Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Alex Marshall

Robert Moses’s Fundamental Misunderstanding

In the latest issue of the Regional Plan Association's Spotlight on the Region newsletter, editor Alex Marshall has an outstanding essay responding to the recent burst of Robert Moses revisionism. An excerpt:  

It all comes down to capacity. Like many people of his generation, I'm convinced, Moses essentially didn't understand the different capabilities of different modes of transportation, despite his learning and education. A freeway at top capacity can move only a few thousand vehicles per hour, and all those vehicles have to be put somewhere once they arrive where they're going. That means many lanes of freeways and many parking lots and garages chewing up prime real estate.

By comparison, a subway or commuter train can move tens of thousands of people per hour, and they all arrive without the need to store a vehicle. This essential fact is why Manhattan can have dozens of skyscrapers, which not incidentally produce millions in salaries, profits and taxes, crammed right next to each other without any parking lots.

Moses' vision of New York, if he had completed it, would have essentially downsized large parts of the city. At the MCNY exhibit, there's one artist's conception of what Soho would look like after the highway was cut through it. It essentially looked like Dallas or Houston - a broad boulevard lined with Edge City style office buildings. And whether you love or hate Dallas, it's a far less productive city than New York, when calculated on a per square foot basis.

This is what happened to much of Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx, which are still recovering from the damage Moses did. The boroughs are not only less hospitable because of the worst of Moses' freeways; they are also less productive.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

DOT: Council E-Bike Registration Bill is Not Necessary to Make Streets Safer

Enforce existing laws. Keep redesigning the streets for safety. Hold delivery app companies accountable. But don't register electric bikes. That's what the DOT said on Wednesday.

December 11, 2024

Astro-Turf: Industry Group Says Fair Pay For Delivery Workers Means Higher Grocery Prices

An app industry-supported group is trying to sway the conversation around expanding the delivery worker minimum wage.

December 11, 2024

Pizzeria Deploys School Bus to Serve Customers During Winter Curbside Dining Ban

So let's get this straight: You can eat a slice of pizza in a car ... as long as the car doesn't belong to the pizzeria?

December 11, 2024

Intro 606 Alert: E-Bike Licensing Bill Is Not Even Legal, Lawyers Say

Buckle up, dear reader, because we're diving into the municipal code!

December 11, 2024
See all posts