][9] escalating costs, death, leaks, and charges of poor execution and use of substandard materials. The Massachusetts Attorney General is demanding contractors refund taxpayers $108 million for "shoddy work."^[10] On January 23, 2008, it was reported that Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff, the consortium that oversaw the project, would pay $407 million in restitution for its poor oversight of subcontractors (some of whom committed outright fraud), as well as primary responsibility in the death of a motorist. However, despite admitting to poor oversight and negligence as part of the settlement,^[11] the firm is not barred from bidding for future government contracts. Several smaller companies agreed to pay a combined sum of approximately $51 million.^[12]

  The Massachusetts Turnpike Authority (MTA), which had little experience in managing an undertaking of the scope and magnitude of the CA/T Project, hired a joint venture of Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff to provide preliminary designs, manage design consultants and construction contractors, track the project's cost and schedule, advise MTA on project decisions, and (in some instances) act as the MTA's representative. Eventually, MTA combined some of its employees with Bechtel/Parsons employees in an integrated project organization. This was intended to make management more efficient, but it hindered MTA's ability to independently oversee Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff because MTA and Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff had effectively become partners in the project.^[13]

  Litigation against Bechtel and others in the death of a motorist remains pending, as of January 2008.

  Historical background

  Boston's historically tangled streets were laid out long before the advent of the automobile. By the mid-20th century, car traffic in the inner city was extremely congested, with north-south trips especially so. Commissioner of Public Works William Callahan advanced plans for an elevated expressway which eventually was constructed (1951-59) between the downtown area and the waterfront. The Central Artery (known officially as the John F. Fitzgerald Expressway) displaced thousands of residents and businesses and physically divided the historical connection between the downtown and market areas and the waterfront. Governor John Volpe interceded in the 1950s to send the last section of the Central Artery underground, through the Dewey Square (or "South Station") Tunnel, but while traffic moved somewhat better the other problems remained.

  Built before strict federal Interstate Highway standards were developed during the Eisenhower administration, the expressway was plagued by tight turns, an excessive number of entrances and exits, entrance ramps without merge lanes, and continually escalating vehicular loads. Local businesses again wanted relief, historians sought a reuniting of the waterfront with the city, and nearby residents desired removal of this "Green Monster". (Its matte green paint prompted Thomas Menino to call it Boston’s "other Green Monster". The original Green Monster is Fenway Park's left field wall.^[14]) MIT engineers Bill Reynolds and future state Secretary of Transportation Frederick P. Salvucci envisioned moving the whole expressway underground.

  Early planning

  The project was conceived in the 1970s by the Boston Transportation Planning Review to replace the rusting elevated six-lane Central Artery. The expressway separated downtown from the waterfront, and was increasingly choked with bumper-to-bumper traffic. Business leaders were more concerned about access to Logan Airport, and pushed instead for a third harbor tunnel. In their second terms, Michael Dukakis (governor) and Fred Salvucci (secretary of transportation) came up with the strategy of tying the two projects together—thereby combining the project that the business community supported with the project that they and the City of Boston supported.^{[citation needed]}

  Planning for the Big Dig as a project officially began in 1982, with environmental impact studies starting in 1983. After years of extensive lobbying for federal dollars, a 1987 public works bill appropriating funding for the Big Dig was passed by U.S. Congress, but it was subsequently vetoed by President Ronald Reagan as being too expensive. When Congress overrode his veto, the project had its green light and ground was first broken in 1991

  Obstacles

  In addition to these political and financial difficulties, the project faced several environmental and engineering obstacles.

  The downtown area through which the tunnels were to be dug was largely landfill, and included existing subway lines as well as innumerable pipes and utility lines that would have to be replaced or moved. Tunnel workers encountered many unexpected geological and archaeological barriers, ranging from glacial debris to foundations of buried houses and a number of sunken ships lying within the reclaimed land.

  The project received approval from state environmental agencies in 1991, after satisfying concerns including release of toxins by the excavation and the possibility of disrupting the homes of millions of rats, causing them to roam the streets of Boston in search of new housing. By the time the federal environmental clearances were delivered in 1994,^[17] the process had taken some seven years, during which time inflation greatly increased the project's original cost estimates.^{[citation needed]}

  Reworking such a busy corridor without seriously restricting traffic flow required a number of state-of-the-art construction techniques. Because the old elevated highway (which remained in operation throughout the construction process) rested on pylons located throughout the designated dig area, engineers first utilized slurry wall techniques to create 120 ft.-deep concrete walls upon which the highway could rest. These concrete walls also stabilized the sides of the site, preventing cave-ins during the excavation process.

  The multilane interstates also had to pass under South Station's 7 tracks which carried over 40,000 commuters and 400 trains per day. In order to avoid multiple relocations of the train lines while the tunnelling advanced, as had been initially planned, a specially designed jack was constructed in order to support the ground and tracks to allow the excavation to take place below. Ground freezing was also implemented in order to help stabilize the surrounding ground as the tunnel was excavated. This was the largest tunnelling project undertaken beneath railway lines anywhere in the world. The ground freezing enabled safer, more efficient excavation, and also assisted in environmental issues, as less contaminated fill needed to be exported than if a traditional cut and cover method had been applied.^[18]

  Other challenges included an existing subway tunnel crossing the path of the underground highway. In order to build slurry walls past this tunnel, it was necessary to dig beneath the tunnel and build an underground concrete bridge to support the tunnel's weight.

  Construction phase

  The project was managed by the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, with design and construction supervised by a joint venture of Bechtel Corporation and Parsons Brinckerhoff. Due to the enormous size of the project—too large for any company to undertake alone—the design and construction of the Big Dig were broken up into dozens of smaller subprojects with well-defined interfaces between contractors. Major heavy-construction contractors on the project included Jay Cashman, Modern Continental, Obayashi Corporation, Perini Corporation, Peter Kiewit Sons' Incorporated, J.F. White, and the Slattery division of Skanska USA. (Of those, Modern Continental was awarded the greatest gross value of contracts, joint ventures included.)

  The nature of the Charles River crossing had been a source of major controversy throughout the design phase of the project. Many environmental advocates preferred a river crossing entirely in tunnels, but this, along with 27 other plans, was rejected as too costly. Finally, with a deadline looming to begin construction on a separate project that would connect the Tobin Bridge to the Charles River crossing, Salvucci overrode the objections and chose a variant of the plan known as "Scheme Z". This plan was considered to be reasonably cost-effective, but had the drawback of requiring highway ramps stacked up as high as 100 feet (30 m) immediately adjacent to the Charles River. The city of Cambridge objected to the visual impact of the chosen Charles River crossing design. It sued to revoke the project's environmental certificate and forced the project to redesign the river crossing again.

  Swiss Engineer Christian Menn took over the design of the bridge. He suggested a sleek, modern, cable-stayed bridge that would carry 10 lanes of traffic. The plan was accepted and construction began on the Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge. The bridge employed an asymmetrical design and a hybrid of steel and concrete was used to construct it. It was the first bridge in the country to employ this method and it is the widest cable-stayed bridge in the world.^[2]

  Meanwhile, construction continued on the Tobin Bridge approach. By the time all parties agreed on the I-93 design, construction of the Tobin connector (today known as the "City Square Tunnel" for a Charlestown area it bypasses) was far along, significantly adding to the cost of constructing the U.S. Route 1 interchange and retrofitting the tunnel.

  Boston blue clay and other soils extracted from the path of the tunnel were used to cap many local landfills, fill in the Granite Rail Quarry in Quincy, and restore the surface of Spectacle Island in the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area.

  The Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge, designed by Swiss designer Christian Menn, is the terminus of the project, connecting the underground highway with I-93 and U.S. 1. The distinctive cable-stayed bridge is supported by two forked towers connected to the span by cables and girders.

  The Storrow Drive Connector, a companion bridge to the Zakim, began carrying traffic from I-93 to Storrow Drive in 1999. The project had been under consideration for years, but was opposed by the wealthy residents of the Beacon Hill neighborhood. However, it finally was accepted because it would funnel traffic bound for Storrow Drive and downtown Boston away from the mainline roadway.^[19] The Connector ultimately used a pair of ramps that had been constructed for Interstate 695, enabling the mainline I-93 to carry more traffic that would have used I-695 under the original Master Plan.

  When construction began, the project cost, including the Charles River crossing, was estimated at $5.8 billion. Eventual cost overruns were so high that the chairman of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, James Kerasiotes, was fired in 2000. His replacement had to commit to an $8.55 billion cap on federal contributions. Total expenses eventually passed $15 billion. Interest brought this cost to $21.93 billion.

  Engineering methods and details

  Several unusual engineering challenges arose during the project, requiring unusual solutions and methods to address them.

  At the beginning of the project, engineers had to figure out the safest way to build the tunnel without endangering the existing elevated highway above. Eventually, they created horizontal braces as wide as the tunnel, then cut away the elevated highway's struts, and lowered it onto the new braces.

  Final phases

  On January 17, 2003, the opening ceremony was held for the I-90 Connector Tunnel, extending the Massachusetts Turnpike (Interstate 90) east into the Ted Williams Tunnel, and onwards to Logan Airport. The Ted Williams tunnel had been completed and in limited use for commercial traffic and high-occupancy vehicles since late 1995. The westbound lanes opened on the afternoon of January 18 and the eastbound lanes on January 19.

  

  

  Traffic before the "Big Dig"

  The next phase, moving the elevated Interstate 93 underground, was completed in two stages: northbound lanes opened in March 2003 and southbound lanes (in a temporary configuration) on December 20, 2003. A tunnel underneath Leverett Circle connecting eastbound Storrow Drive to I-93 North and the Tobin Bridge opened December 19, 2004, easing congestion at the circle. All southbound lanes of I-93 opened to traffic on March 5, 2005, including the left lane of the Zakim Bridge, and all of the refurbished Dewey Square Tunnel.

  

  

  Traffic after the "Big Dig" opened completely

  By the end of December 2004, 95% of the Big Dig was completed. Major construction remained on the surface, including construction of final ramp configurations in the North End and in the South Bay interchange, and reconstruction of the surface streets.

  The final ramp downtown—exit 20B from I-93 south to Albany Street—opened January 13, 2006.^[21]

  In 2006, the two Interstate 93 tunnels were dedicated as the Thomas "Tip" O'Neill Tunnel, after the former Democratic speaker of the House of Representatives from Massachusetts who pushed to have the Big Dig funded by the federal government.

• http://www.roadtraffic-technology.com/projects/big_dig/

  Big Dig, Central Artery / Tunnel Project, Boston, MA, USA

  The Big Dig in Boston, Massachusetts, US, is a massive road infrastructure project which was undertaken to improve the flow of traffic, alleviating chronic congestion across Boston and the surrounding commuter areas, and to replace the outmoded elevated Central Artery road that effectively split the city in half, alienating the North End and Waterfront neighbourhoods from the economic life of the city.

  The Central Artery / Tunnel Project (CA/T), undertaken by the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, commenced in 1991. The majority of the project was completed by the middle of 2005 at an estimated cost of $14.625bn (the budget has overrun from the initial estimates of $7.7bn). The Big Dig has proved to be one of the most technically-challenging infrastructure developments ever undertaken in the US and has consisted of two major projects:

• Existing Central Artery, an elevated six-lane highway, replaced by an extended subterranean highway, and a 14-lane two bridge crossing of the Charles River at the northern end
• Extension of the Massachusetts Turnpike (Interstate 90) from its former end, south of downtown Boston, through a tunnel (Ted Williams Tunnel) under South Boston and Boston Harbor to Logan Airport

THE CENTRAL ARTERY

The elevated Central Artery (Interstate 93) was built in 1953 and opened in 1959 with six lanes to comfortably accommodate 75,000 vehicles a day. However, it has regularly carried in excess of 200,000 vehicles a day. As a result, central Boston was subjected to traffic jams for more than ten hours a day (a waste of over $500m per year on fuel burnt by idling engines and late deliveries).

The elevated highway was demolished, freeing up 29 acres for attractive boulevards and parks and been replaced by an eight- to ten-lane underground expressway which leads into a 14-lane, two-bridge crossing at the Charles River.

"The Big Dig has proved to be one of the most technically-challenging infrastructure developments ever undertaken in the US."

The road system was designed and constructed to accommodate 245,000 vehicles per day, the projected daily use by 2010.

The northbound Central Artery tunnel started to carry traffic in March 2003, while the southbound lanes were opened in December 2003, allowing for the completion of the largest of the Charles River bridges. Eight lanes were open (four northbound and four southbound) at the end of 2003, with the final two lanes opened in early 2005.

CHARLES RIVER BRIDGES

The larger of the two Charles River bridges, a ten-lane, cable-stayed hybrid bridge, is the widest ever built and the first to use an asymmetrical hybrid design (using steel and concrete). It has been named the Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge. Built at a cost of $100m, it serves the underground Central Artery.

The bridge, providing a spectacular landmark gateway to the city, was opened in stages. Four lanes of I-93 northbound were opened to traffic in March 2003. Four lanes of I-93 southbound were opened in December 2003, while the remaining two lanes opened in early 2005.

With its graceful lines and 270ft towers, the Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge succeeds in linking the past and future of Boston. Swiss bridge designer Christian Menn conceived the bridge to reflect, with its inverted Y-shaped towers, the shape of the Bunker Hill Monument in neighboring Charlestown. The bridge's cables are suggestive of a ship in full sail linking it to East Boston as a center of shipbuilding.

The bridge, at 1,432ft long, emerges from the underground Central Artery near the Fleet Center at Causeway Street, crossing the river to make connections with both I-93 and Route 1. The bridge is designed to carry ten lanes of traffic with eight lanes passing through the legs of the twin towers and two cantilevered on the east side. The cantilever portion, which will accommodate northbound traffic from the Sumner Tunnel and the North End, provides the bridge's unique, asymmetrical design. Girders, floor beams and two planes of cables support the bridge's 745ft-long, 183ft-wide main span. Steel floor beams, which support the main span, are extended out to support the cantilevered lanes.

The Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge is unique. In addition to being the widest cable-stayed bridge in the world, the bridge is the first 'hybrid' cable-stayed bridge in the US, using both steel and concrete in its frame. The main span consists of a steel box girder and steel floor beams, while the back spans contain post-tensioned concrete.

The smaller, four-lane Leverett Circle Connecter Bridge was opened to traffic in October 1999 at a total cost of $22.27m. This 830ft-long bridge connects the Leverett Circle area on the northwestern edge of downtown Boston with points north of the Charles River. Nine box girder sections, the largest in North America, were barged into place and raised into place by cranes or (in the main span) jacks.

The main span length is 380ft and the back span length is 225ft while the width is 76ft. The superstructure consists of single steel box girder, 18ft deep at the piers, 9ft deep at centre span, and a concrete bridge deck. The substructure consists of two water piers and two land bents, cast-in-place and supported on drilled shafts.

INTERSTATE 90 EXTENSION AND HIGHWAY INTERCHANGES

The Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90) Extension opened to traffic in January 2003. The I-90 now runs from Seattle, Washington, to Logan International Airport in East Boston. In Massachusetts, the MassPike now runs 138 miles from the New York border to Route 1A in East Boston.

As a result of the extension, the MassPike runs from its previous terminus at I-93 near South Station to the Fort Point Channel and South Boston before connecting to the Ted Williams Tunnel. Motorists from south and west of Boston have direct access to Logan Airport and Massachusetts' North Shore via I-90 eastbound. This direct, 3.5 mile route to the airport saves drivers as much as 45 minutes off the previous route.

The new I-90 interchange in South Boston also provides direct access to the center of a vital new development area for the Boston seaport, which features the newly opened Massachusetts Convention Center. One of the features of the project has been the relief of cross-town traffic congestion through better traffic distribution and an improved street system.

The construction of the I-90 Extension involved some of the most complicated and challenging engineering on the Central Artery / Tunnel Project. It required tunnel jacking, the construction of a casting basin for immersed tube tunnelling and cut-and-cover tunnel construction.

The project also included five major interchanges to connect the new roads and the existing regional highway system. These are located at Logan Airport, South Boston, Massachusetts Avenue, the Tobin Bridge, and in South Boston where the Central Artery meets the turnpike extension.

At the Southern end of the underground highway the I-90 / I-93 interchange has been rebuilt on six levels to connect with the new Central Artery and the turnpike extension through South Boston. This interchange carries a total of 28 routes to and from Logan Airport and to the East.

"The road system was designed and constructed to accommodate 245,000 vehicles per day, the projected daily use by 2010."

By the end of December 2004 over 95% of the Big Dig project was completed. Some major construction remained on the surface, including construction of final ramp configurations in the North End and in the South Bay interchange, and reconstruction of the surface streets.

There were many impact-mitigation projects (transit, pedestrian, bicycle, and parks) also remaining but a lot of these were being considered for suspension due to overrun on the budget. The final ramp downtown (exit 20B from I-93 south to Albany Street) opened 13 January 2006.

In 2006, the two Interstate 93 tunnels were dedicated as the Thomas P. O'Neill Jr. Tunnel, after the former Democratic speaker of the House of Representatives from Massachusetts who campaigned for the Big Dig to be funded by the federal government.

TED WILLIAMS TUNNEL

The four-lane Ted Williams Tunnel forms part of the I-90 extension link. The $1.3bn tunnel was named after the legendary Boston Red Sox baseball player. It was the first major target of the Big Dig to be completed, opening to commercial traffic in December 1995.

