Wayne Braverman can't believe the Mass. Horticultural Society will be giving Matt Amorello a gold medal on Oct. 12:

... For anyone to be honoring that vile, horrid symbol of all that is wrong with the state’s authorities is a disgrace. The only honor that Amorello deserves is that of repaying the giant pile of money he didn't earn or deserve.

Michael Grunwald, late of the Boston Globe, writes that the Big Dig is quite something.

Via Starts & Stops.

George Barnes of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette heaps praise on Matt Amorello, saying he made Rte. 2 safer.

Matt Amorello's resignation will not solve the Big Dig's problems, Charley writes:

... So for all the glee about Amorello's departure, let's not forget that he didn't create the problems we're dealing with now. He merely threw up his hands and hoped for the best ... much like a certain governor, legislature, and state enforcement bureaucracy. ...

Kimberly Atkins has the details of Romney's formal effort to remove Matt Amorello from office - which also includes a suit by three Romney appointees to the turnpike board against Amorello.

Spatch: Romney to Amorello: It's on, bitch:

... Too bad A. Romney's looking right into the eyes of 2008 when he bares his teeth, and B. someone had to die for the shakeup (shakedown?) to happen.

Boston Magazine's City Journal claims to have exclusive photos of what really happened in that argument between Mitt Romney and Matt Amorello at the ceiling-collapse site.

Because nobody died on Lay's watch, Christine argues, suggesting that instead of a payment to make Amorello go away, the state should exile him to some remote Boston Harbor island.

Joe Dwinell tallies up the number of problem bolts - it's grown from 60 to 242.

One Boston visitor reports his anxiety in driving through the Ted Williams Tunnel today:

Follow the money, John Daley suggests: Specifically, the money flowing from Big Dig contractors to our best and brightest on Beacon Hill, including newly outraged Tom Reilly.

Tim Lavallee listens to an audio book about Bechtel's practices in Third World countries (you remember Bechtel, as in Bechtel Parsons Brinherhoff, the joint venture that oversaw the Big Dig?) and learns some lessons:

Tim Lavallee took a deep breath then drove home via the Big Dig last night:

left work tonight expecting the longest commute home ever. Instead, the Big Dig was empty like a Sunday morning. Traffic on the southbound side was very, very light. Even the usual slow down areas, such as the tunnel exit to the South Bay mall, was a speed limit breeze. ...