Episode Details

In this episode of pplpod, we explore the colossal and complicated legacy of Robert Moses, the urban planner who became one of the most influential figures in New York history without ever being elected to public office. We discuss how Moses navigated the political machine to hold as many as 12 titles simultaneously, granting him unchecked control over the city's parks, bridges, and tunnels for more than 40 years,.

We break down the physical transformation of the region under his command, from the creation of the massive New York State Parkway System and Jones Beach State Park to the construction of the Triborough and Verrazzano–Narrows bridges,. Listeners will learn about his philosophy of prioritization of the automobile over public transit, which led to the construction of expressways that sliced through traditional neighborhoods and displaced thousands of residents,.

The episode also delves into the controversies that eventually eroded his power, including his battle with urban activist Jane Jacobs, the demolition of the original Pennsylvania Station, and the financial failures of the 1964 New York World's Fair,. Finally, we examine how Robert Caro’s Pulitzer Prize-winning biography, The Power Broker, permanently reshaped Moses's image by highlighting his authoritarian methods and alleged racism, including the infamous claim that he built low bridges to prevent buses from reaching his parks,. Join us to decide if Moses was a villainous destroyer of the urban fabric or a necessary force who "got things done"