Providing transport under the harbour, the underwater part of the Ted Williams Tunnel was built using 12 steel sections sunk in a trench to cover the 0.75 mile distance. The tunnel is now fully connected to all its major routes and has the capacity to double cross-harbor traffic.

TRAFFIC MONITORING AND INCIDENT RESPONSE

A highly advanced traffic monitoring and incident response system is in place to ensure the smooth operation of the road infrastructure. The CA/T's Operations Control Center (OCC) has one of the most advanced 'smart highway' systems in the world. The system uses a range of ITS devices. The OCC can monitor all of the traffic in the tunnels, ramps and highways constructed as part of the Big Dig as well as the majority of other roads and tunnels in Boston.

The equipment and facilities used by the OCC include more than 1,400 loop detectors to measure traffic density and identify and project traffic patterns, 430 CCTV cameras, 130 electronic message signboards, 300 lane control signals and carbon monoxide detectors.

The computer system has more than 35,000 data points from which to collect data to compile a detailed picture of traffic events. This enables the OCC to effectively manage traffic flow, incidents, ventilation, security, fire detection and emergency response.

CONSTRUCTION

The overall design and construction management for the Big Dig has been provided by a joint venture of Bechtel, Parsons Brinckerhoff, Quade and Douglas. The project included many subcontractors. Major heavy-construction contractors on the project included Jay Cashman, Modern Continental, Gannett Fleming Inc, Obayashi Corporation, Perini Corporation, Peter Kiewit Sons' Incorporated, J.F. White, and the Slattery division of Skanska USA (Modern Continental was awarded the largest value of contracts). Power Fastners provided an epoxy system to hold up concrete roof panels.

CONTROVERSY

The project has incurred criminal arrests, escalating costs, leaks, poor execution and use of substandard materials. The Massachusetts Attorney General demanded that the contractors refund taxpayers $108m for 'shoddy work'.

There were problems with the tunnel as far back as 2001. The Massachusetts Turnpike Authority was aware of many thousands of leaks in the ceiling and wall fissures causing extensive water damage to steel supports and fireproofing systems, and also overloading the drainage systems. An initial $10m contract, signed off as a cost overrun, was used to repair these leaks. Many of the leaks were found to be a result of contractors such as Modern Continental failing to remove gravel and other debris before pouring concrete.

On 15 September 2004, a major leak in the Interstate 93 north tunnel forced the closure of the tunnel while repairs were conducted. This incident also forced the Turnpike Authority to release previous information regarding prior leaks. A follow-up reported on 'extensive' leaks went on to state that the tunnels were riddled with more than 400 serious leaks.

CAUSES OF THE PROBLEMS

In June 2005 Massachusetts State Police were called in to search the offices of Aggregate Industries, the largest concrete supplier for the underground portions of the project. The police obtained evidence of fraudulent records that hid the poor quality of concrete delivered for the highway project. In May 2006, six executives of the company, including its general manager, were arrested and charged with fraud.

In March 2006 it was reported that Massachusetts Attorney General Tom Reilly planned to sue Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff and other companies for over $100m because of poor work on the project. Over 200 complaints were filed by the state of Massachusetts as a result of leaks, cost overruns, quality concerns, and safety violations.

BIG DIG CEILING COLLAPSE

"In July 2006 part of the ceiling collapsed in a tunnel segment under South Boston."

In July 2006 part of the ceiling collapsed in a tunnel segment under South Boston, connecting I-90 to the Ted Williams Tunnel. The collapse killed one person (Milena Del Valle) and contributed to the death of another(her husband). The car was partially crushed under at least four ceiling panels, each weighing 3t. At least 26t of concrete fell from the ceiling of one of the tunnels. A steel tieback that held a 40ft ceiling section over Interstate 90 eastbound had given way.

The accident was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board and they concluded that the wrong type of epoxy system had been used to hold up concrete ceiling panels. The epoxy holding support anchors holding the panels slowly pulled away and eventually gave way. Power Fasteners Inc was charged with involuntary manslaughter and has agreed to pay the Del Valle family $6m. However, the case is far from over as Power Fastners are claiming that Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff should take a much bigger share of the blame.

The tunnel was closed as work went on to remove about 30 ceiling slabs in a 200ft section where the collapse occurred. The incident raised safety questions and closed part of the project for most of the summer of 2006. In September 2006, one eastbound lane of the connector tunnel was reopened to traffic. Following extensive inspections and repairs, Interstate 90 east and westbound lanes reopened in early January 2007.

BLAME AND REPARATION

In late January 2008 the conclusion of the 'Big Dig' court wrangling finally came to a partial conclusion. The contractors on the project have agreed to pay a sum of over $450m to cover the lawsuit against them for leaks and design flaws and also because of the tunnel roof collapse which cost two lives.

Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff (design and project management) will pay $407m and a number of smaller companies are due to pay a total of $51m between them. If there is any future problem (structural defect) then the state can claim up to $100m more from Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff but this would be decided by arbitration.

Radhe Krishna 19-07-08

http://www.cowi.com/menu/news/newsarchive/2005/Pages/thailandtohaveworldslongestroadbridge.aspx

Thailand to have world’s longest road bridge

In the wake of economic growth, very long road bridges are being built. A new 47 km bridge in Thailand is the fifth in a row of similar international projects in which COWI is involved From Copenhagen city centre to Hamlet’s castle in the north of Zealand some 47 km distant - that is how far the world’s longest road bridge will run over water. The bridge will span the Gulf of Thailand south-west of Bangkok, significantly improving the local infrastructure and reducing noise pollution for millions of inhabitants.

The link will enable motorists to drive straight across the gulf and continue above the houses on land, where the bridge will be built over the rooftops – the total structure will be 90 kilometres in length.

International road bridges

The bridge in Thailand is the fifth in a row of very long international road bridges in which COWI is involved.

In Kuwait COWI is currently carrying out pre-studies and designing a 32 km road bridge that will connect overpopulated Kuwait City with the Subiyah development area, and COWI is conducting pre-studies for a 42 km long ‘friendship bridge’ that will link Qatar and Bahrain.

Causeway solutions are popularity

In China construction is currently under way on a 32 km long bridge, Dong Hai, to an island off Shanghai where major new port facilities are projected.

COWI assisted in the early design phases to find the optimal concepts. Finally, COWI was involved in the 25 km long Saudi-Bahrain causeway connection between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. All these bridges come at a time when society is becoming richer and there is a growing need for faster, easier ways of getting from A to B.

Cities grow bigger

"Causeway solutions are growing in popularity,” explains Project Manager Pisit Karnjanarujivut of local company Arun Chaiseri Ltd (ACS) in Thailand.

“While traffic must of necessity follow population growth and economic growth, the option of building an extensive network of roads and motorways on land is becoming increasingly difficult as cities grow ever bigger. A causeway is sometimes the most viable solution to the problem."

Massive logistical task

COWI can apply to the Thailand project its extensive experience gained from projects such as the Øresund Bridge linking Denmark and Sweden and the West Bridge of Denmark’s Great Belt bridge link. Building bridges across stretches of water presents very different challenges compared to building bridges on land.

"First and foremost, working at sea is a challenge in terms of the massive logistics operations involved and one which can be further exacerbated by the stormy seas and windy conditions that commonly occur,” explains COWI Department Manager Ejgil Veje.

“Sailing 20 km out to the middle of the bridge each day takes almost three hours. Therefore all structures are produced on land and sailed out by boat and crane. Finishing the concrete elements on land, where you can complete the work under virtual assembly line conditions, assures more durable structures.

The first foundations will be sunk in autumn 2005 and the bridge will be built in 100 metre stretches and completed in the next two-three years according to the present timetable.

Longest road tunnel

Radhe Krishna 19-07-08

http://www.yearbook.gov.hk/1998/ewww/14/1403/middle-middle.htm

Transport Infrastructure

Existing Road and Rail Network

At the end of 1998, Hong Kong had 1 865 kilometres of roads and 1 737 highway structures, three immersed-tube, cross-harbour tunnels, and eight road tunnels penetrating the hills of the territory. These facilities provide a comprehensive road network for Hong Kong.

The government owns six of the road tunnels - Lion Rock, Aberdeen, Airport, Shing Mun, Tseung Kwan O and Cheung Tsing - which are managed and operated by private companies under management contracts. Tolls are set and monitored by the government while the Airport Tunnel and Cheung Tsing Tunnel are free of charge.

The Lion Rock Tunnel, linking Kowloon and Sha Tin, began single-tube operation in 1967, with a second tube added in 1978. The 1.4-kilometre tunnel is the most heavily used government tunnel, with 95 000 vehicle trips daily. The toll was $6.

The Aberdeen Tunnel, opened in 1982, links the northern and southern parts of Hong Kong Island. It measures 1.9 kilometres and was used by 58 000 vehicles daily in 1998. The toll was $5.

The toll-free Airport Tunnel between Hung Hom and Kowloon Bay passes under the former site of Hong Kong International Airport at Kai Tak and was opened in 1982. It measures 1.3 kilometres and was used by 55 000 vehicles daily in 1998.

The Shing Mun Tunnel between Sha Tin and Tsuen Wan was opened in 1990 and measures 2.6 kilometres. An average of 54 000 vehicles each day paid the $5 toll in 1998.

The 900-metre Tseung Kwan O Tunnel, opened in 1990, links Kowloon and Tseung Kwan O new town. It was used by 55 000 vehicles daily in 1998. The toll was $3.

The toll-free, 1.6-kilometre Cheung Tsing Tunnel was opened in 1997 and links Kwai Chung and Tsing Yi. It was used by 90 000 vehicles daily in 1998.

The Cross-Harbour Tunnel, the Eastern Harbour Crossing, the Tate's Cairn Tunnel, the Western Harbour Crossing and the Tai Lam Tunnel were built by the private sector under 'build, Operate and Transfer' franchises.

The 1.9-kilometre Cross-Harbour Tunnel connects Causeway Bay on Hong Kong Island and Hung Hom in Kowloon. Opened in 1972, its daily patronage was 120 000 vehicles in 1998. It is one of the world's busiest four-lane road tunnels. The tolls, which included a government passage tax, ranged from $4 to $30 for different types of vehicles.

The Eastern Harbour Crossing was opened in 1989. It links Quarry Bay on Hong Kong Island and Cha Kwo Ling in Kowloon. A daily average of 71 000 vehicles used the two-kilometre tunnel in 1998. Tolls ranged from $8 to $45.

The Tate's Cairn Tunnel was opened to traffic in 1991, providing an additional direct road link between the north-eastern New Territories and Kowloon. At 3.9 kilometres, it is the longest road tunnel in Hong Kong. It was used by an average of 65 000 vehicles daily in 1998. Tolls ranged from $8 to $20.

The two-kilometre Western Harbour Crossing is the first six-lane cross-harbour road tunnel in Hong Kong. Opened in 1997, it links Sai Ying Pun on Hong Kong Island and the West Kowloon Reclamation near Yau Ma Tei in Kowloon. It was used by an average of 33 000 vehicles daily in 1998. Tolls ranged from $15 to $95.

The Tai Lam Tunnel measures 3.8 kilometres and, together with the 6.3-kilometre Yuen Long Approach Road, forms the Route 3 (Country Park Section) which extends from Ting Kau to Au Tau. Opened in May 1998, it was used by an average of 29 000 vehicles daily in 1998. Tolls ranged from $10 to $60.

Besides the network of road tunnels and highways, railways also form a vital part of Hong Kong's transport network. Hong Kong's rail system comprises a heavily utilised urban railway (the Mass Transit Railway - MTR), a busy suburban railway (the Kowloon-Canton Railway - KCR), and the Light Rail (LR). There is also a tramway serving as a local distributor on the northern shore of the Hong Kong Island and a funicular tramway running between Central (Garden Road) and the Peak.

New Roads and Railways Opened in 1997/1998

The relocation of the airport to Chek Lap Kok and the development of the Tung Chung new town required additional road links between Lantau and the urban areas. A new expressway system comprising the North Lantau Highway, Lantau Link, Cheung Tsing Highway, Cheung Tsing Tunnel, Tsing Kwai Highway, West Kowloon Highway and Western Harbour Crossing, was opened to traffic in mid 1997. In May 1998, the expressway system was augmented by the completion of the Ting Kau Bridge and the Route 3 (Country Park Section), which provided easy access to the North-West New Territories.

The strategic expressway system to Lantau and North-West New Territories needs to be carefully managed to ensure smooth traffic flow. Route 3 (Country Park Section) is managed and operated by the private sector franchisee. The Tsing Ma Control Area (TMCA), a 17-kilometre expressway network comprising Tsing Kwai Highway, Cheung Tsing Tunnel, Cheung Tsing Highway, North-West Tsing Yi Interchange, Lantau Link, Ting Kau Bridge and part of North Lantau Highway, is operated and maintained by a private management contractor. TMCA is equipped with extensive traffic control and surveillance system. The system provides a high degree of automation to regulate traffic flows, to assist in dealing with incidents and to provide useful information to motorists.

A one-way toll collection arrangement is adopted for the TMCA. Vehicles travelling on the Lantau Link will be charged twice the single journey toll when they return from Lantau Island. The double toll ranges from $20 to $80.

The $34 billion Airport Railway is an integral part of the transport links to connect the urban areas with the new airport and the Tung Chung new town. It comprises two services-the Airport Express Line and the Tung Chung Line. They were completed and opened to the public on June 22 and July 6, 1998, respectively. The Airport Express Line (AEL) provides a dedicated express rail service for passengers to and from the new airport. Running at a maximum speed of 135 kilometres per hour, the AEL carried about 22 000 passengers each day in 1998 with a journey time of about 23 minutes. It is the world's first purpose-built railway serving an airport with in-town check-in facilities. The Tung Chung Line (TCL) provides commuter services between Tung Chung new town and the urban areas. The TCL carried 110 000 passengers daily in 1998 with interchange facilities with other MTR lines at Hong Kong and Lai King.

New Railway Projects

After the completion of airport related transport network, the government is embarking on the planning and implementation of five new railway projects. Total investment in these projects amounts to some $120 billion. They are:

The 30.5-kilometre West Rail (Phase I), that connects West Kowloon and Tuen Mun via Yuen Long. Construction started in October 1998 for completion by the end of 2003;

The 12.5-kilometre Tseung Kwan O Extension, that extends the MTR from Lam Tin to Tseung Kwan O. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2002;

The 11.4-kilometre Ma On Shan to Tai Wai rail link, that connects the existing KCR Tai Wai station and Lee On in the Ma On Shan new town;

The 1.5-kilometre Tsim Sha Tsui (TST) Extension, that extends the KCR from the existing Hung Hom terminus to a new station in TST East. Construction is expected to start in 2000 for completion in 2004; and

The 7.5-kilometre Sheung Shui to Lok Ma Chau spur line, that will connect the KCR at Sheung Shui with a new passenger rail boundary crossing at Lok Ma Chau. The government has invited the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation to prepare detailed proposals for implementing the project, which is scheduled for completion in 2004.

The Second Railway Development Study

The Second Railway Development Study (RDS-2) began in March. It aims to formulate a clear, coherent and comprehensive strategy for the provision of an integrated and environmentally friendly rail system to sustain the economic, social, land and housing developments of Hong Kong in the years ahead. New projects to be examined in the RDS-2 include the West Rail (Phase II), the East Kowloon Line, a fourth cross-harbour rail link, the North Hong Kong Island Line, a second connection from the Ma On Shan railway to the urban areas and the West Hong Kong Island Line. The study will be completed in September 1999, with interim recommendations on the most urgent projects before then.

Road Projects Under Construction

The construction of the Hung Hom Bypass and Princess Margaret Road Link started in March 1996. This will connect Hung Hom and Tsim Sha Tsui East with a system of elevated roads linking with Princess Margaret Road and Chatham Road. Upon its completion in 1999, the strategic link will provide access to the developments in the Hung Hom Bay reclamation and relieve traffic congestion at the Cross-Harbour Tunnel approach road.

To improve the junction between Hiram's Highway and Clear Water Bay Road, the construction of Phase II of the Hiram's Highway improvement works started in January 1997 for completion in 2000. Phase III of the works in Nam Wai and Ho Chung is scheduled to start in early 1999 for completion in 2001.

Improvement works to Castle Peak Road from Siu Lam to So Kwun Tan started in February 1997 for completion in late 1999. To further improve the road network to the new airport, construction of the Tsing Yi North Coastal Road is scheduled to start in January 1999 for completion in 2002.

Planned Road Projects

To further expand and improve Hong Kong's road network to cope with traffic demand, several strategic road projects are currently under study and design.

The eight-kilometre section of Route 7 connecting Kennedy Town to Aberdeen will provide a much-needed linkage to the southern part of Hong Kong to support the strategic development of the area.

Route 10 will run about 27.5 kilometres from Hong Kong Island to the North-West New Territories via North Lantau. Together with the planned Deep Bay Link, it will form part of the proposed crossing between Hong Kong and Shekou in Shenzhen. Route 10 will also relieve the traffic burden of the Lantau Link, and maintain road access to Lantau in the event that the Lantau Link has to be closed under inclement weather or emergencies.

Route 9 (section between Cheung Sha Wan and Sha Tin) will be a new 5.6-kilometre highway running from Sha Tin to West Kowloon. It will significantly alleviate traffic congestion at the Lion Rock Tunnel, Tate's Cairn Tunnel and Tai Po Road.

