Boston Injury Attorney Blog

Last March, a Salem, Massachusetts man was killed in Boston after his vehicle collided with hand railings in the city's "Big Dig" tunnel system. On May 11, the man's widow filed a wrongful death suit in Suffolk Superior Court against the railings' contractors. Sadly, there have been eight other motorists killed after striking the dangerous rails in the Big Dig on nearly the same stretch of road. Massachusetts safety specialists have publicly criticized the railings' design, claiming that the posts have sharp edges and wide spaces, which could entangle ejected motorists and cause serious injuries or traffic fatalities.

Massachusetts transportation officials promised last April that thousands of feet of the railings would be removed and a chain-link fence would be constructed to better protect motorists. The railing system cannot be removed entirely, however, as it serves to keep Big Dig workers from falling into traffic. Adam Hurtubise, Massachusetts Department of Transportation spokesman, told the Boston Globe that state and city officials have agreed on which railings to remove, but must gain federal approval before any action can be taken

The railings can be especially dangerous for motorcyclists, who do not have the same outward protection from impact as traditional vehicles. Unfortunately, a Massachusetts State Trooper was killed last year when his motorcycle crashed into the dangerous hand rails. His estate was awarded $9 million in a wrongful death settlement with the state and Big Dig contractors.

The particular hazards these railings pose to motorists. Particular caution should be practiced when driving through this stretch of the Big Dig. It is hard to imagine federal officials not approving the plans of the Massachusetts DOT to make the stretch of road safer.