Thursday, May 14, 2009

Robert Moses and Highways


A: “If you listen to the complaints of a few homeowners in every matter, nothing would get built…the individual has to yield to the interests of the entire country in this matter”
Robert Moses, talking about the Cross Bronx Expressway
















Do you agree with Moses on this matter? Disagree? Why?

B: Think about the different ways that NYC has been shaped by the automobile over the last 60 years. Do you think that the city ever get beyond cars? Are they now part of the "fabric" of the city? What would the city be like without cars, an with more transit options?

17 comments:

eShA!!! said...

I agree and disagree with him.I agree because it was very beneficial to today's society. I disagree because taring down peoples homes isn't the way of going about it.

eShA!!! said...

I don't think NYC can go on without cars. The society is too dependent on these things even for the people who don't have cars they still use taxi cabs which is still a car so no i don't think the society would last without cars at this point

Unknown said...

I think this quote means that Robert Moses is in other words is saying that the people that live in the area have to move out no questions asked. I do not agree with this quote because it is not right to just kick people out of theire home just to make a high way and not shelter them. To me Robert Moses does not care about the peopl he just cares about the city and bettering it.

Unknown said...

I can agree with Moses because what i feel he is trying to say is that some people feel that there are few things around NY that has to be changed but things cannot be changed by only a few people it takes majority of people to speak up to change to make NY a better place to live.
I also feel that without cars that the city would be more chaotic.different options of transport would make it harder for people because it wouldn't take people to places faster and there are others who like their personal space. The transportation would also be overcrowded in urban areas making it harder for people to travel.

Janera said...

I do not agree with Robert Moses because in our society it is a different environment than another society and we see things different. We depend to much on cars to stop using it.

Unknown said...

I disagree with him because destroying people homes and leaving people homeless isn't good. But taking down old buildings to make new buildings was a good .start to make change

Unknown said...

I do not agree with Robert Moses because this environment is different than another environments and we see things different. In our society we depend on cars

Ashley Lovett said...

A. I agree with him. Many of the most beautiful places were build despite of the homes that were located there. I don't think it was right to take people out of their homes because i would never want that to happen to my mother. But in certain cases sacrifices must be made in order to build beautiful things. However, that is the past. These days nothing like that should occur. If somebody wants to build something then they will have to build it in places that aren't occupied.
B. NYC absolutely cannot function without cars. People that have cars depend on them daily and the people who don't have them want them badly. I'm only 16 and don't actually go anywhere but I want a car. Unless trains and buses somehow became MUCH cleaner and comfortable then cars will continue to run NYC.

Unknown said...

i agree with robert moses because, that was a great idea to built new roads for a better and fast transportation between States.

Maxiel Metivier said...

I'm good about Robert Moses building roads so
that people can expand all over the country.
However, he's doing this by tearing down people's
homes and leaving them homeless. In other words,
he's doing a good thing and bad thing. We definitely depend on cars to get around but we
also need to be concerned about the people who
are homeless. Also, there are other ways to
travel than just by car. Moses needs to be a
little bit more careful with this actions.

Unknown said...

B)I think yes,because the cars are important for everybody today .

kashiera said...

I think what Mosses is basically saying in the quote is that people of the Bronx opinion doesn't matter because at the end of the day he is going to do what he said he was going to do and that is build the highway. He thinks that the public is always going to need cars that why the highways need to be built.Rite now i don't feel like we need cars as much as we did before because now there are plains, trains, biking and buses.These are all other ways of getting around without having to drive yourself somewhere.

leoE said...

Leonardo.E

Umm I Agree in one way that what he waz thinking and ideas from him ... like the benefit for the city(NY)and the other side i disagree because he wasted 2 put people out of the city

i don't like the idea that city without cars !!!
no but we should try !!!

Ashley Rivera said...

I agree, This creation has benefit others, not only our morning commuters but other travelers from around the world. We do depend on cars and our Cab Drivers to get to our destination and on time! NYc is the city of hope and travelers do judge us on how we try to comfort others.

A.Roberts said...

A.) I agree and disagree. He can be right that nothing would be built if you listen to a few opinions since there can always be a negative opinion in every idea. But because with his idea he planned on destroying the peoples homes without any consideration makes me think he used the country's interest as an excuse to go on with the construction as it was more important for the people that travel around that area rather than the interest of the people that was being directly targeted for the most change.

B.) I think the option will always be there but the chances at this point are low since people already depend so much on cars. It is most definitely apart of the "fabric" of the city.
A city without cars and more transit options would most likely be more crowded on main roads and less on minor roads and i think something like a bus would have to be focused on more minor routes and a train more major routes to avoid crowding.

tidus said...

1)I dont agree with Robert Moses because i believe that each individual affects the whole society so we must value and respect each individual in order to have a porductive and truel progreesive society.
2)Without cars New York would look very green in the sense that it would be more environmentally friendly, but i dont think that we can live without cars i think that they are sewn into the fabric of society the only thing that will happen is that we will make the car more efficient and keep improving the comfort and quality of the automobile.

Emily said...

A: I do not agree with Moses because homeowners DO have a say and he cant decide for everyone.

B: People rely on cars on a daily basis. NYC wouldnt be NYC without them. Although there are a lot more options to get around. There are trains, airplanes, buses, bikes.