Other major new road projects under planning include the Central Kowloon Route between To Kwa Wan and Yau Ma Tei, the Central-Wan Chai Bypass and another section of Route 9 connecting Tsing Yi and Cheung Sha Wan.

Environmental Considerations

The environmental impact of new transport projects during both the construction and operation phases is carefully examined at the planning stage. Environmental mitigation measures, such as landscaping, artificial contouring of surrounding hillsides, the installation of noise barriers and noise insulation works are implemented where necessary to minimise the environmental impact of transport projects.

Road Opening Works

Besides serving as carriageways for vehicles and pedestrians, roads also accommodate various utility services, such as water and gas mains, sewers and electricity and telephone cables. To cope with the increasing demand for utility services and maintenance work, utility companies often have to excavate the carriageways and footpaths to lay more pipes, cables and ducts, and to carry out repair work. There were about 150 new road openings on each day in 1998. Road openings are co-ordinated and controlled by the Highways Department through a permit system, under which utility companies are required to carry out work to a required standard and within a time limit.

To co-ordinate work more effectively and to minimise traffic disruption the Highways Department holds monthly Road Opening Co-ordinating Committee meetings with the utility companies, the police and the Transport Department. A computerised utility management system was developed in 1997 to further improve co-ordination and minimise disturbance to road users.

Forest Parks (ZOO)

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Radhe Krishna 19-07-08

Forest Park (St. Louis)

http://stlouis.missouri.org/citygov/parks/forestpark/

This article is about the park in St. Louis, Missouri. For other places, see Forest Park.
Forest Park in St. Louis, Missouri, opened in 1876 and the former site of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition of 1904, (better known as "The World's Fair") is one of the large urban landscape parks created during the later 19th century, following the example of Central Park in New York City. At 1,293 acres (5.2 km²), Forest Park is over 50% larger than New York's Central Park (843 acres or 3.41 km²).
The park is located along the western edge of the City of St. Louis, though it is located nearly in the center of the entire metropolitan area. It is bordered by Skinker Boulevard and Washington University in St. Louis to the west, I-64/US-40 and Oakland Avenue to the south, Kingshighway Boulevard and Barnes-Jewish Hospital and the Washington University Medical Center to the east, and Lindell Boulevard to the north.
At one time the River des Peres ran openly through the park, but due to sanitary concerns it was moved into a wooden box underground shortly before the World's Fair.[1] However, as part of the park's "Master Plan", the river was brought back to the surface to link the park's lakes.[2]
Other major parks in the city of St. Louis include Tower Grove Park and Carondelet Park.
Contents
[hide]
1 Architects
2 Attractions
3 See also
4 References
5 External links
//
[edit] Architects

Type Municipal (St. Louis Parks Department)

Location St. Louis

Size 1,293 acres (5.2 km²)

Opened 1876

Operated by St. Louis Parks Department

Status Open all year

The park was dedicated June 24, 1876, and was originally four miles outside the St. Louis city limits.

Forest Park is one of St. Louis' most treasured resources.

Located in the heart of the city, it is the heart of our city.

Forest Park belongs to all St. Louisans.

Owned and operated by the City of St. Louis, Forest Park is one of 105 city parks under the jurisdiction of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Forestry.

Forest Park, officially opened to the public on June 24, 1876, is one of the largest urban parks in the United States. At 1,293 acres, it is approximately 500 acres larger than Central Park in New York.

In 1904, the Louisiana Purchase Exposition..The St. Louis World�s Fair...drew more than 20 million visitors from around the world to Forest Park.

Today it attracts more than 12 million visitors a year. It is more than a scenic backdrop to our city. It is an active participant and catalyst in the St. Louis community. Monuments, historic buildings, wildlife, waterways and landscapes combine to form a unique cultural institution that is vitally important to the entire St. Louis region. The park is recognized as an important gathering place where people of all ages, races and economic backgrounds can gather and mix in a positive way.

It is the home to the region�s major cultural institutions�the Zoo, Art Museum, History Museum, Science Center and the Muny Opera. It also serves as a sports center for golf, tennis, baseball, bicycling, boating, fishing, handball, ice skating, roller blading, jogging, rugby and more.

Forest Park is equally significant from a naturalistic perspective. In a city where 80% of the land has been developed for business, industry or residential uses, the park serves as a natural oasis for the city, an important source of green space, a respite for migrating birds, and an integrated ecosystem where humans and nature interact.

Forest Park is the soul of the city and its survival is essential to the future of the St. Louis region. The park has undergone a $100 million face-lift under the Forest Park Master Plan that has restored the glory to the park in time for us to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the 1904 World�s Fair.

Maximillian G. Kern designed the Park's original

. Kern also designed parks at the Compton Hill and Chain of Rocks Reservoir.[3]
George Kessler who designed many urban parks throughout Texas and the Midwest created a new master design for the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair.
A popular myth says that Frederick Law Olmsted designed the park, fair grounds and Washington University campus. Kessler had worked briefly for Olmsted as a Central Park gardener when he was in his 20s. Furthering this confusion is that Olmstead was involved with Forest Park (Queens) in New York. Olmsted died in 1903 - a year before the fair. Olmsted however did create the master plan in 1897 for renovations to the Missouri Botanical Garden a few miles to the southeast of the park.[1]. Those plans were only partially implemented (construction of the two ponds).
[edit] Attractions


Missouri History Museum in Forest Park
Saint Louis Zoological Park
The Muny, The Municipal Opera Association of St. Louis
St. Louis Science Center (including the McDonnell Planetarium)
Saint Louis Art Museum
Jewel Box
Boathouse Restaurant and boat rentals
Steinberg Skating rink
Missouri History Museum
World's Fair Pavilion
Turtle Playground
Dwight Davis Tennis Center
Softball, Baseball, and Soccer Fields
Archery Range
Bike and Running Paths
Triple A Golf and Tennis Club
Norman Probstein Community Golf Course
The Great Forest Park Balloon Race
Pace Series
[edit] See also
Central West End
Forest Park-DeBaliviere MetroLink station

Forest Park
Forest Park can refer to any one of a number of places, many of them urban forests:
Towns and villages
Forest Park, Bracknell Forest, Berkshire, UK
Forest Park, Georgia, USA
Forest Park, Illinois, USA
Forest Park, Ohio, USA, a city in Hamilton county
Forest Park, Ottawa County, Ohio, USA, an unincorporated community
Forest Park, Oklahoma, USA
Forest Park, Ontario, Canada
Parks
Forest Park (St. Louis), Missouri, USA
Ards Forest Park, Donegal, Republic of Ireland
Forest Park (Everett), Washington, USA
Forest Park (Minsk), Belarus
Forest Park (Queens), New York City, USA
Forest Park (Portland), Oregon, USA
Forest Park (Springfield), Massachusetts, USA

Neighborhoods
Forest Park (Baltimore), Maryland, USA
Forest Park (Columbus), Ohio, USA
Forest Park, Portland, Oregon, USA
Forest Park (Bracknell), Berkshire, UK
Churches
Forest Park Baptist Church, Joplin, Missouri, USA
Cemeteries
Forest Park Cemetery, Brunswick, New York, USA
Public schools
Forest Park High School (Maryland), Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Forest Park High School (Virginia), Prince William County, Virginia, USA
Forest Park High School (Forest Park, Georgia), USA
Forest Park High School (Crystal Falls, Michigan), USA

Dark Knight English movie

Radhe Krishna 19-07-08.

I have seen this movie here in AMC 12 theatre at St. Louis Missouri on 18-07-08 morning show. The grading has come on 19-07-08 and given below.

Review: The Dark Knight Is Exceptional

Jul 18, 2008, Laremy Legel

Grading a film like The Dark Knight is tough because it's immediately clear that Christopher Nolan is much, much smarter than your average filmmaker. Judging him, and criticizing what is clearly a masterwork, leads to all sorts of dangerous self-evaluation. Would I have said, "Ah, well, Michelangelo's David could have been a little more defined," or "Sure, Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet was nice, but what about that silly second-act pacing?"

No, I don't think I would have. I think I probably would have sat back and enjoyed a genius at work. On those rare days, you've just got to smile.

But the question comes all the time, "Well, who are you to judge anything?" Usually, the answer is "I'm just an average fella, trying to make my little way in the world." But in this case I don't know who anyone is to knock a film like The Dark Knight. The scope of the thing, the beauty of the monster, the complexity and terror of the piece -- well, these aren't elements defined by a genre and so they defy singular judgment. We're talking about something bigger here. Nolan is tackling the social issues of our day and he's doing it with a guy in a bat suit. Think of the craziness of that statement, the manic joy encapsulated in an act so brazen. Why is he doing it? I suppose for the same reason Stevie Wonder plays the piano. Because it feels good to be this good at anything.

The film starts with a gritty Joker robbery. Man, is it a pretty opening scene. I caught this one in IMAX and it feels bigger and grander than anything I've seen in that format, partly because they filmed six scenes in 24-frames-per-second glory. To compare the film to Batman Begins, I would say that this one is much larger in scope. In 2005 we saw an origin story -- an excellent one, mind you, but an origin story all the same. The film was forced to establish tone and characters, and because of that, they could only aim so high. I love that story. But I'd marry Dark Knight (sorry, hon).

So then, what are these high-minded and impressive themes I keep slathering all over? To what does Dark Knight dedicate its two-and-a-half-hour running time to? Oh, little issues like what holds the fabric of society together. And do you have to become a monster to kill a monster? How close are we to the edge of chaos in our daily lives? Just for fun they get into the role of surveillance in a free society and the Achilles Heel of Democracy (hint: the people). It is a little strange that it takes Christopher Nolan, Christian Bale, and a "comic book" movie to tackle issues that mortal directors shy away from. It's an interesting commentary on our culture that the nation's introspection is coming from what we'd normally dismissively call "entertainment."

The Joker, Heath Ledger, is Sofa King great here. For the first hour the film builds and builds until finally it's as if you're a hostage. The last 90 minutes jab at you with menace and dread, with a tone that wouldn't have been possible to establish without Ledger. Before the movie I thought Heath would be the sentimental favorite to win an Oscar. Now I don't see how you can logically choose anyone else. The man owns this film in the same way De Niro owned Raging Bull. He devours the part and the part IS the film, full and complete. Ledger's Joker is terrifying because he makes decent points upon occasion and you never know his true motivation for wanting to tear everything down. He's smart, driven, and fully lethal. I don't know, it feels like there might be a larger lesson there too. Ahem.

There are specific criticisms you can make about The Dark Knight ... much in the same way you'd fill out a survey while recovering from a Coast Guard Rescue. Batman's voice was distracting at times ("um, when I was being given CPR he wasn't very gentle!") and there are maybe two rough edits. I ended up liking Katie Holmes better than Maggie G. ("What, the Coast Guard didn't save my BOAT??") -- a choice I admit is a personal one. Whew. I'm already exhausted trying to think what didn't go right here; so admirable was the effort that it feels dirty to complain. I just want Christopher Nolan to keep making movies. I'm willing to start some sort of fund if necessary.

A scene plays out in the middle of The Dark Knight, actually in three scenes, interwoven to deliver maximum tension. This triptych is elegant, flowing, and damn purty, with life and death hanging in the balance. It goes on for a few minutes, building and building, layer upon layer of emotion and evocation. It's something to behold, this dance, this dark and sinister mental toying. You know there are consequences coming, just as you know that no art form can remain taut indefinitely.

But somewhere in there you think to yourself, "I never want this to end." And you wonder what that says about where we're all at, and when in the world things got so serious on us.

Grade: A+

St. Louis

Radhe Krishna 12-07-08

St.Louis

Gardens, like pieces of art, undoubtedly reflect the personality of their sculptors. The addition of garden décor can turn a regular garden into a visual Eden or a relaxing lush sanctuary. Garden décor can include concrete statues, lawn ornaments, stepping stones, garden gazing balls, wind chimes, flags, weather vanes and the ever-popular garden gnomes. Regardless of budget, the addition of even the most unassuming piece of garden décor can add some pizzazz to your garden landscape.

St. Louis MO places to see

things to do

St. Louis City operates about 105 parks, St. Louis County operates about 60 parks. Some sites are operated by the State. Some are Federal. A few are operated as businesses.

• Jefferson National Expansion Memorial (National Park - subject to “threat level” closing)
  • The Gateway Arch
  • Museum of Westward Expansion
    • Widescreen Odyssey Theatre
    • Tucker Theatre - showing “Monument To The Dream”
  • The Old Court House site of the “Dred Scott” case in 1847,1850 and the “Virginia Minor” case in the 1870s
    • Old Court House Theatre
  • JNEM Library
• (The Old Cathedral) The Basilica of St. Louis, King of France
• Aloe Plaza fountain/sculpture “Meeting of the Waters” by Carl Milles
• Soldier's Memorial
• Union Station
• St. Louis Public Library
• The Fox Theater
• Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra - Powell Symphony Hall
• The Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis
• Sheldon Concert Hall
• The Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts
• Scott Joplin House
• Eugene Field House and St. Louis Toy Museum
• Chatillon-DeMenil House
• Robert G. Campbell House
• Samuel H. Cupples House
• City Museum
• Forest Park and a history.
  • Zoo history
  • Science Center
    • OMNIMAX theater
  • Missouri Historical Society - Jefferson Memorial
  • Muny history
  • Art Museum history
  • Jewel Box
  • Also the site of the 1904 World's Fair (internal page just started)
• Missouri Botanical Garden - Shaw's Garden
  • The Climatron (rain forest), fountains, sculptures, Spink Gallery of ceramics and more
  • Tower Grove House
  • Shaw Nature Preserve (Shaw Arboretum) - 35mi. SW in Gray Summit MO
  • Butterfly House - In Faust Park
• Tower Grove Park - Gazebos
• Soulard Farmer's Market also see this 19th Century photo at the Library of Congress
• The Magic House, St. Louis Children's Museum
• Faust Park
  • St. Louis Carousel
  • Butterfly House
  • Historic Village
  • Thornhill Home
  • Community Music School of Webster University
• Laumeier Sculpture Park
• Grant's Farm
• Frank Lloyd Wright House in Ebsworth Park - tours by appointment only
• Museum of Transportation
• St Louis Walk of Fame - many famous St. Louisans - The Loop
• First Missouri State Capitol State Historic Site
• Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site - also on the list of historic sites of the National Parks Service and a United Nations World Heritage Site.
• Katy Trail
• Lewis and Clark Bicentennial
• The Great River Road and The Sam Vadalabene Bike Trail
• The Wabash Frisco and Pacific Railroad Association, Inc.
• The World's Largest Catsup Bottle
• Historic Aircraft Restoration Museum
• Anheuser-Busch Brewery Tours
• Weldon Springs Site - US DOE's educational and research programs
• Hermann MO (day trip)
• Springfield IL (day trip)
  • Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum
  • Lincoln's New Salem State Historic Site
• Jefferson City MO (day trip)

Current music of the area:

• Eisha
• Juggler's Despair
• Ralph Butler
• Dangerous Kitchen
• Head-East
• Peter Martin
• Raven Moon Band
• Soulard Blues Band
• Vargas Swing
• City Heat Band
• Fanfare featuring Kittie Moller
• Jan Marra
• The Schwag
• (Connie) Fairchild
• various

Historic music of the area:

• Oliver Sain
  
• St. Louis was once (1870) the fourth largest city in the U.S. Smaller only than New York, Philadelphia and Brooklyn.
  

St.Louis Arch

How Tall is it?

Compare the Arch to other monuments: Gateway Arch -- Jefferson National Expansion Memorial 630 Feet Southwestern Bell Telephone Building (St. Louis, Missouri) 587 Feet Eiffel Tower 984.25 Feet Interior Dome Height of the Old Courthouse from the Floor of the Rotunda to the top of the Lantern 161 Feet Statue of Liberty 305 Feet Washington Monument 555 Feet San Jacinto Monument (San Jacinto, Texas) 570 Feet Empire State Building 1,250 Feet The Gateway Arch is one of the newest monuments in the National Park system, and at 630 feet, it is certainly the tallest! The Arch is 75 feet taller than the Washington Monument and over twice as tall as the Statue of Liberty. The 60-foot heads carved on the face of Mount Rushmore are designed to the scale of men who would stand 465 feet tall, a height that would easily allow such giants to walk through the legs of the Arch! While the Gateway Arch is America's tallest monument, several buildings, such as New York's Empire State Building (1250 feet) and Chicago's Sears Tower (1454 feet) would loom over the Arch.

Did You Know?
The Museum of Westward Expansion at the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial contains over 150 quotes from diaries, journals, letters and speeches. The designers of the museum felt the actual words of nineteenth century pioneers were the most powerful way to tell their story.

Museum of Westward Expansion

Welcome to the Museum of Westward Expansion!

The Museum of Westward Expansion preserves some of the rarest artifacts from the days of Lewis and Clark. Through our exciting exhibits, you can explore the world of the American Indians and the 19th century pioneers who helped shape the history of the American West. See our Lewis and Clark Mural Photo Exhibit by clicking here.

Explore the links in the upper left column to learn about the Museum's many other exhibits and activities.

Interactive Museum Tour!
Unfortunately, in our migration to a new server, the interactive tour is not working. We hope to someday have it restored but for now you can read the content of the tour here: read the Museum Tour content.

