Logo for The Big Dig

The Big Dig

GBH News

In recent years, there has been a surge of interest in projects that attempt to address the harm done by urban highways – covering them up, transforming them into boulevards, or removing them entirely. But even as the problems with these structures are easy to see, the right solution for any given city is usually not obvious. Often, it’s contentious.

Two years ago, GBH News released the acclaimed podcast The Big Dig, about Boston's messy attempt to reckon with its own highways. Now host Ian Coss is taking the show on the road to do live tapings in different cities facing the same issue – in Seattle, Portland, Austin, Syracuse, Baltimore and more — looking at stories from the past, present and future. It’s called The Highway Teardown Tour.

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“This is a town where there are three pastimes: politics, sports and revenge.” The town is Boston.

Seemingly dry topics become gripping political dramas in this Peabody Award winning show from creator Ian Coss and GBH News. Each season of “The Big Dig” uncovers a different facet of society – infrastructure, gambling, food, healthcare – together the pieces connect to tell the story of modern America. 

Season One: "The Big Dig" 

The highway project known as “The Big Dig” is infamous – a shorthand for government failure – but it all started as one engineer’s dream to correct the wrongs of the past, and its legacy is far from simple.

Season Two: "Scratch & Win" 

America’s most successful state lottery – and its greatest innovation, the scratch ticket – all starts with mafia bookmakers and state bureaucrats going toe to toe in a battle to own the future of gambling. 

Season Three: "Catching The Codfather"

A fishing tycoon is arrested in an elaborate sting operation, but claims he’s the real hero fighting back against the state.

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CREDITS:

Host & Creator: Ian Coss

Executive Producer: Devin Maverick Robins

Producer: Isabel Hibbard

Story Editor: Lacy Roberts 

Contact us as thebigdig@wgbh.org

©2023 WGBH Educational Foundation

In recent years, there has been a surge of interest in projects that attempt to address the harm done by urban highways – covering them up, transforming them into boulevards, or removing them entirely. But even as the problems with these structures are easy to see, the right solution for any given city is usually not obvious. Often, it’s contentious.

Two years ago, GBH News released the acclaimed podcast The Big Dig, about Boston's messy attempt to reckon with its own highways. Now host Ian Coss is taking the show on the road to do live tapings in different cities facing the same issue – in Seattle, Portland, Austin, Syracuse, Baltimore and more — looking at stories from the past, present and future. It’s called The Highway Teardown Tour.

-------------------------------------

“This is a town where there are three pastimes: politics, sports and revenge.” The town is Boston.

Seemingly dry topics become gripping political dramas in this Peabody Award winning show from creator Ian Coss and GBH News. Each season of “The Big Dig” uncovers a different facet of society – infrastructure, gambling, food, healthcare – together the pieces connect to tell the story of modern America. 

Season One: "The Big Dig" 

The highway project known as “The Big Dig” is infamous – a shorthand for government failure – but it all started as one engineer’s dream to correct the wrongs of the past, and its legacy is far from simple.

Season Two: "Scratch & Win" 

America’s most successful state lottery – and its greatest innovation, the scratch ticket – all starts with mafia bookmakers and state bureaucrats going toe to toe in a battle to own the future of gambling. 

Season Three: "Catching The Codfather"

A fishing tycoon is arrested in an elaborate sting operation, but claims he’s the real hero fighting back against the state.

--------------

CREDITS:

