Support for the Big Dig comes from Cure Alzheimer's Fund, which supports foundational scientific research

into the causes of Alzheimer's disease, because research is the only path to a cure.

Learn more at cure ALZ.org. The first recorded use of the phrase Big Dig was in a WGB TV special from 1988.

This was a few years before construction began and also the year I was born.

This is all very familiar to Boston massive construction projects changing the face of the city

But not since the back bay was filled in or the city subway system built has there been anything like what's about to happen.

As I watch the special now, knowing what's about to happen, knowing how things will go,

I'm really struck by the narrative around the big dig at this time in the 80s and how different it is

from the narrative as I remember it in the 90s in 2000s.

The old narrative is pretty much summed up in the title of the special.

The question is, will Boston survive the big day?

You know, the story of the project in theory was supposed to be the city of Boston is going to come to a grinding halt.

Rick Domeno was transportation commissioner for the city of Boston in those years leading up to the big dig.

You won't be able to move. Business as we know will come to an end.

This project is impacting 19 different neighborhood areas in our city.

I mean, building a tunnel through a dense city is no small thing.

People were reasonably worried about noise and power outages,

about the traffic during the long years of construction,

what all this would mean for commuters, for tourism, for small businesses.

Millions of rats living underground will have to be contained.

There is a theory that all the digging would force millions of rats up into the streets of Boston.

The community is concerned about what are you going to do about the million rats?

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