Interactive Museum Tour Content

Introduction

From a life-size tipi and covered wagon to animated figures that display Indian peace medals, the Museum of Westward Expansion is full of fascinating exhibits that chronicle the hardships encountered during the overland migration of the nineteenth century. There's nothing like seeing these exhibits in person, but get a taste of the excitement using this interactive tour. Explore the world of the American Indians and pioneers who helped shape the history of the American West!

Indian Peace Medal

Come to the Museum of Westward Expansion to see the latest exciting addition to the American Indian Peace Medal Exhibit. Animated figures help tell the story of Peace Medal Diplomacy in the U.S. during the nineteenth century through the eyes of historical figures of William Clark, Indian Agent; Red Cloud, Chief of the Oglala Sioux; Sergeant Banks of the 10th U.S. Cavalry; and Charles Barber, Chief Engraver for the U.S. Mint during the latter years of the 1800s.

"My father taught me this trade as his father taught him. I use many of their tools as I carve the dies that stamp out silver medals. Our craft has not changed much, but our medals have. Compare the symbols on this medal to those of the past... What do they tell you? A century ago, we awarded these medals to Indians when we signed treaties with them. Now that the frontier has been settled, treaties are a thing of the past, and we give these medals as 'rewards' to the Indian farmer."
-- Charles Barber

"Fruitful diplomacy with the Indians required the exchange of gifts. We brought peace medals to the Western Territory with that in mind. Now, when we sign treaties, many chiefs request them of me. A silver medal symbolizes a covenant between two nations. We agree to live in peace. We agree that some places will be set aside for Indians, and other places given to settlers."
-- William Clark

"In 1868, men came out and brought papers. We could not read them, and they did not tell us what was truly in them... When I reached Washington, the Great Father explained to me what the treaty was, and showed me that the Interpreters had deceived me. All I want is right and just. I have tried to get from the Great Father what is right and just. I have not altogether succeeded."
-- Chief Red Cloud

"I remember in the winter of 1870, we had six thousand Indians to feed at Camp Supply. We were herding cattle for their beef and I often had to ride the line alone at night. I felt wind and cold the likes of which I never had before. At least there was enough food that winter. It wasn't like that in Arizona. The Indian agent wasn't supplying the Apache and they were starving. Now we are here to keep them from leaving the reservation. Can't say I blame them for wanting to go."
-- Sgt. Robert Banks

Thomas Jefferson (Lewis & Clark)

"Is my Country the better for my having lived at all?"
-- Thomas Jefferson, in a letter near the end of his life.

Thomas Jefferson's life's works answer his self-query with a resounding yes! He led a passionate life of leadership, maintained an enduring commitment to democracy and was obsessed with the exploration of the frontier. Upon his inauguration as President of the United States in 1801, Jefferson was concerned that the land ceded to France by Spain known as the Louisiana Territory would bring European restrictions to United States commerce along the Mississippi river. The territory spread from the west bank of the Mississippi River to the crest of the Rocky Mountains. When Spain removed the "right of deposit", a move that closed the shipping of products on the Mississippi River through the Port of New Orleans to Americans, Thomas Jefferson decided that he would begin negotiations with France to buy the city of New Orleans.

Thomas Jefferson dispatched James Monroe with an authorization to purchase the Port of New Orleans for the sum of $10 million. Instead, Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of France, offered to sell the entire Louisiana Territory for the sum of fifteen million dollars! This peaceful resolution was endorsed by President Jefferson and approved by the U.S. Senate in 1803. The Louisiana Purchase nearly doubled the size of the country and offered new possibilities of a larger, more stable democracy. A new frontier was opened to the United States.

Thomas Jefferson secretly petitioned Congress to fund $2,500 so army officers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark could lead an expedition from the Mississippi River at St. Louis to the Pacific Ocean. Congress granted the money, although the expedition ultimately cost more than $35,000. Thomas Jefferson believed that a practical water transportation route across the continent might exist between the Missouri River and the Pacific Ocean. He anticipated discoveries of plants and animals and wanted to establish American trade and settlements beyond the boundaries of the Rocky Mountains. Lewis and Clark made many exciting discoveries for the young United States and opened the way to the Northwest.

Thomas Jefferson was a man of many accomplishments. He was the author of the Declaration of Independence, the third President of the United States, and an architect, scientist and political philosopher. Because of his vision of possibilities for the Louisiana Territory, men and women were sent on a quest to the West. This quest required courage, determination, and individual responsibility, qualities that Thomas Jefferson possessed himself.

Cowboys

"All my years on the trail are the happiest I have lived...Most of the time we were solitary adventurers in a great land as fresh and new as a spring morning, and we were free and full of zest of darers..."
-- Charles Goodnight, Cowboy

The Cowboy stirs an image that Hollywood created, while the authentic cowboy was dedicated to doing his best and taking pride in a labor-intensive job. He worked from sunup to sundown and two hours of night guard duty. The cattle drive may have earned him $50.00-$90.00 or around a dollar a day. His employer supplied the horses and he had to be an expert rider and roper. The dangers of the job included heading off a thousand stampeding cattle without getting trampled, the risk of being kicked by a horse, or charged by a steer, drowning at a river crossing, getting struck by lightning or dying of pneumonia. He rarely carried a gun.

His clothing served practical purposes. The first cowboys, discharged from the Civil War, sometimes wore their military uniforms. Later these were adapted to face the elements. Chaps were worn over pants to protect the cowboy's legs while riding, boots to the knee to keep out gravel, spurs to urge the horse to move quickly, bandanas to keep dust from their faces, and hats to protect their heads from the heat and rain.

The cook was a very important member of the drive. He cooked three meals a day, operated the chuck wagon, and served as a doctor, dentist, barber, counselor, and mediator. He was paid second best to the trail boss. The cook also had to be good! Good cooking kept cowboys happy, although they were not treated to gourmet delights by any means. The staples included beans, biscuits, coffee, beef stew, and sometimes a sweet dessert like apple pie.

Cowboys portrayed in Hollywood were generally white actors, but actually one of every three real cowboys were either African American, American Indian, or Hispanic. The Spanish were the first "vaqueros" or cowboys, who brought longhorn steer to America before our country was established. Many terms like wrangler, chaps, and lariat were derivatives of Spanish words. The Round up, branding, the western saddle, roping, and clothing were established by the Spanish also.

Following the Civil War, cowboys went on long drives from Texas to the North to take cattle to trains to be delivered to the East where there was a demand for beef. The cattle industry was profitable because these longhorns had bred in the wild and become quite numerous. Ranchers claimed cattle by branding them, and then let them graze on an open range. When it was time to go to market, they were rounded up and driven over many miles to the railheads.

The era of the cowboy ended as the railroad made its way further south and the need to drive them north diminished. Settlers began fencing their land, making it difficult for cowboys to follow established drive trails. When ranchers realized that random grazing could cause depletion of food for their herds, they began fencing the cattle in to regulate where they ate.

Cowboys appeared in the public eye long after the "long trails" became non-existent. They joined rodeos to show roping and riding skills. Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show took cowboys to cities and towns where people were not acquainted with that lifestyle. Europeans were very interested in the cowboy shows and perceived America as a wild western country. Later, these Wild West shows evolved into rodeos. One legendary cowboy figure who distinguished himself in the rodeo shows was Bill Pickett. He was later the first African American to be inducted into the Cowboy Hall of Fame. Naturally, when moviemakers saw the marketability of the cowboy, they glamorized his image and twisted the facts. Whether represented in truth or fiction, Americans still are fascinated with the cowboy and the Wild West.

Tipi

The Plains Indians were nomadic hunters of buffalo. This required an ability to change their locations quickly and have a shelter that was portable, durable and water resistant. The tipi offered these characteristics.

Constructed of brain tanned buffalo skin, the tipi was water resistant and easily disassembled. The tipi's structure consisted of lodge pole pines placed and secured in a conical manner. Then 14-20 buffalo hides sewn together with sinew, were stretched across the poles with a smoke hole at the top. A flap was designed to enter and exit the dwelling.

The fire pit inside the center of the tipi served to provide warmth. Beds were placed against the tipi walls and buffalo furs served as rugs. The tipi was lined in the winter for warmth and privacy. The structure lasted an average of 10 years. When the tipi was replaced, the old one was made into clothing or patching material for other tipis.

The outstanding characteristic of the tipi was its portability. It took women only minutes to disassemble the tipi and transport it by horse. Tipi hides, poles, and household articles were placed on a device known as a travois and dragged behind a horse.

The Plains Indians lifestyle changed with the white man's slaughter of buffalo for economic gain and the government-imposed reservation system. The government issued canvas tipi covers to replace the buffalo skin, an animal Indians could no longer hunt. The Plains Indians eventually adapted Euro-American lodgings on the reservations. The tipi became a symbol of a culture destined for change. The tipi will be ever respected in today's culture as a remembrance of a past nomadic lifestyle and a perfect architectural solution to semi-nomadic life on the Great Plains.

The Sod House

The pioneers of the plains created the sod house using ingenuity and the treeless land to build a home that became their permanent residence. Utilizing the John Deere grasshopper plow, pioneers cut sod bricks from the earth. They found a rise in the ground suitable to build their "soddie" and patted down the dirt until it was rock hard. The sod bricks, about three feet in length and four inches thick, were interlocked to form walls two to three bricks deep. These bricks, with intricate root systems still intact, were placed grass side down. The roots attached themselves to other bricks, locking them together. The roof construction was of sod or in some instances, shingles.

The sod houses varied. Some were built with more than one room, used dividers of tarp paper or blankets to create rooms and even wallpaper to brighten the walls. In 1872 Montgomery Ward marketed windows and frames for $1.25, and the railroads carried these and other supplies to the Great Plains frontier. According to the Homestead Act, homeowners had to fulfill improvement requirements to take title to the land, thus creating a market for ready-made accessories.

Living in sod houses presented many obstacles. The soddie leaked continuously. Women reportedly held umbrellas over their stoves while cooking. Tarps were hung on the ceiling to catch particles of dirt that fell. Living creatures shared the sod dwellers' space as well. Snakes, mice, and bugs were everyday inhabitants of the sod house.

The sod house had positive aspects as well. Since they were constructed from earth, they were cool in the summer and easy to keep warm in the winter. When prairie fires threatened, the sod house became a safe haven. Farmers brought their livestock and anything worth saving into the soddie until the fire had passed.

The sod house demonstrated the creativity of pioneers. Sod houses were inexpensive to build and virtually indestructible. The utilitarian sod house displayed pioneer craftsmanship and the determination of the pioneers to live the American dream.

The Appaloosa

The horse is the symbol of transportation for Westward Expansion. The Appaloosa in this exhibit represents the oldest identifiable breed of horse in the United States today. The Appaloosa was brought to America by the Spanish during the sixteenth century. William Clark and Meriwether Lewis found the Appaloosa in large herds among the Shoshone Indians of the Rocky Mountains.

The American Indians marveled at the Appaloosa and soon began to acquire them from the Spanish. They used them for transportation, hunting, and as a weapon while fighting in battles. The gentleness and approachability of the Appaloosa made it an ideal hunting and battle horse since it responded well to its owner and was not easily spooked. The breed can live up to thirty years. The Nez Perce Indians selectively bred the Appaloosa for generations.

The name Appaloosa is derived from Palouse Country, an area in present day Eastern Washington, Northeastern Oregon, and the Idaho Panhandle where the Palouse River runs. According to undocumented legend, Army men traveling this river observed this horse and began calling it "A Palousy or Appaloosie". The breed Appaloosa was established in 1950.

The exhibit horse has the distinctive markings of an Appaloosa. It has striped, laminated hooves, mottled skin, and sparse distribution of hair on the mane and tail. It weighed about 1200 pounds.

The Longhorn Steer

The Longhorn Steer is a symbol of the post-Civil War cattle drives that made cowboys a legendary part of America. The Longhorn was of a mixed breed of originally pure-bred Spanish cattle brought to America, then interbred with other breeds brought by early settlers. These cattle populated in the wild and eventually were eyed by entrepreneurial men who saw a chance to make money in the beef industry.

The steers were rounded up and driven north by cowboys to railroads. There they were shipped to the East and West coasts to consumers. The beef industry boomed with the new technology of the railroad.

The Longhorn in the exhibit is a steer and weighed around 1600 pounds. Steers did well on long trails because they had long legs, tough hooves and needed minimal water. They could walk for sixty miles between water holes. The longhorn steer had an indispensable role, along with the cowboys, in establishing the myth of the Wild West.

The Bison

Bison are commonly called buffalo, a term given to them by early explorers. This North American species represents a tragic symbol of Westward Expansion, hunted for numerous reasons. The result was a devastating reduction in their numbers. From an estimated population of 40 million, the buffalo was heading for extinction, with the number surviving estimated around 1000.

The Plains Indians used the buffalo for food, clothing, and shelter. Eventually these Indians were forced to change their culture, as buffalos were hunted by Euro-Americans for fur, leather, food, and sport. Dwindling numbers of buffalo were one of the factors that led American Indians to the reservation way of life.

The exhibit buffalo is a 1700-pound bull, killed at age eight in a herd reduction at Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota. Conservation efforts during the latter part of the nineteenth century saved the bison from extinction. Today, buffalo survive in large numbers on public and private land. Their thick coats protect them in harsh temperatures. They swim well and can run up to 32 miles per hour. Their herds consist of four to twenty buffalo. They occasionally band together and create herds of thousands, as depicted in many artists' renditions of these magnificent animals.

The Beaver

The beaver played an enormous role in the economy of the United States in the early part of the nineteenth century. The fashion industry used the soft under fur of the animal and pressed it into felt for ladies and men's hats. The beaver was also used as a source of castoreum, a musky-scented oil secreted by the animal's castor gland, which was used as a base for perfume. Castoreum was also used as bait to lure the beaver to their traps.

Mountainmen trapped the Rocky Mountain beaver practically to extinction to receive $6-$9 per pelt. Traps were set in the water and the beaver's foot was snapped in the trap. The beaver would swim to deeper water for safety and, weighted by the heavy trap, drowned.

The beaver exhibit shows the beaver carefully grooming itself with a double-edged claw. An oil at the base of its tail is combed through its hair to keep the fur waterproof. The bark on the willow and cottonwood tree is stripped for food by the rodents' teeth. The beaver, the largest rodent in the United States, can be found in several National Park areas where its natural environment is preserved.

The Bear

"The grizzly is the one wild animal of our wilderness who knows no natural overlord. With the exception of man, he deigns to recognize no enemy."
-- William W. Wright, Naturalist

The grizzly bear is perhaps the most significant of western animals. This animal represents what was wild, fierce, and unknown about the West. The grizzly's size, claws, teeth, and roar were admired by the American Indians. Members of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, many mountainmen, and other western explorers learned to fear and respect this powerful creature. Despite the stories about grizzly attacks on humans, there have actually been very few attacks since the turn of the century. A grizzly is mainly a vegetarian and attacks to protect food, cubs, or when startled.

A grizzly bear hibernates during the winter and adds some 400 pounds in preparation. It is generally a solitary animal and mates twice every other year. The animal on exhibit weighed around 600 pounds; its pelt was sold to the museum at auction after the Bureau of Fish and Wildlife confiscated it from poachers. Today, the Grizzly is protected in our National Parks. These include Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, Glacier National Park in Montana and several National Parks in Alaska.

about USA

Radhe Krishna 10-07-2008

USA

USA having its capitol in Washington city. Here places to be seen are monuments, white house , Jefferson memorial , Linton memorial, near Washington there is a place Lu ray Caverns. This is the area where three persons on their way to USA, they found out this cave and it is about 180 feet under the ground and grows from top to bottom inside the cave and is called Luray caverns.

A monument is in the pencil sharpened shape and the persons are allowed to go top by the lift and see the view through the windows. This monument is of 500 feet height and significance of having White house one die, Capitol one die, Jefferson memorial third side and Lincoln memorial on the fourth side.

In Chicago there is high tower called Sears tower and it is downtown of Chicago. Here many offices , shops are there.

A triumph of ingenuity and innovation, Sears Tower stands tall on the Chicago skyline.

With comprehensive security networks and a wide range of top-quality amenities, Sears Tower is an ideal location for business.

Standing at 1,450 feet and 110 stories high, Sears Tower is the tallest building in North America and the third tallest building in the world.

Offering more than 3.8 million square feet of office and retail space, Sears Tower is THE business location in Chicago.

Sears Tower is strategically located on Wacker Drive in the heart of the West Loop, Chicago’s premier submarket and home to its largest corporations and commuter rail stations. Completed in early 1973, Sears Tower is an attractive and contemporary 110-story trophy office tower consisting of steel columns and beams in a “mega-module” system. The building contains approximately 3.8 million rentable square feet (“RSF”) including approximately 159,000 RSF of retail space. The Property also features a 160-car executive parking garage accessible from Franklin Street. Other amenities include a world-class broadcast platform, tallest skydeck, full-service conference center, fitness facility, and exceptional technology features.

Sears Tower, completed May 3, 1973, rises to a height of 1,450 feet and is one of the most recognizable landmarks in the Chicago skyline and in the world. Sears Tower held the record for the world’s tallest building for 25 years until the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia were built in 1998. Then in the Fall of 2004 Taipei 101 took all but one title -- tallest to the tips of the antennas, which Sears Tower still owns. Including the Sears Tower antennas, the total height of Sears Tower increases to 1,725 feet. Designed by the architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill for Sears, Roebuck & Company, the world’s largest retailer at the time, the 3.8 million RSF building is the preeminent office address in Chicago and one of the premier properties in the world.

