Take out Robert Moses

For whatever reason, take him out of the picture, What would be the effect of no Robert Moses? I would say that there would be greater emphasis on public transportation in NYC instead of just putting down new highways especially that crossed through the Bronx which led to its decay.
 
For whatever reason, take him out of the picture, What would be the effect of no Robert Moses? I would say that there would be greater emphasis on public transportation in NYC instead of just putting down new highways especially that crossed through the Bronx which led to its decay.

If Robert Moses hadn't lived, he would have been "invented". If you don't believe the Cross Bronx wasn't going to be built by somebody, just look at the map. The Cross is the "natural" connector between New Jersey, etc. at the George Washington Bridge and New England.

The Northern and Southern State Parkways on Long Island probably wouldn't have been built. God only knows how many lanes the Long Island Expressway would have as a result.

Robert Moses' heyday was in the 50s, when highways were being built ALL OVER the country.
 
No Robert Moses means a lot less development for transportation options in New York. That's the obvious part. Was there anyone else willing to ram the Cross-Bronx Expressway through the borough? Come the 1970s, public opposition to such a project might be strong enough to get it canceled the way it killed the Lower- and Mid-Manhattan Expressway proposals. What about additional East River crossings? I'd have to think at least the Whitestone or Throgs Neck crossings would be built - can't force all traffic to take I-278 to get from Long Island to the mainland.
 
Without Moses there might be many changes for the better. Don't forget that the fellow was so broad-minded and open to rival views that the only way to finally resolve his next great set of plans was to fire him.
 
If Robert Moses hadn't lived, he would have been "invented". If you don't believe the Cross Bronx wasn't going to be built by somebody, just look at the map. The Cross is the "natural" connector between New Jersey, etc. at the George Washington Bridge and New England.

The Northern and Southern State Parkways on Long Island probably wouldn't have been built. God only knows how many lanes the Long Island Expressway would have as a result.

Robert Moses' heyday was in the 50s, when highways were being built ALL OVER the country.

He was partially responsible for the decay of much of the neigborhoods that the highways passed through. Since the highway's construction, those areas have remained low value-poor areas (not that it was much better before the highway but it got a lot worse afterwards). He is also responsible for the construction of public housing around Coney Island.
 
Without so many roads across Long Island, perhaps the suburban development would be slowed down. Less housing means less support industry. Less support industry means that Long Island's proper industries could remain here, at least for a while. Grumman and Republic could still be here.

More plausibly, the NYC subways wouldn't see so much decay. With more focus on rapid transit, the 2nd Avenue line or even the LIRR-Grand Central connection could be done by now. If only...

Without the Staten Island-Brooklyn connection of the Verrazano Bridge, we may finally see a rail tunnel between Staten Island and Manhatten.
 
Without so many roads across Long Island, perhaps the suburban development would be slowed down. Less housing means less support industry. Less support industry means that Long Island's proper industries could remain here, at least for a while. Grumman and Republic could still be here.

Also the rate of white flight out of New York City especially out of areas like the South Bronx and neighborhoods in Brooklyn and Queens I imagine would be a lot slower due to the lack of public housing built for poor minorities(initiated by Robert Moses who ironically was a racist)

More plausibly, the NYC subways wouldn't see so much decay. With more focus on rapid transit, the 2nd Avenue line or even the LIRR-Grand Central connection could be done by now. If only...[/QUOTE]

I imagine the 3rd Avenue el would be demolished eventually in 1955 (and the Bronx connection in 1973). You're right in that projects like the Second Avenue line and the LIRR-Grand Central connection would have been built a long time ago. I believe that some of the other els remaining now would had been torn down and replaced with new underground subways.

Without the Staten Island-Brooklyn connection of the Verrazano Bridge, we may finally see a rail tunnel between Staten Island and Manhatten.

And a secondary connection between Staten Island and Brooklyn as well.
 
robert moses was a complete bigot

he built the parkways in long island with low bridges so busses full of black people couldn't go out to his beaches... this bunches all the commercial traffic onto the long island expressway which is now and will forever be a complete parking lot

someone practical and/or not a bag of douche would be good to insert in his stead
 
robert moses was a complete bigot

he built the parkways in long island with low bridges so busses full of black people couldn't go out to his beaches... this bunches all the commercial traffic onto the long island expressway which is now and will forever be a complete parking lot

someone practical and/or not a bag of douche would be good to insert in his stead

Agreed. He planned on destroying SoHo and Little Italy with his crap of a highway through Manhattan.
 
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