Host & Creator: Ian Coss

Executive Producer: Devin Maverick Robins

Producer: Isabel Hibbard

Story Editor: Lacy Roberts 

Contact us as thebigdig@wgbh.org

©2023 WGBH Educational Foundation
29hr 5min
Thumbnail for "Introducing Season One: The Big Dig".
Can America still do big things?
Thumbnail for "The Big Dig | 2. Unholy Alliance".
In the early 1970s a radical idea took shape: tearing down Boston’s elevated downtown highway, and rebuilding it underground.
Thumbnail for "The Big Dig | 6. The Up Down Charts".
As work progresses through the 1990s and the tunnels take shape, the true cost of the Big Dig remains unknown to the public.
Thumbnail for "Highway Teardown Tour | Enter Here".
Thumbnail for "Highway Teardown Tour | 1. New York, NY".
Thumbnail for "Highway Teardown Tour | 2. Syracuse, NY".
Thumbnail for "Highway Teardown Tour | 3. Rochester, NY".
Thumbnail for "Highway Teardown Tour | 4. Austin, TX".
Thumbnail for "Highway Teardown Tour | 5. Seattle, WA".
Thumbnail for "In search of the perfect lobster roll".
Thumbnail for "The Big Dig Returns".
Thumbnail for "BONUS: A note from the team".
Thumbnail for "The Big Dig | 1. We Were Wrong".
There is a strange irony behind the Big Dig: the most expensive highway project ever built in America began with a man who hated highways.
Thumbnail for "The Big Dig | 3. All Politics is Local".
The Big Dig needs federal funding. House Speaker Tip O’Neill is determined to get it; President Ronald Reagan is determined to stop it.
Thumbnail for "The Big Dig | 4. The Double Cross".
The project faces an unexpected challenge on the home front: resistance from local environmentalists and residents.
Thumbnail for "The Big Dig | 5. Hatchet Man vs. the 800 Pound Gorilla".
In 1991, the Big Dig is handed off to a new leader – the brash, aggressive, hatchet-toting Jim Kerasiotes – who makes it clear he plans to shake things up.
Thumbnail for "The Big Dig | 7. The Turnpike Revolt".
By the year 2000, the Big Dig has passed through many hands, but in its final years a power struggle spills into public view.
Thumbnail for "The Big Dig | 8. I Want Justice for What Happened".
Just as the project turns the corner towards completion, its entire legacy becomes clouded.
Thumbnail for "The Big Dig | 9. Hearts and Minds".
It’s been fifty years since the Big Dig was first conceived, thirty years since construction began, more than a dozen years since it was completed.
Thumbnail for "Introducing Season Two: Scratch & Win".
The unlikely rise of America’s most successful lottery
Thumbnail for "BONUS: How to sue the government, and win".
Thumbnail for "BONUS: Why do some parts of government work better than others?".
Thumbnail for "BONUS: Should we be nostalgic for machine politics?".
Thumbnail for "BONUS: Why does sports betting feel different?".
Thumbnail for "Scratch & Win | 1. The Instant Ticket".
Thumbnail for "Scratch & Win | 2. The Lottery Czar".
Thumbnail for "Scratch & Win | 3. Have You Played Your Number?".
Thumbnail for "Scratch & Win | 4. The Last Mafia Boss of Boston".
Thumbnail for "Scratch & Win | 5. The Cherry Sheets".
Thumbnail for "Scratch & Win | 6. The Game Dreams Are Made Of".
Thumbnail for "Scratch & Win | 7. The Dirtiest Race in the Commonwealth".
Thumbnail for "Scratch & Win | 8. The Other Massachusetts Miracle".
Thumbnail for "Introducing Season Three: Catching The Codfather".
Thumbnail for "Catching The Codfather | 1. Red Lobster".
Thumbnail for "Catching The Codfather | 6. It’s Your Job to Catch Me".
Thumbnail for "What you need to know when buying fish, with Roger Berkowitz".
Thumbnail for "Have we entered a new era for government regulation?".
Thumbnail for "Catching The Codfather | 2. I Hope Those People Sink".
Thumbnail for "Catching The Codfather | 3. Punch in the Kisser".
Thumbnail for "Catching The Codfather | 4. Mosquitos on the Balls of an Elephant".
Thumbnail for "Catching The Codfather | 5. Painting Fish".
Thumbnail for "The Big Dig is ON TOUR".
Thumbnail for "HOV Lane Ahead".

Catching The Codfather | 6. It’s Your Job to Catch Me

Thumbnail for "Catching The Codfather | 6. It’s Your Job to Catch Me".
March 18, 20261hr 8min

A new revelation forces federal investigators to close down the case, fast. But what will taking down The Codfather mean for the port of New Bedford?

Major sponsorship for "Catching The Codfather" is provided by Roger’s Fish Co.

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Credits:

Host and Scriptwriter: Ian Coss

Executive Producer: Devin Maverick Robins

Producers: Isabel Hibbard and Ian Coss

Story Editor: Lacy Roberts

Editorial Advisor: Jenifer McKim

Fact-checkers: Ryan Alderman and Isabel Hibbard

Intern: Fiona Boyd 

Scoring and Music Supervision: Ian Coss

Graphic Design: Bill Miller

Thumbnail for "Catching The Codfather | 6. It’s Your Job to Catch Me".
Catching The Codfather | 6. It’s Your Job to Catch Me
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