The Property provides an exceptional unparallel West Loop location, unparalleled views from all of the property’s highly efficient floors and an unmatched prestige.

Antenna Facts:
East Antenna 253' tall
West Antenna 283' tall
12' diameter at base.

On top of each antenna there is a TLD (Tuned Liquid Dampener). Its purpose is to counteract the sway of the antenna from the wind.

The airplane warning lamps blink 40 times per minute. The night intensity level drops to one quarter of the daytime level at dusk.

Antenna Lighting:

March	St. Patrick's Day	Green
May	Mother's Day and Y-Me	Pink
July	4th of July	Red and Blue
October	Halloween	Orange
December	Holidays	Red & Green

If you are interested in learning more about lighting the antennas with your organization's colors, please contact 312-875-0066.

Chicago is a growing, vibrant, 24-hour metropolis. Its diverse and thriving economic base, skilled labor pool, and wide variety of cultural and recreational activities make it one of the most important and influential cities in the world.

Chicago is the third largest city in the United States, with more than eight-and-a-half million people living in the metropolitan area. Second only to New York as a home to Fortune 500 companies, Chicago boasts a strong business center, with a diverse, powerhouse economy.It is also a tourism center, with world-renowned shopping, dining, museums, architecture, theater, music and more.

Chicago is home to some of the nation’s finest hotels and the nation’s largest convention center, which serve the 44 million visitors to Chicago each year.

Strategically located at the hub of Chicago's affluent financial district, Sears Tower is easy to reach - for commuters and for customers. It is accessible by both major commuter rail stations, three major highways, and all forms of public transportation, including 24 CTA bus routes, and the elevated transit system.

In Chicago in downtown there is a street called Devon street full of Indian shops, restaurants , Book shops, jewelery shops are there. In Gujarathi restaurants samosa, pavu baji like things and in Mysore woodlands & Sagar hotels masala dosai, vadai sambar available.

Here bridges on the top of rivers are made with the strong grills and the sides are split into teo to have the facility of opening the bridge to have the facility for the boats to cross the bridges freely and the traffic is closed both sides.

• View of a map of Chicago
• Get directions to Sears Tower
• Learn more about Chicago
• Metra commuter train schedules

• CTA bus / train schedule

• Chicago taxicab information

For seeing more details Chicago can visit the website http://www.searstower.com/

For USA information http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States

for Niagara falls http://www.infoniagara.com/

for Washington http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington

This is open for public to see from top. public can go by the lift and it takes just 70 secs to reach top of 110 stories and jumps floors by 10 only.

These details one can see in the websites.

In each cities the area called downtown are there. In this area many tall buildings and many shops will be there.

In USA places important are Niagara falls, Pittsburg Balaji temple are famous to be seen. Here in USA Balaji temples are built in all cities. At present in some cities like Chicago, Pittsburg, St.Louis, Raliegh are there. These are donated by Tirupathi Devasthanam and funded by donors of different persons in USA. Here all kinds of Indians are there. Many of them mainly Telugu, Gujarathis, north Indians and Tamilians.

Niagara falls is one among the seven wonders of the world.

In Niagara falls the three rivers Michigan, erie, huron rivers and joing superior river and and from Niagara river water flows continuously throughout the year, There are two falls namely American falls and Horse shoe falls in the American side and on the other side Canadian falls is there. This is the border for America and Canada. One has to get visa to go for Canada,

Amrican falls , 75000 gallons of water flows per second from the height of 176 feet (55mtrs) and in Horse shoe falls, 675000 gallons of water flows per second with a span called as crest length of 1100 feet (550 mtrs). We can see the falls very near from topm and bottom by going in the boat.

In st.Louis big arch is there and the story behind is that in older days entry through this gate only for the cities.

Tamil programmes like dramas , dance programmes, carnatic programmes are conducted in the temple auditoriums by the Indian troups during September to December and back to December festival in Chennai. These are organized by the Indian association in the cities.

Here Houses are built in wood construction. Only front side some houses will have brickworks for the view only. Five or six floors are also of wood only. Houses are numbered odd on one side and even numbers on other side. Grass growth should be maintained by the house owner properly and cut regularly. Watering the grass will be installed by the house owner and should be watered regularly and automatic watering provided in all houses. Odd numbered houses watering on one day and other day for even numbered houses. This will be checked by the local authority. Roads/streets east west are called streets and south north are called avenues like in kalpakkam.

Here plenty of water source available. Four big rivers are here in USA, (i.e) Michigan, erie, superior and Huron are there. These are like more than the sea view. All good drinking water sources. Every group of houses the water from the houses are collected in the ponds and treated and circulated for gardening purpose and maintained properly. (i.e) instructions are displayed like no fishing, ice skating , swimming and boating etc. and people are following strictly by the instructions.

Here in all areas and houses both hot and cold water are available with one tap by rotating on either side. Houses are air conditioned and heater provided. Here electricity is of 110 volts and all the appliances are working at 110 volts only. For drainage the water in the wash basin, facility is available.

In all houses smoke detectors are provided and properly maintained by the house users.

Laundry facility available for all flats. In the basement are washing machine is kept and to be operted by the users in that flat (group of houses). $1.5 or $2 charged per use per machine and will be credited in their card. Machine to be operated with swiping of the card or password facility only. So here one a week or twice a week only washing of clothes.

In some houses they are having their own washing machines also.

Common laundry facility available in malls also and to be used with charge.

Every house will have garage in the basement or ground floor area. car parking and garage in the ground floor. Here garbage will be collected by the authorities once a week. here in Chicago Naperville on tuesdays they will come and collect the garbage. garbage, waste items cane be collected in the bags and put them outside area near the postbox will be collected by the authorities.

Here not used items / not required items can be disposed by displaying garage sale on saturdays and sundays. Persons required that items will be given for the lower nominal prices and will be disposed. For example, the table/sofa will be given out for just $2 also (may be purchased five years back or even less). Can be disposed by giving them to the charities and will be used by others.

Old age homes are available in all cities and maintained by the charities, funds collected from the donors and residents of that area. Here buses are maintained properly airconditioned. Only $2/- per trip anywhere to anywhere. Passengers to put in the box kept for it and driver should not handle the money at all and no change will be given. As soon as the bus stops in the stop, first persons allowed to get down and then for the incoming persons. Older persons are allowed first and then others in proper queue only. Buses doors will be closed automatically and then only buses starts. Buses are running with lesser persons only. Because mostly all are having cars. Here Luxury cars available for the rich/dignity persons are called lemosene or so with math even 30 seater capacity length wise. NO autos are here. Two wheelers are very less. Cyclists are riding for the practice or sports only. Petrol (Gas) pump stations are serving automatically here. Everything by the card only. Once you insert the card , take put the pump , fill out the gas insert it back in that position and the amount correspondingly will be credited and the card / bill will come out immediately.

Every purchase here by the card only.

Here in USA pink colour for girls and blue colour for boys. (i.e) toys, birthday ballons, decorated stickers like "it's a boy" in blue colour and pink colour "it's a girl" for for female child are made different.

Here all vehicles are right hand drive only and driver seat in the left side. But UPS (Postal) vehicles have driver seat in the right side. This because post boxes for letters are in front of the houses and vehcle driver to have the facility to put the letters in the box without getting down the vehicle. Only these vehicles have the driver seat in the right side.

Post letters duly stamped can be put in the boxes kept in front of the houses and will be picked up bythe postman and will be sent to the concerned from the post office.

There are wholesale shops (Malls) available and here members only allowed to make prchase of items.

Here the fees are $35/- per year to become members and only members are allowed to purchse items here. Michels fresh vegetable market also available.

Here Height of the bridges are painted with big letters of visibility for the benefit of the drivers.

Here ploice number is 911 and if a call received , with in short time they will be coming and do the needful like tyre changing, minor repairs and charged $100/- depends upon the repair an give the receipt promptly.

Here Metro trains are running in the cities like in Chennai (Beach to Velachery MRTS trains) and between metro cities like Chicago to St. Louis ( 5 Hours journirey by cars) Amtrak trains are running and take 4.10hrs journey and stops limited stations about 6 or 7). These Amtrak trains are running in USA east to west and south to North ends. To travel in these trains one must required to have approved identity card or passport etc.

In the cities buses are running with air conditioned properly. Fare for one place to other destination is only $2/- and one day fare is $5/- per person and can travel in any bus anywhere in the cities. Driver will not handle the money at all and the fare is put in the box kept for that, dollars inserted and coins dropped in the box accordingly. Passes are also available and can be swiped off in their units kept for that.

Once buses stops at the stops, persons are allowed to get down first and entering the buses allowed and preference for the old and handicapped persons. Separate seats provisions are there for the handy capped persons/older people in the buses.

Here used cars are available for sale in auto dealers like normal markets where one can buy cars for variuos prices.

Here faclility for f inding out the areas/ houses/ locations are programmed in the instrument called GPS (Globel Position System) and is fitted in the cars / vehicles and programmed and it is helping to findout the areas properly/ correctly. This because USA streets/ avenues / houses / shops / offices are properly formed with well planned conditions. With this GPS one can drive the vehicle and can go anywhere with out searching.

Plenty of cars on show like this for buying / selling.

Car parking available in all areas varies from 15 mts / 1 hour / 2 hours / 4 hours like that and will be monitored by police personnel and will be towed with owners expenses.

In busy hours and event times parking will be charged of their various ranges.

Car parking available up to 8 floors parking (30 cars per floor) also available and will be cleared easily and with in short time with two way traffic.

Even ine houses area or in the hotels or any parking area, if the car is not parked in that area (i.e) in between yellow lines, police will come and give the ticket (fine) to be paid. unauthorised area parked vehicles will be towed even from house parking areas after their timing hours.

Here other than this, Grey hound buses are available between cities also.

Auto dealers are called here like Lou Fusz., Subbaru like that.

Theatres are called here as AMC12, AMC30 like that and many theatres in one complex.

Here areas are called by highways with numbers south west like directions.

Here population is ¼ of Indians and land area is 4 times bigger than India.

So highways are too good and properly maintained. Because here cities are formed and public are following rules and regulations correctly and not violating signals at any time.

Here security is very strict and correct in their duty. For example during the independence day ( 4^th July) fire works organized without any incidents in the 2 million persons.

Parking of vehicles also within the lines marked for that. Any vehicle parked violating this will be towed without any permission of the owner. Even in the flats area also this is followed.

One cannot hear the horn sound here at all in the heavy traffic also. By the back light sign only it goes. Lanes are formed for different turnings and are maintained properly. Right lane going vehicles should turn right only. One cannot take turn of their own anywhere. One can turn by going in their exit and joins in their way only. In highways that is also not possible, because exit are once in 15or 20 miles only. In between short turn is there ment for authorized persons only like police. Speed signals are there and obeyed properly. If any violates, immediately police will catch and give ticket (fine). Once a person makes mistake entry done in the licence and if it continued his licence will be cancelled without any request also.

If a vehicle stops in the way due to puncture or burst of tyre or accidents, immediately can be called police by dialing 911 or other and with in short time police will come with proper tools and correct the vehicle like connecting the stepney, or clearing the accidents are in the short period and clears the traffic. They charges $100/- per tyre changing for their work and suggests various help also.

Here base ball is famous and rich game. Here USA planned to organize 2016 Olymbic games. St.Louis team is the best and won so far many titles and played in famous Busch stadium and mentioned in that stadium.

Here Dasavatharam like tamil movies released in many thatres.

Here children are studying in the schools in their area mostly with out any fees , but school is run by the residents in that area by giving donations and these donations are collected as property tax and exempted from IT.

Here homes for the aged people by putting them in one complex.

Here highways are very very good in all respects and nowhere we can see roadside shops like in India. Here rest rooms are provided at 20 miles distances and these are properly utilized by the public not like in India.

Here Subway, McDonald, Burger King, Laco Bell, Kohn's, Kohil’s, Stir Crazy, Thai cafe, Calofornia kitchen, Pizza mart, Schnucks, Dunkins Donuts, Dominick’s like restaurants are available in many places in all cities.

Here many hotels like Days Inn, Holiday Inn, Red Roof Inn, Best western, Hampton, Hilton, Courtyard Marriot are there in all cities and rates are very nominal like $70/- to $100/- only per day with Breakfast free.

Here Many Malls like super markets are there in all places. They are like Walmarts, Super K Mart, JCPenney, Sears Macy’s, Carson Pirie Scott and Schnuks. Each mall will be having more stalls and spacious and play games for children and restrooms and eatable stalls.

In Illinois, Chicago there is a mall consists of four malls in four directions having Sears / JCPenney / Carson Pirie Scott and Macy’s together.

There are Wallgreens Pharmaciy shops are there open 24 hours and general medicines are available for 24 hours. Special medicines are issued with proper prescriptions.

Here trucks are about 53 feet length and some are two trucks (20 feet each) together or three like that. They are Roadway, convoy, Fedex like that.

Here luxury vehicles for long travel includes all facilities inside itself. One need not stop the vehicle for anything like bath, toilets etc.

There are hardware’s shops for all kinds of materials.

Here what ever the repair the owner himself are doing , because of the labour charge here is more and not affordable. But some works are carried out by them. Painting , gardening all done by the contract workers by the team.

Servant maids are not here at all, because of higher charges and once in two weeks group of persons are engaged and cleaning the house entirely and properly and charged $80/- and going off.

$30/- charge for garden grass cutting is charged.

DVD player costs only $30/- minimum.

Boston

Radhe Krishna 06-07-2008

BOSTON

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston,_Massachusetts

The image of brownstone Boston bounces off the shiny mirrored skyscrapers around it but, at street level, it's still a history buff's favourite American city. The past is everywhere, from colonial buildings downtown to the grand 19th-century mansions in South End to cosy musuems.
Boston Harbor Islands National Park
Boston Harbor is sprinkled with 34 islands, many of which are open to the public for trail walking, bird watching, fishing and swimming. The Boston Harbor Islands offer a range of ecosystems - sandy beaches, rocky cliffs, fresh and salt-water marsh and forested trails - only 45 minutes from downtown Boston.
Georges Island is the transportation hub for the islands and site of Fort Warren, a 19th-century fort and Civil War prison. Guided tours are available. From Georges Island, a free water taxi goes to some of the other islands including Grape Island, where the rangers lead a 'wild edibles' walking tour through wild raspberries and elderberries.
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
This magnificent Venetian-style palazzo is filled with almost 2000 priceless (primarily European) objects, including outstanding tapestries and Italian Renaissance and 17th-century Dutch paintings. The palazzo itself, with a four-storey greenhouse courtyard, is a tranquil oasis that's worth the price of entry alone.
The museum is a monument to one woman's exquisite artistic taste. On her death in 1924, the will of 'Mrs Jack' stipulated that the collection not change one iota or the whole lot would go to auction.
That helps explain a few notably empty spaces on the walls: in 1990 the museum was robbed of nearly 200000000 worth of paintings, including a beloved Vermeer. The walls on which they were mounted will remain bare until the paintings are recovered (highly unlikely).
Children's Museum
The interactive, educational exhibits at the delightful Children's Museum can keep kids from preschoolers to teenagers entertained for hours. Highlights include a bubble exhibit, a two-storey climbing maze, a rock-climbing wall, a hands-on construction site, intercultural immersion experiences and a beautiful play space for kids under three.
The museum is a monument to one woman's exquisite artistic taste. On her death in 1924, the will of 'Mrs Jack' stipulated that the collection not change one iota or the whole lot would go to auction.
That helps explain a few notably empty spaces on the walls: in 1990 the museum was robbed of nearly 200000000 worth of paintings, including a beloved Vermeer. The walls on which they were mounted will remain bare until the paintings are recovered (highly unlikely).
John F Kennedy Library & Museum
This striking, modern, marble building - designed by I.M. Pei - was dubbed 'the shining monument by the sea' soon after it opened in 1979. The architectural centerpiece is the magnificent glass pavilion, with soaring 115-foot ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Boston Harbor.
The museum is a fitting tribute to JFK's life and legacy. The effective use of video recreates history for visitors who may or may not remember the early 1960s, a highlight of which is the treatment of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Family photographs and private writings - of both John and Jacqueline - add a personal but not overly sentimental dimension to the exhibits.
Interestingly, the library has an archive of writer Ernest Hemingway's manuscripts and papers. About 95% of his works can be accessed if you're interested in research, but there is no exhibit space.
Paul Revere House

Paul Revere House was built in 1680 and is the oldest house in Boston. It's the former home of the patriot who carried advance warning of British manoeuvres to Lexington and Concord on the night of April 18, 1775.

