meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
Notes from America with Kai Wright

F*&% Robert Moses. Let’s Start Over

Notes from America with Kai Wright

WNYC Studios

News Commentary, Politics, History, News

4.41.5K Ratings

🗓️ 17 May 2021

⏱️ 52 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

We’re finally back in the streets -- but are we ready to reimagine how we share public space? This week, a trip through the century-long fight between cars, bikes, and people. Kai Wright takes us on a bike tour across Brooklyn - alongside Streetsblog New York reporter Dave Colon - to survey the ways in which inequity is built into the blacktop. Former New York City Traffic Commissioner Sam Schwartz a.k.a. Gridlock Sam shares a behind-the-scenes look at the history of the city’s streets and how our relationship to public space has transformed - for better or worse. WNYC transportation reporter Stephen Nessen talks about Vision Zero, the push for biking infrastructure and why mayoral candidates’ rhetoric about safe streets is revolutionary. Read Stephen's latest reporting on Gothamist, including “Who Will Be The Next Vision Zero Mayor?” And we hear a clip of an artistic rendition of the battle for the city’s streets through “A Marvelous Order,” an opera conceived by three artists: composer Judd Greenstein, poet Tracy K. Smith, and visual artist and director Joshua Frankel. The selection features Megan Schubert as Jane Jacobs; with Eliza Bagg, Kelvin Chan, Marisa Clementi, Tomás Cruz, Lucy Dhegrae, Christopher Herbert, and Kamala Sankaram; conducted by David Bloom, and instrumentals by NOW Ensemble. Companion listening for this episode: “Government: A Love-Hate Story” (4/12/21) How did Americans come to think so poorly of government? And how did Joe Biden come to be the first modern president who’s even tried to change our minds? “Zoned for Resistance” (7/10/20) Chicago’s Little Village has been hit hard by COVID-19, but after a botched demolition left it coated in dust, one lifelong activist and her community are standing together while apart. “The United States of Anxiety” airs live on Sunday evenings at 6pm ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts. To catch all the action, tune into the show on Sunday nights via the stream on WNYC.org/anxiety or tell your smart speakers to play WNYC. We want to hear from you! Connect with us on Twitter @WNYC using the hashtag #USofAnxiety or email us at anxiety@wnyc.org.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

This is the United States of Anxiety, a show about the unfinished business of our history and its grip on our future.

0:08.4

Mayor DeBlazio is expected to sign legislation making open streets permanent.

0:12.8

So the guy in the escalate thinks that where he needs to go is more important than where

0:17.6

the person crossing the street on foot needs to go.

0:19.8

Cyclists don't follow the law that like they're supposed to.

0:22.8

That guy just went through a red light.

0:24.4

Do you see the motor vehicles going through the red light?

0:26.6

No, you don't.

0:27.6

Friendly reminder that you don't hate cities, you hate cars.

0:31.0

And I'm going to live in a city where kids can play on the street without fear of getting hit by a car.

0:36.0

New York was run by basically a Darth Vader-like figure,

0:39.0

and he made every significant decision about the way that the modern infrastructure of New York was built.

0:44.3

New York needed a Robert Moses.

0:46.4

Instead, we got the Robert Moses.

0:48.4

The notion that streets are for people is a very powerful concept. Welcome to the show, I'm Ky-Wight.

0:57.0

This is a big week for New York City.

1:01.0

We are reopening.

1:03.3

After more than a year of closures and shutdowns, the governor and the mayor and public health

1:07.9

experts say it's time to get back in these streets.

1:11.9

And so, for this week's show show we're going to do just that.

1:15.9

Okay. Let's get out it.

1:21.5

Sun is shining. I'm one of those hordes of people who found biking during the

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from WNYC Studios, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of WNYC Studios and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2025.