>...Boston’s Big Dig (or “Big Rig” as it is known locally) is among...

I live / work in the Boston area and have never once heard it called that.

That said, it's not just 'trust in government' but also 'trust in other people generally' - which seems to be one of the causes of the polls being so far off this last election. If you don't trust people, are you going to talk to a pollster?

Personally, I'd guess that one of the things driving this loss of trust in other people is being driven by social media algorithms trying to maximize 'engagement'. What works for that? Fear. And how does fear affect trust?

If you can bear it, try watching right-wing TV for a bit. Other than the actual-news part of Fox News, they seem to be pushing 'things to be afraid of' as well.

Just a thought.