New England Aquarium
Teeming with sea creatures, this giant fishbowl is equally popular with adults and children. Harbour seals and sea otters, frolicking in a large observation tank, introduce the main attraction: a three-storey cylindrical saltwater tank that swirls with more than 600 creatures great and small, including turtles, sharks and eels.
At the base of the tank, the penguin pool is home to three species of fun-loving penguins. Countless side exhibits explore the lives and habitats of other underwater oddities, including the latest exhibits on ethereal jellyfish and rare, exotic sea dragons
Museum of Fine Arts Boston
The Museum of Fine Arts Boston is one of the country's finest art museums. The vast galleries are especially strong in American painting, decorative arts, Asian treasures and European painting, including French impressionists. Adult tickets are good for two visits within 10 days (a handy feature, since there's so much to see).
Fenway Park
The famous home of the Boston Red Sox is firmly entrenched in the culture and history of this city. Built in 1912 this is one of the most loved of the major league parks, with its real grass field, oak seats and kooky dimensions. It's also home to 'The Green Monster' - the affectionate nickname for the extra high left-field wall and the corny BoSox mascot.
Museum of Comparative Zoology
This collection in the Harvard Museum of Natural History is perhaps politically incorrect, but oh-so entertaining. You've never seen so many stuffed birds and animals in one place before - endless rows of cases filled with the finest examples of taxidermy. Just the job for a twitcher who hates to get up in the morning.
Old South Meeting House
Colonists met at Old South Meeting House in 1773 to protest British taxation before dumping tea from British ships into the harbour. It is still a gathering place for discussion, although not much rabblerousing goes on anymore. Instead, it hosts concerts, theatre and lecture series, as well as walking tours, re-enactments and other historical programs.
Asia's Longest Underwater Expressway Tunnel in Operation
A 2,880-m underwater expressway tunnel that runs through the Huangpu River in Shanghai was put into use Saturday, which links up the 99-km outer ring road of the biggest Chinese city. The tunnel, Asia's longest one underwater, has eight lanes and allows vehicles to travel at a maximum speed of 80 km per hour. Construction of the tunnel, formed with seven 45,000-ton tubes put together, costs 1.748 billion yuan (about 210.6 million US dollars). It will help reduce traffic congestion primarily caused by container lorries, many of which are heading to or leaving the Waigaoqiao Free Trade Zone in the northeast of the city. The tunnel was jointly invested by Shanghai AJ Corp and Shanghai Huangpu River Bridge Construction Co. Shen Xiufang, director of the Shanghai Tunnel Engineering & Rail Transit Design and Research Institute, the tunnel designer, said the 2,800-meter-long project sets a milestone for local construction. "It marks the city's first use of submersion technology to build a tunnel," she said. "We adopted many new techniques in its construction, such as the noise-reduction design, and the escape and emergency facility." Situated along the northern stretches of the city's Outer Ring Road, the tunnel, which includes a 736-meter-long submerged section, is comprised of three parallel tubes. The completion of the tunnel also marked the connection of the 99-kilometer Outer Ring Road where total investment has exceeded 17.5 billion yuan (US$ 2.12 billion). With the tunnel completed, Shanghai Ferry Co Ltd is considering closing its ferry line across the Huangpu River between Nenjiang Road in Puxi and Dongtang Road in Pudong. Currently, the ferry line is jammed with more than 3,000 containers lorries daily. Elsewhere, construction breaks ground today on the work of the Xiangyin Road Tunnel, linking Xiangyin Road in Puxi with the planned Wuzhou Avenue in Pudong. The 2.2-kilometer Xiangyin Road Tunnel, which has a total investment of 1.2 billion yuan (US$145.15 million), will become the sixth tunnel across the Huangpu River when it is completed by the end of 2005. The Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Co is the contractor on the project. "Presumably, it would reduce the traffic burden on the nearby Yangpu Bridge by 10 percent," said Yang Zhihao, an engineer at the institute responsible for designing the tunnel. Since the tunnel's Pudong entrance is close to a chemical plant, a new "water curtain" facility will be installed to block any possible poisonous gas leak, he said.

Tunnel transport :

http://www.yearbook.gov.hk/1998/ewww/14/1403/middle-middle.htm

Transport Infrastructure

Existing Road and Rail Network

At the end of 1998, Hong Kong had 1 865 kilometres of roads and 1 737 highway structures, three immersed-tube, cross-harbour tunnels, and eight road tunnels penetrating the hills of the territory. These facilities provide a comprehensive road network for Hong Kong.

The government owns six of the road tunnels - Lion Rock, Aberdeen, Airport, Shing Mun, Tseung Kwan O and Cheung Tsing - which are managed and operated by private companies under management contracts. Tolls are set and monitored by the government while the Airport Tunnel and Cheung Tsing Tunnel are free of charge.

The Lion Rock Tunnel, linking Kowloon and Sha Tin, began single-tube operation in 1967, with a second tube added in 1978. The 1.4-kilometre tunnel is the most heavily used government tunnel, with 95 000 vehicle trips daily. The toll was $6.

The Aberdeen Tunnel, opened in 1982, links the northern and southern parts of Hong Kong Island. It measures 1.9 kilometres and was used by 58 000 vehicles daily in 1998. The toll was $5.

The toll-free Airport Tunnel between Hung Hom and Kowloon Bay passes under the former site of Hong Kong International Airport at Kai Tak and was opened in 1982. It measures 1.3 kilometres and was used by 55 000 vehicles daily in 1998.

The Shing Mun Tunnel between Sha Tin and Tsuen Wan was opened in 1990 and measures 2.6 kilometres. An average of 54 000 vehicles each day paid the $5 toll in 1998.

The 900-metre Tseung Kwan O Tunnel, opened in 1990, links Kowloon and Tseung Kwan O new town. It was used by 55 000 vehicles daily in 1998. The toll was $3.

The toll-free, 1.6-kilometre Cheung Tsing Tunnel was opened in 1997 and links Kwai Chung and Tsing Yi. It was used by 90 000 vehicles daily in 1998.

The Cross-Harbour Tunnel, the Eastern Harbour Crossing, the Tate's Cairn Tunnel, the Western Harbour Crossing and the Tai Lam Tunnel were built by the private sector under 'build, Operate and Transfer' franchises.

The 1.9-kilometre Cross-Harbour Tunnel connects Causeway Bay on Hong Kong Island and Hung Hom in Kowloon. Opened in 1972, its daily patronage was 120 000 vehicles in 1998. It is one of the world's busiest four-lane road tunnels. The tolls, which included a government passage tax, ranged from $4 to $30 for different types of vehicles.

The Eastern Harbour Crossing was opened in 1989. It links Quarry Bay on Hong Kong Island and Cha Kwo Ling in Kowloon. A daily average of 71 000 vehicles used the two-kilometre tunnel in 1998. Tolls ranged from $8 to $45.

The Tate's Cairn Tunnel was opened to traffic in 1991, providing an additional direct road link between the north-eastern New Territories and Kowloon. At 3.9 kilometres, it is the longest road tunnel in Hong Kong. It was used by an average of 65 000 vehicles daily in 1998. Tolls ranged from $8 to $20.

The two-kilometre Western Harbour Crossing is the first six-lane cross-harbour road tunnel in Hong Kong. Opened in 1997, it links Sai Ying Pun on Hong Kong Island and the West Kowloon Reclamation near Yau Ma Tei in Kowloon. It was used by an average of 33 000 vehicles daily in 1998. Tolls ranged from $15 to $95.

The Tai Lam Tunnel measures 3.8 kilometres and, together with the 6.3-kilometre Yuen Long Approach Road, forms the Route 3 (Country Park Section) which extends from Ting Kau to Au Tau. Opened in May 1998, it was used by an average of 29 000 vehicles daily in 1998. Tolls ranged from $10 to $60.

Besides the network of road tunnels and highways, railways also form a vital part of Hong Kong's transport network. Hong Kong's rail system comprises a heavily utilised urban railway (the Mass Transit Railway - MTR), a busy suburban railway (the Kowloon-Canton Railway - KCR), and the Light Rail (LR). There is also a tramway serving as a local distributor on the northern shore of the Hong Kong Island and a funicular tramway running between Central (Garden Road) and the Peak.

New Roads and Railways Opened in 1997/1998

The relocation of the airport to Chek Lap Kok and the development of the Tung Chung new town required additional road links between Lantau and the urban areas. A new expressway system comprising the North Lantau Highway, Lantau Link, Cheung Tsing Highway, Cheung Tsing Tunnel, Tsing Kwai Highway, West Kowloon Highway and Western Harbour Crossing, was opened to traffic in mid 1997. In May 1998, the expressway system was augmented by the completion of the Ting Kau Bridge and the Route 3 (Country Park Section), which provided easy access to the North-West New Territories.

The strategic expressway system to Lantau and North-West New Territories needs to be carefully managed to ensure smooth traffic flow. Route 3 (Country Park Section) is managed and operated by the private sector franchisee. The Tsing Ma Control Area (TMCA), a 17-kilometre expressway network comprising Tsing Kwai Highway, Cheung Tsing Tunnel, Cheung Tsing Highway, North-West Tsing Yi Interchange, Lantau Link, Ting Kau Bridge and part of North Lantau Highway, is operated and maintained by a private management contractor. TMCA is equipped with extensive traffic control and surveillance system. The system provides a high degree of automation to regulate traffic flows, to assist in dealing with incidents and to provide useful information to motorists.

A one-way toll collection arrangement is adopted for the TMCA. Vehicles travelling on the Lantau Link will be charged twice the single journey toll when they return from Lantau Island. The double toll ranges from $20 to $80.

The $34 billion Airport Railway is an integral part of the transport links to connect the urban areas with the new airport and the Tung Chung new town. It comprises two services-the Airport Express Line and the Tung Chung Line. They were completed and opened to the public on June 22 and July 6, 1998, respectively. The Airport Express Line (AEL) provides a dedicated express rail service for passengers to and from the new airport. Running at a maximum speed of 135 kilometres per hour, the AEL carried about 22 000 passengers each day in 1998 with a journey time of about 23 minutes. It is the world's first purpose-built railway serving an airport with in-town check-in facilities. The Tung Chung Line (TCL) provides commuter services between Tung Chung new town and the urban areas. The TCL carried 110 000 passengers daily in 1998 with interchange facilities with other MTR lines at Hong Kong and Lai King.

New Railway Projects

After the completion of airport related transport network, the government is embarking on the planning and implementation of five new railway projects. Total investment in these projects amounts to some $120 billion. They are:

The 30.5-kilometre West Rail (Phase I), that connects West Kowloon and Tuen Mun via Yuen Long. Construction started in October 1998 for completion by the end of 2003;

The 12.5-kilometre Tseung Kwan O Extension, that extends the MTR from Lam Tin to Tseung Kwan O. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2002;

The 11.4-kilometre Ma On Shan to Tai Wai rail link, that connects the existing KCR Tai Wai station and Lee On in the Ma On Shan new town;

The 1.5-kilometre Tsim Sha Tsui (TST) Extension, that extends the KCR from the existing Hung Hom terminus to a new station in TST East. Construction is expected to start in 2000 for completion in 2004; and

The 7.5-kilometre Sheung Shui to Lok Ma Chau spur line, that will connect the KCR at Sheung Shui with a new passenger rail boundary crossing at Lok Ma Chau. The government has invited the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation to prepare detailed proposals for implementing the project, which is scheduled for completion in 2004.

The Second Railway Development Study

The Second Railway Development Study (RDS-2) began in March. It aims to formulate a clear, coherent and comprehensive strategy for the provision of an integrated and environmentally friendly rail system to sustain the economic, social, land and housing developments of Hong Kong in the years ahead. New projects to be examined in the RDS-2 include the West Rail (Phase II), the East Kowloon Line, a fourth cross-harbour rail link, the North Hong Kong Island Line, a second connection from the Ma On Shan railway to the urban areas and the West Hong Kong Island Line. The study will be completed in September 1999, with interim recommendations on the most urgent projects before then.

Road Projects Under Construction

The construction of the Hung Hom Bypass and Princess Margaret Road Link started in March 1996. This will connect Hung Hom and Tsim Sha Tsui East with a system of elevated roads linking with Princess Margaret Road and Chatham Road. Upon its completion in 1999, the strategic link will provide access to the developments in the Hung Hom Bay reclamation and relieve traffic congestion at the Cross-Harbour Tunnel approach road.

To improve the junction between Hiram's Highway and Clear Water Bay Road, the construction of Phase II of the Hiram's Highway improvement works started in January 1997 for completion in 2000. Phase III of the works in Nam Wai and Ho Chung is scheduled to start in early 1999 for completion in 2001.

Improvement works to Castle Peak Road from Siu Lam to So Kwun Tan started in February 1997 for completion in late 1999. To further improve the road network to the new airport, construction of the Tsing Yi North Coastal Road is scheduled to start in January 1999 for completion in 2002.

Planned Road Projects

To further expand and improve Hong Kong's road network to cope with traffic demand, several strategic road projects are currently under study and design.

The eight-kilometre section of Route 7 connecting Kennedy Town to Aberdeen will provide a much-needed linkage to the southern part of Hong Kong to support the strategic development of the area.

Route 10 will run about 27.5 kilometres from Hong Kong Island to the North-West New Territories via North Lantau. Together with the planned Deep Bay Link, it will form part of the proposed crossing between Hong Kong and Shekou in Shenzhen. Route 10 will also relieve the traffic burden of the Lantau Link, and maintain road access to Lantau in the event that the Lantau Link has to be closed under inclement weather or emergencies.

Route 9 (section between Cheung Sha Wan and Sha Tin) will be a new 5.6-kilometre highway running from Sha Tin to West Kowloon. It will significantly alleviate traffic congestion at the Lion Rock Tunnel, Tate's Cairn Tunnel and Tai Po Road.

Other major new road projects under planning include the Central Kowloon Route between To Kwa Wan and Yau Ma Tei, the Central-Wan Chai Bypass and another section of Route 9 connecting Tsing Yi and Cheung Sha Wan.

Environmental Considerations

The environmental impact of new transport projects during both the construction and operation phases is carefully examined at the planning stage. Environmental mitigation measures, such as landscaping, artificial contouring of surrounding hillsides, the installation of noise barriers and noise insulation works are implemented where necessary to minimise the environmental impact of transport projects.

Road Opening Works

Besides serving as carriageways for vehicles and pedestrians, roads also accommodate various utility services, such as water and gas mains, sewers and electricity and telephone cables. To cope with the increasing demand for utility services and maintenance work, utility companies often have to excavate the carriageways and footpaths to lay more pipes, cables and ducts, and to carry out repair work. There were about 150 new road openings on each day in 1998. Road openings are co-ordinated and controlled by the Highways Department through a permit system, under which utility companies are required to carry out work to a required standard and within a time limit.

To co-ordinate work more effectively and to minimise traffic disruption the Highways Department holds monthly Road Opening Co-ordinating Committee meetings with the utility companies, the police and the Transport Department. A computerised utility management system was developed in 1997 to further improve co-ordination and minimise disturbance to road users.

Tunnel

This article is about underground passages. For uses of the word tunnel, see Tunnel (disambiguation).


A disused railway tunnel now converted to pedestrian and bicycle use, near Houyet, Belgium


Colorful pedestrian Light Tunnel connecting two terminals in Detroit's DTW airport.

The North East MRT Line in Singapore is a fully-underground rail line.

The Allegheny Mountain Tunnel on the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
A tunnel is an underground passageway. The definition of what constitutes a tunnel is not universally agreed upon. However, in general tunnels are at least twice as long as they are wide. In addition, they should be completely enclosed on all sides, save for the openings at each end. Some civic planners define a tunnel as 0.1 miles (0.16 kilometers) in length or longer, while anything shorter than this should be called a chute. For example, the underpass beneath Yahata Station in Kitakyushu, Japan is only 0.08 miles (0.13 km) long and therefore should not be considered a tunnel.
A tunnel may be for pedestrians or cyclists, for general road traffic, for motor vehicles only, for rail traffic, or for a canal. Some are aqueducts, constructed purely for carrying water — for consumption, for hydroelectric purposes or as sewers — while others carry other services such as telecommunications cables. There are even tunnels designed as wildlife crossings for European badgers and other endangered species. Some secret tunnels have also been made as a method of entrance or escape from an area, such as the Cu Chi Tunnels or the tunnels connecting the Gaza Strip to Egypt. Some tunnels are not for transport at all but are fortifications, for example Mittelwerk and Cheyenne Mountain.
The longest canal tunnel is the Standedge Tunnel in the United Kingdom, over three miles (5 km) long.
In the United Kingdom a pedestrian tunnel or other underpass beneath a road is called a subway. This term was used in the past in the United States, but now refers to underground rapid transit systems.
The central part of a rapid transit network is usually built in tunnels. To allow non-level crossings, some lines run in deeper tunnels than others. Rail stations with much traffic usually provide pedestrian tunnels from one platform to another, though others use bridges.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunnel
Contents
[hide]
1 Geotechnical investigation
2 Construction
2.1 Cut-and-cover
2.2 Boring machines
2.3 NATM
2.4 Pipe jacking
2.5 Underwater tunnels
2.6 Other
2.7 Choice of tunnels vs. bridges
3 Variant tunnel types
3.1 Double-deck tunnel
3.2 Short tunnels
3.3 Artificial tunnels
4 Examples of tunnels
4.1 In history
4.2 Longest
4.3 Notable
4.4 Other uses
5 Natural tunnel
6 Accidents
7 See also
8 References
9 External links

