The awarding of this last contract indicates that the project, which is in existence for over a decade and is one of the country's largest public works project, is finally nearing the end of the road. "This is a milestone," Sean O'Neill, spokesperson for the Big Dig, tells globeSt.com. "In the 440 relay we've turned the final loop. This is the bow that ties the whole thing together."

Modern Continental was the lowest qualified bidder on the project. Its bid of $179.4 million was $3.2 million above the office estimate of $175.9 but says O'Neill, "it's within our budgetary range." The construction firm has done more work on the Big Dig than any other firm.

The job, which is to start at the end of the month and be completed by the fall 2004, is to create the full interchange of I-90 and I-93 south of Kneeland Street. Two temporary structures will be put into place on I-90 and I-93 while the completed version is being built. O'Neill emphasizes that this contract will not impact the opening of I-93 northbound, which is scheduled to open in November 2002, and I-90 East and West, which is also scheduled to open then.