Monday, May 18, 2009

Moses' Defeat Webquest

A.Stopping the Roads of Moses, who stopped moses? What did they want?

Map of the Lower Manhattan Expressway (LOMEX): It was never built. It was a huge battle that Moses lost.
http://maydaypost.wordpress.com/2009/03/22/lomex-revisited/


Moses' quote when he was defeated in his effort to build the LOMEX:

1) What area would the LOMEX have gone through?
2) In what positive and negative ways would it would it have affected NYC had it been built?
3) How did Robert Moses see his opponents?


"Except for one old man, I’ve been unable to find anyone of technical competence who is for this so-called expressway. And this old man is a cantankerous, stubborn old man who has done many things which may have, in their time, been good for New York City. But I think it is time for this stubborn old man to realize that too many of his dreams turn out to be nightmares for the city. And this board must realize that if it does not kill this stupid example of bad city planning, that the stench of it will haunt them and this great city for many years to come" - Assemblyman Louis DeSalvio

4) How does this quote sum up Moses' career? Do you agreee with this assessment of Robert Moses?

5) What kind of city did his opponents want? Is this only something that a mother would have wanted?

C. Are cities for cars or for people?
"Cities are created by and for traffic"
--Moses quote

6) Compare this quote with the perspective in the bike-centered website below. Who do you agree with more? Give one reason why...

Streetsblog perspective:
http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/02/09/crisscrossed-with-freeways-studded-with-parking-lots/

11 comments:

Janera said...

People felt so connected because it was like a main hall that everyone went to. A gathering place for the town.

Unknown said...

People felt connected to it because it was the main hall.

Janera said...

I do agree with the quote cities are made by and for the traffic because in the pictures all you see is highways and parking lots.

eShA!!! said...

Iesha McCall
Option1]I think the people were so connected top The Old Penn Station because it was beautiful. It is very nice to loook at.Also it was like the gathering place for the city.
Option5]I agree more with the other quote because there are more forms of transportation and for example the streets are dominated by cars so bikers ride on the sidewalk,but they get a ticket which is dumb.For that every street should have a bike lane.

Unknown said...

1. They felt so connected to it because they all used it, and it helped them travel and get to the places where they needed to go.
C. J Jacobs stopped Mosses in the construction.
2. It would have went through the soho area. It would have crushed canal and the shopping area would not be there
3.It would have effected NYC because people would have no where to shop, there would be more traffic because the hollland tunnel and the LoMEX would be there, the housing would not be quite because of the cars too.
4. He saw his opponents as weak. His only opponents wear mothers.
5.His opponents wanted a community, a home, not a place with a big bridge built in the middle of it.

Unknown said...

1) The LOMEX would have went through Soho
2) it would had a negative effect because alot of people would have lost their homes
3)He saw his opponents as weak

Maxiel Metivier said...

1. The LOMEX would have gone through every part of
Lower Manhattan.
3. Moses saw his opponents as a bunch of mothers.

Unknown said...

1.is situaded for lower manhattan.
2. It would have effected NYC because there would be more traffic by the tunnel.
3.he saw his opponents as nothing important.

kashiera said...

1) Moses saw his opponents as mothers and because his opponent was a women, he figured that they weren't as capable of doing what men do.They were only good at being mothers which meant, cooking, cleaning and raising the kids.
2) LOMEX would have went through SOHO.
3)If the LEMOX would have been built they would have been positive and also negative things. Some Postive thing are it would connected the whole of lower Manhattan.The negatives out way the positive because it would have destroyed many homes leaving many people to be homeless, it would have destroyed local father, mother stores leaving many commercial stores to move in and replace them.
4) In some ways I do agree with the quote because even thought destroyed homes when building highways in NYC,those highways have made NYC what it is today. I don't think that we should call him a greedy stubborn old man because i believe he had a vision of New York and what it would look like in the future and it involved traveling on major highways to get from place to place.

A.Roberts said...

1.) It would have went through SoHo and the Lower east side.
2.) Positive: it would have had a easier access from the Holland tunnel to the Williamsburg bridge.
Negative: It would have caused more pollution around Manhattan.
3.) I think he saw anyone that was against him as his opponents, mostly mothers, and that they were not needed though they stopped him.
4.) It kinda says that moses blinded himself purposely so that he could reach his dreams that nobody liked and he disagreed with everyone against him regardless their argument. I think it may be just a little to harsh.
5.) It seems his opponent wanted a safe city and a city that is attractive and busy. It could be a city that mothers want.
6.) I agree with the perspective of the bike center website because i don't believe a city is made for cars and traffic as a city without it could still be a city. It should be at least more essentially an effective space for transportation as well as people, not either or.

Emily said...

1) SoHo and LES
2) Negative - people would have lsot their homes. Positive - it would have connect the whole lower east side of Manhattan.
3) I think he saw anyone against him as an opponent.
4)I agree with this quote because even thought homes were destroyed, those highways made NYC what it is today. He did everything for a good purpose.
5) A safe city. I think everyone in general would have wanted the same thing.
6) I think cities are for cars AND people. I still agree with Moses because cars and people MAKE a city. Without the two, it would be dead.