Geotechnical investigation
It is essential that any tunnel project starts with a comprehensive investigation of ground conditions. The results of the investigation will allow proper choice of machinery and methods for excavation and ground support, and will reduce the risk of encountering unforeseen ground conditions. In the early stages, the horizontal and vertical alignment will be optimised to make use of the best ground and water conditions.
In some cases, conventional desk and site studies will not produce sufficient information to assess, for example, the blocky nature of rocks, the exact location of fault zones, or stand-up times of softer ground. This may be a particular concern in large diameter tunnels. To overcome these problems, a pilot tunnel, or drift, may be driven ahead of the main drive. This smaller diameter tunnel will be easier to support when unexpected conditions occur, and will be incorporated in the final tunnel. Alternatively, horizontal boreholes may sometimes be used ahead of the advancing tunnel face.
Construction
Tunnels are dug in various types of materials, from soft clay to hard rock, and the method of excavation depends on the ground conditions.
Cut-and-cover
Cut-and-cover is a simple method of construction for shallow tunnels where a trench is excavated and roofed over. A strong overhead support system is required to carry the load of the covering material.
Two basic forms of cut-and-cover tunnelling are available:
Bottom-up method: A trench is excavated, with ground support as necessary, and the tunnel is constructed within. The tunnel may be of in situ concrete, precast concrete, precast arches, corrugated steel arches and such, with brickwork used in early days. The trench is then backfilled, with precautions regarding balancing compaction of the backfill material, and the surface is reinstated.
Top-down method: In this method, side support walls and capping beams are constructed from ground level, using slurry walling, contiguous bored piles, or some other method. A shallow excavation is then made to allow the tunnel roof to be constructed using precast beams or in situ concrete. The surface is then reinstated except for access openings. This allows early reinstatement of roadways, services and other surface features. Excavation machinery is then lowered into the access openings, and the main excavation is carried out under the permanent tunnel roof, followed by constructing the base slab.
Shallow tunnels are often of the cut-and-cover type (if under water, of the immersed-tube type), while deep tunnels are excavated, often using a tunnelling shield. For intermediate levels, both methods are possible.
Large cut-and-cover boxes are often used for underground metro stations, such as Canary Wharf tube station in London. This construction form generally has two levels, which allows economical arrangements for ticket hall, station platforms, passenger access and emergency egress, ventilation and smoke control, staff rooms, and equipment rooms. The interior of Canary Wharf station has been likened to an underground cathedral due to the sheer size of the excavation. This contrasts with most traditional stations on London Underground, where bored tunnels were used for stations and passenger access.
Gotthard Base Tunnel under construction in the Swiss Alps

Cut-and-cover constructions of the Paris Métro

Boring machines
Main article: Tunnel boring machine

A tunnel boring machine that was used at Yucca Mountain, Nevada
Tunnel boring machines (TBMs) and associated back-up systems can be used to highly automate the entire tunneling process. There are a variety of TBMs that can operate in a variety of conditions, from hard rock to soft water-bearing ground. Some types of TBMs, bentonite slurry and earth-pressure balance machines, have pressurised compartments at the front end, allowing them to be used in difficult conditions below the water table. This pressurizes the ground ahead of the TBM cutter head to balance the water pressure. The operators work in normal air pressure behind the pressurised compartment, but may occasionally have to enter that compartment to renew or repair the cutters. This requires special precautions, such as local ground treatment or halting the TBM at a position free from water. Despite these difficulties, TBMs are now preferred to the older method of tunneling in compressed air, with an air lock/decompression chamber some way back from the TBM, which required operators to work in high pressure and go through decompression procedures at the end of their shifts, much like divers.
Until recently the largest TBM built was used to bore the Green Heart Tunnel (Dutch: Tunnel Groene Hart) as part of the HSL-Zuid in the Netherlands. It had a diameter of 14.87 m. [1]
Nowadays even larger machines exist: two for the M30 ringroad in Madrid, Spain, and two for the Chong Ming tunnels in Shanghai, China. These machines are 15,2 m and 15,4 m in diameter respectively. The two machines for Spain were built by Mitsubishi/Duro Felguera and Herrenknecht. The TBMs for China were built by Herrenknecht.
NATM
The New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM) was developed in the 1960s. The main idea of this method is to use the geological stress of the surrounding rock mass to stabilize the tunnel itself. Based on geotechnical measurements, an optimal cross section is computed. The excavation is immediately protected by thin shotcrete, just behind the excavation. This creates a natural load-bearing ring, which minimizes the rock's deformation.
By special monitoring the NATM method is very flexible, even at surprising changes of the geomechanical rock consistency during the tunneling work. The measured rock properties lead to appropriate tools for tunnel strengthening. In the last decades also soft ground excavations up to 10 km became usual.
Pipe jacking
Pipe Jacking, also known as pipejacking or pipe-jacking, is a method of tunnel construction where hydraulic jacks are used to push specially made pipes through the ground behind a tunnel boring machine or shield. This technique is commonly used to create tunnels under existing structures, such as roads or railways
Underwater tunnels
There are also several approaches to underwater tunnels, for instance an immersed tube as in the Sydney Harbour, and the Posey and Webster Street Tubes which connect the cities of Oakland and Alameda, California, running beneath the Alameda-Oakland Estuary.
Other
Other tunneling methods include:
Drilling and blasting
Slurry-shield machine
Wall-cover construction method.
Choice of tunnels vs. bridges
For water crossings, a tunnel is generally more costly to construct than a bridge. Navigational considerations may limit the use of high bridges or drawbridge spans intersecting with shipping channels, necessitating a tunnel. Bridges usually require a larger footprint on each shore than tunnels. In areas with expensive real estate, such as Manhattan and urban Hong Kong, this is a strong factor in tunnels' favor. Boston's Big Dig project replaced elevated roadways with a tunnel system to increase traffic capacity, hide traffic, reclaim land, redecorate, and reunite the city with the waterfront. Examples of water-crossing tunnels built instead of bridges include the Holland Tunnel and Lincoln Tunnel between New Jersey and Manhattan in New York City, and the Elizabeth River tunnels between Norfolk and Portsmouth, Virginia and the Westerschelde tunnel, Zeeland, Netherlands. Other reasons for choosing a tunnel instead of a bridge include avoiding difficulties with tides, weather and shipping during construction (as in the 51.5 km Channel Tunnel), aesthetic reasons (preserving the above-ground view, landscape, and scenery), and also for weight capacity reasons (it may be more feasible to build a tunnel than a sufficiently strong bridge).
Some water crossings are a mixture of bridges and tunnels, such as the Denmark to Sweden link and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel in the eastern United States.
Variant tunnel types
Double-deck tunnel
Some tunnels are double-deck, for example the Eastern Harbour Crossing in Hong Kong, where roads and rails (the MTR metro) occupy different decks of the tunnel.
The two major segments of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge (completed in 1936) are linked by a double-deck tunnel, once the largest diameter tunnel in the world. At construction this was a combination bidirectional rail and truck pathway on the lower deck with automobiles above, now converted to one-way road vehicle traffic on each deck.
A recent double-decke tunnel with both decks for motor vehicles is the Fuxing Road Tunnel in Shanghai, China. Cars travel on the two-lane upper deck and heavier vehicles on the single-lane lower.
Short tunnels
Artificial tunnels
Overbridges can sometimes be built by covering a road or river or railway with brick or still arches, and then levelling the surface with earth. In railway parlance, a surface-level track which has been built or covered over is normally called a covered way.
Snow sheds are a kind of artificial tunnel built to protect a railway from avalanches of snow. Similarly the Stanwell Park, New South Wales steel tunnel, on the South Coast railway line, protects the line from rockfalls.
Common utility ducts are man-made tunnels created to carry two or more utility lines underground. Through co-location of different utilities in one tunnel, organizations are able to reduce the costs of building and maintaining utilities.
Examples of tunnels
In history
World's oldest underwater tunnel is rumored to be the Terelek kaya tüneli under Kızıl River, a little south of the towns of Boyabat and Duragan in Turkey. Estimated to have been built more than 2000 years ago (possibly 5000) it is assumed to have had a defense purpose.
The qanat or kareez of Persia is a water management system used to provide a reliable supply of water to human settlements or for irrigation in hot, arid and semi-arid climates. The oldest and largest known qanat is in the Iranian city of Gonabad which after 2700 years still provides drinking and agricultural water to nearly 40,000 people. Its main well depth is more than 360 meters and its length is 45 kilometers.

Inside the Eupalinian aqueduct, Samos, in one of the most spacious parts of it

In contrast, a modern underpass in Norway

Interior of the Thames Tunnel, London, mid 19th century
The Eupalinian aqueduct on the island of Samos (North Aegean, Greece). Built in 520 BC by the ancient Greek engineer Eupalinos of Megara. Eupalinos organised the work so that the tunnel was begun from both sides of mount Kastro. The two teams advanced simultaneously and met in the middle with excellent accuracy, something that was extremely difficult in that time. The aqueduct was of utmost defensive importance, since it ran underground and it was not easily found by an enemy who could otherwise cut off the water supply to Pythagoreion, the ancient capital of Samos. The tunnel's existence was recorded by Herodotus (as was the mole and harbour, and the third wonder of the island, the great temple to Hera, thought by many to be the largest in the Greek world). The precise location of the tunnel was only re-established in the 19th century by German archaeologists. The tunnel proper is 1030 metres (3,430 ft) long and visitors can still enter it Eupalinos tunnel.
Sapperton Canal Tunnel on the Thames and Severn Canal in England, dug through hills, which opened in 1789, was 3.5 km long and allowed boat transport of coal and other goods. Above it runs the Sapperton Long Tunnel which carries the "Golden Valley" railway line between Swindon and Gloucester.
The tunnel created for the first true steam locomotive, the Penydarren locomotive, was built prior to Richard Trevithick was able to make his historic journey from Penydarren to Abercynon in 1804. Part of this tunnel can still be seen at Pentrebach, Merthyr Tydfil. This is arguably the oldest railway tunnel in the world, for self-propelled steam engines on rails.
The Montgomery Bell Tunnel in Tennessee, a 290 water diversion tunnel built by slave labor in 1819, was the first "full-scale" tunnel in the United States.
Box Tunnel in England, which opened in 1841, was the longest railway tunnel in the world at the time of construction. It was dug and has a length of 2.9 km.
The Thames Tunnel, built by Marc Isambard Brunel and his son Isambard Kingdom Brunel and opened in 1843, was the first underwater tunnel and the first to use a tunnelling shield. Originally used as a foot-tunnel, it is now part of the East London Line of the London Underground.
James Greathead, in constructing the City & South London Railway tunnel beneath the Thames, in the late 1880s, brought together three key elements of tunnel construction under water: 1) shield method of excavation; 2) permanent cast iron tunnel lining; 3) construction in a compressed air environment to inhibit water flowing through soft ground material into the tunnel heading.[1]
St. Clair Tunnel, opened in 1890, linked those elements on a much larger scale and was the first full-size subaqueous tunnel in North America[1]
The Cobble Hill Tunnel and Murray Hill Tunnel in New York City are the world's oldest railway tunnels lying below streets, roofed over in 1850 and the 1850s, respectively.
The oldest sections of the London Underground were built using the cut-and-cover method in the 1860s. The Metropolitan, Hammersmith & City, Circle and District lines were the first to prove the success of a metro or subway system.
St. Clair Tunnel, opened in 1890, was the first full-size subaqueous tunnel in North America
Col de Tende Road Tunnel, one of the first longer road tunnels under a pass, runs between France and Italy. At its opening it may have been one of world's longest road tunnels.
The Holland Tunnel was the first underwater tunnel designed for automobiles, which required a novel ventilation system.
See also the History of Rapid transit.
Longest
Main article: List of tunnels by length
The Seikan Tunnel in Japan is the longest rail tunnel in the world at 53.9 km (33.4 miles), of which 23.3 km (14.5 miles) is under the sea.
The Channel Tunnel between France and the United Kingdom under the English Channel is the second-longest, with a total length of 50 km (31 miles), of which 39 km (24 miles) is under the sea.
The Lötschberg Base Tunnel opened in June 2007 in Switzerland is the longest land tunnel, with a total of 34.5 km (21.5 miles).
The Lærdal Tunnel in Norway from Lærdal to Aurland is the world's longest road tunnel, intended for cars and similar vehicles, at 24.5 km (15.2 miles).
The Zhongnanshan Tunnel in People's Republic of China opened in January 2007 is the world's longest highway tunnel and the longest road tunnel in Asia, at 18.0 km (11.3 miles).
Päijänne-tunneli is the world's longest complete tunnel that is bored into rock. It is located in southern Finland and it is 120 km long. Its purpose is to provide the Greater Helsinki metropolitan area with fresh water.
Notable
The Lincoln Tunnel between New Jersey and New York is one of the busiest vehicular tunnels in the world, at 120,000 vehicles/day.
The Fredhälls Tunnel in Stockholm, Sweden
Williamson's tunnels in Liverpool, built by a wealthy eccentric are probably the largest underground folly in the world.
New York City Water Tunnel No. 3[2], started in 1970, has an expected completion date of 2020.
The Chicago Deep Tunnel Project is a network of 109 miles (197 km) of tunnels designed to reduce flooding in the Chicago area. Started in the mid 1970s, the project is due to be completed in 2019.
Moffat Tunnel in Colorado straddles the Continental Divide. The tunnel is 6.2 mi (10.0 km) long and at 9,239 feet (2,816 m) above sea level is the highest railroad tunnel in the United States.
The Fenghuoshan tunnel on Qinghai-Tibet railway is the world's highest railway tunnel.
The Houston Downtown Tunnel System is a system of tunnels about twenty feet below Houston's downtown street system. The system forms a network of subterranean, climate-controlled, pedestrian walkways that link twenty-five full city blocks.
The Sydney Harbour Tunnel in Sydney, Australia was built in 1992 to augment the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Other uses
Excavation techniques, as well as the construction of underground bunkers and other habitable areas, are often associated with military use during armed conflict, or civilian responses to threat of attack.
The use of tunnels for mining is called drift mining.
Natural tunnel
Natural Tunnel State Park (Virginia) features an 850 foot (255 m) natural tunnel, really a limestone cave, that has been used as a railroad tunnel since 1890.
Punarjani Guha
Snow tunnels are created by voles, chipmunks and other rodents for protection and access to food sources. Larger versions are created by humans, usually for fun.
For more information regarding tunnels built by animals, see Burrow
Accidents
Balvano train disaster
Balvano train disaster
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In the Balvano train disaster of March 3, 1944, around 530 people riding on a steam-hauled train died of carbon monoxide poisoning when the train stalled in a tunnel. The accident occurred in southern Italy, near Balvano (Basilicata).
Ordinarily, the trains on this line were hauled by electric locomotives which of course emit no fumes, but due to war damage to the electrification system, steam engines were replacing electric locomotives. The tunnel was steeply graded and the train grossly overloaded. The train stalled with almost all the cars inside the tunnel. The passengers and crew, most of whom would have been asleep, were overcome by the smoke and fumes so slowly that they failed to notice the dangers. The only survivors were in the last few cars which were still in the open air.
2006
anuary - June
January 6, 2006 – Possum Point, Virginia, United Sates: - A broken CSX rail causes VRE Train #304 to derail at Possum Point. The last 3 cars of the 6 cars came off the track, but did not fall over. NTSB found that CSX failed to post speed restrictions and repair/replace the track in a timely fashion. There were only a few minor injuries.[54]
January 23, 2006 – Bioče train disaster: A passenger train crashes into a ravine near Podgorica, killing 46 and injuring 198.[55]
January 29, 2006 – A broken rail causes a derailment near Jhelum in the Punjab, killing 2 and injuring 29. Poor maintenance is officially being cited as cause of the accident, but sabotage was suspected by some authorities. The government inquiry later blamed defective and aging rails.[56][57][58][59][60][61][62]
February 16, 2006 – Serres, Greece: An inter-city train strikes a truck at a grade crossing near Serres and derails. A passenger and the truck driver die, and 20 on the train are injured.[citation needed]
February 17, 2006 – High winds derail six Canadian Pacific freight cars on the Saint-Laurent Railway Bridge between Montreal and Kahnawake, Quebec, leaving them dangling precariously over the water. It takes several days to remove the cars, disrupting rail service. [2] [3]
March 10, 2006 – Hualien, Taiwan- 5 railroad workers die when hit by a southbound train.
March 13, 2006 – Austin, Texas, United States: Tara Rose McAvoy, 18, the reigning Miss Deaf Texas, is killed by the snowplow on a 65-car Union Pacific freight train while trespassing on the tracks and text-messaging her parents. The train sounded its horn repeatedly and attempted to apply the emergency brakes but could not stop in time.[63]
April 5, 2006 – Indian Orchard, Massachusetts, United States: Patrick Deans, 18, High School football player, struck and killed by a CSX freight train while trespassing on the tracks. Two CSX trains were passing at the time. Patrick was able to escape being struck by one, but was struck by the other.[64]
April 15, 2006 – Gubuck, Java: 13 die and 26 are injured as two trains collide and wreckage falls into a paddy field. One Swiss man was among the injured. Human error by the driver was officially blamed.[65][66]
April 28, 2006 – Victoria, Australia: A V/Line VLocity high-speed train is derailed when struck by an 18 wheeler truck, killing 2 and injuring 28 on the Ballarat to Ararat line.[67]
May 25, 2006 – Lismore, Victoria: truck fails to stop at level crossing, derailing trains and causing massive pileup of wagons.[68] Mist/fog is factor.
June 12, 2006 – Netanya, Israel: A passenger train from Tel Aviv to Haifa derails after colliding with a lorry on a level crossing, killing 5 and injuring more than 100.[69]
June 14, 2006- Madera, California: 2 BNSF Railway Freight trains collide head on due to one of the trains running a red signal. One of the train's crews, the one that ran the red, was suspected to be high on cocaine. One of locomtives happened to be video recording, and the video is now widely seen on Youtube and related sites.
July – December
July 3, 2006 – Valencia metro accident in Valencia, Spain: A Valencia Metro train derails after leaving Jesús station, killing 41 and injuring at least 47. The records of the train's black box show that the train passed a bend where the speed is limited to 40 km/h at 80 km/h.[70][71]
July 11, 2006 – A series of bomb attacks strikes commuter trains in Mumbai, India, killing at least 200.[72]
July 11, 2006 – A train collided with crowded bus at an unmanned railroad crossing at Akkelpur, Jaipurhat, Bangladesh, killing at least 33, another 30 are injured. Local official blamed for a bus was draged along for several yard by the train aftermath collision.
July 14, 2006 – Luxembourg: A man sets a newspaper alight on board a train, resulting in a fire that injures 31, with 7 suffering critical injuries. The culprit is suspected to have a mental disorder.[73]
August 18, 2006 two carriages catch fire on the Chennai-Hyderabad Express near Secundrabad station
August 21, 2006 – Egypt: Two trains collide in the town of Qalyoub, 12 miles (20 kilometers) north of Cairo, killing 57 people and injuring 128.[74]
August 21, 2006 – Spain: A speeding eastbound RENFE intercity train derails in Villada, 40 km west of Palencia, leaving six people dead and 36 injured.[75][76]
August 27, 2006 – Zimbabwe: 5 die in a head-on collision between a passenger train and a freight train 30 km south of Victoria Falls.[77]
September 4, 2006 – Egypt: A passenger train collides with a freight train north of Cairo, killing five and injuring 30.[78][79]
Wikinews has related news:
Transrapid collision in Germany kills 23
September 22, 2006 – Lathen, Emsland, Germany: 21 passengers and two maintenance workers die and many more are injured when a German Transrapid train collides with a maintenance of way vehicle on the system's test track near the Netherlands border. See also: 2006 Lathen maglev train accident.[80][81][82][83]
Wikinews has related news:
Trains collide in Northern France
October 11, 2006 – 2006 Zoufftgen rail crash, near Metz, France: Passenger and freight trains collide head on at Zoufftgen, Moselle, close to the Luxembourg border. 5, including the drivers of both trains, die and 20 are injured.[84] The accident is ascribed to human error in the controlling signalling centre in Luxembourg.
October 17, 2006 – Rome Metro collision, Italy: Two metro trains collide at Rome's Vittorio Emanuele metro station, killing at least one person and injuring around 60.[85]
October 20, 2006 – New Brighton, PA - A Norfolk Southern unit train of tank cars containing ethanol derails on a bridge over the Beaver River. The resulting fire burns for days and forces some evacuations.[86][87]
November 9, 2006 – India- 40 die and 15 injured in a West Bengal rail accident.[citation needed]
November 9, 2006 – Baxter, California - Six cars of a runaway maintenance train derail, killing two of the crew.[88][89]
November 13, 2006 – South Africa - A Metrorail train smashes into a truck carrying farm workers at a level crossing near Somerset West, killing 27.[90]
November 20, 2006 – India- A bomb explodes on a train near Belacoba station in West Bengal, India, killing 7 and injuring 53. See 2006 West Bengal train disaster.[91]
November 20, 2006 - A train passes a red signal causing a head-on collision in Rotterdam. The passenger train was empty and none were injured, but there was extensive damage to the rail track and its overhead power lines[92]
November 21, 2006 – Arnhem, Netherlands - A train passes a red signal causing a head-on collision.[93]
November 30, 2006 – North Baltimore, OH - 15 cars carrying steel derailed when the train inadvertently switched to a side track. These cars then impacted a coal train on a parallel set of tracks, causing four of its cars to also derail. The PUCO blamed the accident on a chain hanging from one of the rolling stock, which engaged a switch handle on the tracks. The chain activated the switch handle, causing a shift of the rails. Three people who were in vehicles waiting for the train to pass were injured as a result of the accident, none seriously. [94][95]
December 1, 2006 – Bihar, India - Bhágalpur in the Ganges a portion of the 150-year-old 'Ulta Pul' bridge being dismantled collapsed over a passing train of India's Eastern Railways, killing 35 and injuring 17.[96][97]
December 13, 2006 – Avio, Italy, a freight train operated by Trenitalia ignores a red signal and crashes on a freight train of the private company Rail Traction Company. Two Trenitalia engineers die in the violent crash[98]
In the industrial town of Cuautitlan outside Mexico city, 24 people lost lives on 28 December when their bus collided with a 36-wagon freight train. Another 12 passengers were hurt. Police arrested the bus driver who reportedly tried to flee the scene.
2007
January 4, 2007 – Hatay Province, Turkey: A freight train smashes into a truck carrying farm workers at a railroad crossing in Hatay Province, Turkey, killing 7 and injuring 19.[99]
January 10, 2007 – Woburn, MA - A MBTA Commuter train crashes into a work crew, killing two members of the crew and injuring 3 other crew members. Additionally 40 passengers on the train were also injured
January 16, 2007 – Central Java, Indonesia: The Senja Bengawan train derails, leading to five fatalities.[100]
February 6, 2007 – Hungary: Train collision between Almásfüzítő and Komárom stations. An EU Regio passenger train hit the end of a freight with speed of 101 km/h. The driver of the passenger train has died, 4 passengers injured.
February 19, 2007 – 2007 Samjhauta Express bombings Deewana, near Panipat, Haryana State, India: At least 68 die in a suspected bomb blast on the Delhi-Attari Special train (the "Friendship Express") near Deewana, about 80 km north of Delhi, at around 23:55 local time.[101][102]

