Washington, DC - Senator John Kerry today introduced legislation, co-sponsored by Senator Edward Kennedy, that would authorize the Department of Transportation (DOT) to contract with independent engineers to review construction methods of major Federal highway projects. The legislation also requires DOT to develop a tunnel inspection program that will set inspection guidelines for state officials and ensure that tunnels are continuously inspected for any deficiencies.

The legislation comes on the same day the National Transportation Safety Board releases its findings on the cause of the Big Dig tunnel collapse one year ago today in Boston. 38-year-old Milena Del Valle was killed when the tunnel's ceiling collapsed.

"Today's report proves that Bechtel and Modern Continental incompetently used the wrong epoxy to secure the tunnel ceiling and that state and federal inspectors failed abysmally to provide the basic oversight that could have caught this mistake," said Senator Kerry." "Congress needs to do its part to help prevent another fatal accident and protect taxpayers. In 15 years of construction and controversy, state and federal transportation officials never brought in a third party to assess the construction of the Big Dig. I'm introducing legislation today that authorizes the Department of Transportation to hire independent engineers to inspect federally financed highway projects like the Big Dig plagued by cost overruns and questionable construction methods. Objective oversight may well have found the problem with the epoxy and prevented the shoddy construction that took Milena Del Valle's life. The bill will also create a program to ensure that tunnels are consistently inspected for deficiencies after they are completed. We will work hard to get this legislation enacted into law to protect taxpayers and ensure public safety."

"Milena Del Valle's death was a great tragedy, and we must do all we can to prevent other families from enduring such suffering. This bill would provide another important tool in ensuring the safety of highway tunnels." Senator Kennedy said.

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