Cuomo vs. Moses

Was Robert Moses a blessing or a curse? In his article, Rethinking Robert Moses, Phillip Lopate addresses the constant negative views against Moses. Lopate argues that Robert Moses wasn’t all that bad, and we can’t just focus on the worst plans amidst an abundance of good ideas. While Moses did seem like a bit of a control freak, it was partially because he was up for the challenge, and changes could get done under his watch. Moses was responsible for the construction of several bridges such as the Triborough and Verrazano Bridge, created 627 miles of highways and parkways, and paved the way for the UN headquarters and Lincoln Center. Moses had grand views for the city and he was able to build up NYC to what it is today.

Following this major transformation, Moses stepped out of the picture, and now all eyes are on Governor Cuomo. Justin Davidson of New York Magazine, wrote about the possibility of Andrew Cuomo becoming the next Moses. In Can Andrew Cuomo Be a Less Toxic Robert Moses?, Davidson discusses the idea of a Moses 2.0. Cuomo is now trying to change the city by building on to extensive systems such as the LIRR, MTA, adding space to Javits, and revamping Penn Station. Unlike Moses, Cuomo can’t build it all from scratch. He’s trying to make changes, but all of his proposed ideas are only grazing the surface of a larger set of problems. While Penn Station might look modern in the next few years and the MTA users will finally be able to access wifi, does this solve our daily issues of congestion and poor transit service? Yes, these major face-lifts might seem more attractive to tourists and the rest of the world, but how is it impacting us as New Yorkers? The aura of new upgrades will fade quickly, and our core issues as eternally busy traveling New Yorkers will remain the same. We are confined to this small chain of 5 boroughs that need ingenuity and creativity for change, not a paintbrush and new tiles.