Wikinews has related news:
Virgin Train crashes in England
February 23, 2007 – Grayrigg rail crash, United Kingdom: A Virgin trains Pendolino service from London Euston to Glasgow Central derails at Grayrigg Cottage near Oxenholme, Cumbria. One woman dies. A set of points is thought to be the cause of the accident; the West Coast Main Line is closed for several days.[103]
February 28, 2007 – A wind blows 10 passenger rail cars off the track near Turfan, China, killing 3 passengers and seriously injuring 2 others.[104][105]
March 6, 2007 – A freight train collide with Diivarasekwa-Mbare regular route bus at rail crossing, outskirt of Harare, Zimbabwe, killing 34, another 30 are injured.
April 16, 2007 – A passenger train crashes into a minibus carrying local council officials at an unmanned rail crossing in southern India, killing 11 and injuring another 12 in the vehicle. Seven of the injured were hospitalized in serious condition. The vehicle was carrying 23 people.
June 5, 2007 – Kerang train crash, Victoria, Australia. A B-Double truck collided with a Melbourne-bound passenger train 6 kilometres north of Kerang at the Murray Valley Highway level crossing, killing 11 rail passengers and injuring 23.
June 15, 2007 – Two trains collided on the Italian island of Sardinia, killing 3.[106]
July 4, 2007 – A rail worker was killed by train numbered D1 near Jialing railway station. He only saw the up train numbered T48 but did not see the down train numbered D1 from the other direction.
July 16-17, 2007 – Two Amtrak Silver Star trains on the Tampa to Miami route crash into automobiles and derail in two separate instances, one in Lakeland and one in Plant City. Four people were killed in the first wreck; one was killed in the second accident. The casualties were in the cars that collided with the trains; nobody on either train was seriously injured.[107]
July 16, 2007 – 15 carriages from a train carrying yellow phosphor derail and catch fire, releasing toxic fumes affecting 14 villages in a 90 km² area.[108]
July 30 - Train crash in Caracas subway leaves 1 dead, 6 injured. Two subway trains collide in Venezuela's capital. The accident took place in a tunnel near the Plaza Sucre station in western Caracas, Civil Protection chief Antonio Rivero said. Subways are generally equipped with ATP and ATC so such an accident is hard to explain.
August 1, 2007 – Benaleka, Kasai-Occidental province, Democratic Republic of the Congo. A passenger train derails killing about 100 people and injuring more than 200 others, many riding on the roof.[109][110]
August 7, 2007 – 32 passengers injured as Jodhpur-Howrah Express derails near Juhi Bridge, Kanpur, India.
August 24, 2007 – Two persons died, five are injured when a locomotive and a freight train collide near Čortanovci, Serbia.[111]
August 30, 2007 – 8 passengers killed and 80 injured when a commuter train collides with an empty train at Nova Iguaçu, near Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.[112]
October 3, 2007 – Moving over the CSX east coast main line, the Amtrak Silver Meteor collided into a tractor-trailer after it attempted to cross a grade crossing in Port Wentworth, GA. No serious injuries were reported. [113]
October 13, 2007 – 4 killed, over 50 injured when rear carriages of Probhati Express derails near Dhaka, Bangladesh.
October 10, 2007 – A CSX train carrying ethanol and butane derails in Painesville and Painesville Township, Ohio, causing an evacuation and fire that took several days to burn out.[114][115]
October 22, 2007 – Train carrying Gasoline derails in Middlebury, Vermont causing an evacuation. At least one car caught fire and several others were leaking gasoline into Otter Creek (Vermont).[116]
October 29, 2007 – BNSF Railway two-train derailment in Clara City, Minnesota; A hydrochloric acid spill, prompting the evacuation of about 350 people.[117]
November 3, 2007 – 2 KTX trains collided inside Busan Station, with no casualties.[118]
November 9, 2007 – CSX train derailment in District of Columbia dumps 10 rail cars of coal in the Anacostia River. Improperly secured, free-rolling cut of hoppers from Bennington Yard rolls onto out-of-service bridge, which collapses.[119]
November 30, 2007 – Amtrak train No. 371, the Pere Marquette, strikes last car of COFC freight train on Norfolk Southern, ex-PRR line, near 65th Street in Chicago. Two people in the cab of P-42DC No. 8 are injured, and many passengers shaken up, including three critical, but crumple zone design of locomotive is effective and prevents worse results. Engineer was running approximately 40 mph in a 15 mph zone.
December 19, 2007 – Mehrabpur train derailment, Mehrabpur, Pakistan: A crowded passenger express train derails down an embankment 200km north-east of Karachi at about 2:20 am PST, killing 35 people and injuring about 269, 10 critically.
2008
January 23, 2008 – When passenger train numbered D59 high-speed train Beijing-Qingdao plunged into a state owned construction zone where 16th Group workers started safety maintenance of a stretch track at Fangzi, Weifang, Shandong, China, killing 18 workers, injuring another nine.
January 25, 2008 – Silver Star Train 91 collided with a garbage truck sitting on the tracks on CR 427 in Longwood, Florida while waiting for the traffic light to change at the intersection next to the crossing. Both occupants of the garbage truck were not wearing their seat belts and were ejected, one was seriously injured and the other occupant of the truck was killed, there were no injuries on the train .
January 25, 2008 – Sunset Limited Train 1 collided with a semi truck in north-east Harris County, Texas. The driver of the truck was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.
January 27, 2008 – A Pamukkale Express bound for Denizli, with 436 passengers on board derailed after two cars rolled over at Kutahya due to ice on the tracks in western Turkey, killing nine, and injuring another 50.
February 1, 2008 – East Midlands Connect service from Nottingham to Norwich involved in an incident at Barrow-on-Soar. The train hit a footbridge that was in its path, after a road vehicle had struck and damaged the bridge causing it to be foul of the line. Six passengers were on board the service and the driver had to be cut free from the driving cab.[120]
February 4, 2008 – According to Chinese press report, A 17 car freight train derailed, crushing several houses at Qujing, Kunming-Guizhou Line, Yunnan, China, killing at least six.
February 5, 2008. – Two people died and 1 was injured in a so-called 'fatal chain reaction accident' at a fog-obscured rail crossing in Boswell, about 30 miles west of Lafayette, Indiana. The crash involved 6 vehicles and a 50 car train. The rural crossing has seen 5 other crashes, 2 of which were fatal, since 1984. A major FRA safety review is now planned for this accident hot-spot. The 2 other fatalities were on- October 10, 1984 and February 7, 1986 between a train and a truck, in which both truck drivers and the truck's passenger in the 1984 crash died.[121][122]
February 29, 2008. – Nine people became victims of fire in Bulgarian State Railways' train No.2637. The night train was travelling from Sofia to the north-eastern town of Kardam in Dobrich region. The fire started in a couchette carriage, which had 35 people in it at the time, and then spread to a sleeping coach with 27 people. It broke out as the train was entering the town of Cherven bryag, around midnight, and took more than three hours to extinguish. Among the victims of the fire was the Rasho Rashev, the director of Bulgaria's National Archaeological Institute. Bulgarian government declared March 5 a day of mourning in memory of the victims of the deadly fire.[123][124]
March 1 - containers blown off train by wind between Tring and Cheddington; also Shap [125]
March 9, 2008 – in the Dolores level crossing accident a Mar de Ajó-Buenos Aires regular route bus disregards the National Highway Route 2's crossing signal, where Buenos Aires-Mar del Plata nightly express train with 250 passenger onboard, where hit the bus at El Rápido Argentino line, outskirt of Dolores, province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, killing 26, another 60 injured.[126] [127]
March 25, 2008 – Canton, MA - A MBTA train crashes into a runaway box car at Canton Junction station injuring 150 people onboard.
April 16, 2008 – According to ATN Bangla television report, a Dinajpur-Dhaka Ekoto Express train collided with a local bus on a level crossing at outskirt of Kalihati, Tangail, Bangladesh, killing 18 and injuring 30.
April 26, 2008 – Collision between a InterCityExpress train and a herd of sheep at the mouth of the German longest rail tunnel, 19 of the train's 135 passengers being lightly injured. Four people suffered fractures.
April 28, 2008 – 2008 China Railway train T195 accident It has been reported that train No.T195 carrying approximately 1200 passengers from Beijing to Qingdao derailed at approximately 4:38am and was then hit by the No.5034 (Yantai to Xuzhou) passenger train at approximately 4:41am, also with approximately 1200 passengers aboard. The incident occurred at a section of temporary detour tracks Zhoucun-Wangcun, Hejiacun, on the outskirts of Zibo, Shandong, China, while the original tracks were being upgraded. The detour tracks had a lower speed limit of 80km/h, but the speed limit failed to be delivered to T195's operation monitor system or driver, and the driver was following the regular speed limit, so T195 was running at the regular speed of 131km/h before it derailed. It was reported that fourteen passenger cars had been crushed, 72 people had been killed and 416 injured.
May 4, 2008 – According to Thai National Railroad and MCOT television network report, a Sungai Kolok-Pattaluna passenger train carrying 400 passengers onboard derailed at outskirts of Sungai Kolok, Songkhla, Thailand, killing one and injuring 30.
May 5, 2008 – According to Sudanese newspaper Al-Ray al-Am web site report, a 20 car freight train carrying illegal passengers, and including Kordofan University students derailed at outskirts of Al-Foula, South Kordofan, Sudan, killing 14 and injuring 28. [128]
May 10, 2008 – Romanian National Railway Company (CFR) passenger train No 1661 going from Bucharest to Iasi derailed near station Valea Calugareasca (Prahova county), around 16:55 local time (EET) while travelling at a speed of 68 km/h. There was a maximum speed limit on that sector of 70 km/h. A 17 year old girl died and 4 other persons were injured. The locomotive and 3 train cars were thrown off the lines. 2 of the cars were severely damaged. The cause of the accident is supposed to be a defective switch.
May 14, 2008 – According to ATN Bangla television report, a Upaban Express train rammed into the rear of Noakhali Express train at Ashuganj station, Brahmanbaria, Bangladesh, killing 8, another injuring are 100.
May 16, 2008 Ottumwa, Iowa. A local man is killed after being struck by a train at a level crossing, At least six people had seen the pedestrian on one track at around 5 p.m., waiting for a train on the other track to pass. They said he apparently didn’t see the second train coming up behind him, traveling along the track on which he stood.
May 28, 2008 – Boston MBTA Green Line D Train crashed into the rear of another train on the same line in Newton, Massachusetts between Woodland and Waban "T" stops
June 23, 2008 – A freight train rammed into a minibus at a level crossing in Nurdagi, Gaziantep, Turkey, killing 11 bus passengers.
Pages in category "Tunnels"
The following 36 pages are in this category, out of 36 total. Updates to this list can occasionally be delayed for a few days.
Tunnel
*
List of road-rail tunnels
List of tunnels by location
A
Anzob Tunnel
B
Blue Ridge Parkway tunnels
Boring (mechanical)
Bridge-tunnel
D
Drilling and blasting
Dudley Ward Tunnel
E
Earth pressure balance
Escape tunnel
H
Harvey Tunnel
I
Immersed tube
J
Juckville Tunnel
K
Kennedy Tunnel
L
Liefkenshoek Tunnel
M
Malinta Tunnel
Miami port tunnel
Microtunnel boring machine
Microtunneling
Moling
N
New Austrian Tunnelling method
O
Oosterweelconnection
R
Rathole tunnel
S
Sarajevo Tunnel
S cont.
Smuggling tunnel
Steel Casing Pipe
Subterrene
T
Third Tunnel of Aggression
Trenchless technology
Tunnel boring machine
Tunnelling shield
U
Utility tunnel
V
Ventilation shaft
W
Western Wall Tunnel
Wildlife crossing

Fire Works at Chicago July 3rd, 2008

Fire works at Chicago july 4th 2008

Fire works at Chicago 3rd July 2008 Part - 4

Fire works at Chicago 3rd July 2008 Part - 3

Fire Works at Chicago 3rd July 2008 Part - 2

Fire works at Chicago 3rd July 2008 Part - 1

Nigara Falls 27-06-08

Naigara Falls 27-06-08

Safety Vessel Kalpakkam

Portrait photos