This chapter traces the sweeping changes in how New York managed its transportation systems, centering on the intense rivalry between Governor Nelson Rockefeller and Robert Moses, the long-reigning authority over the city’s public works. For years, Rockefeller had quietly crafted a plan to bring the region’s tangled web of transportation agencies under his control. The opportunity finally arrived when Mayor Lindsay made his own move for control and Moses’s grip on power began to slip. At the heart of Rockefeller’s strategy was the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority, still firmly in Moses’s hands and flush with cash—funds Rockefeller needed to realize his ambitious plans for highways, mass transit, and airports. By proposing to merge Triborough and other agencies into a single Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), Rockefeller aimed to concentrate power and effectively push Moses aside.
The chapter dives into the political and financial chess game that followed. Rockefeller’s push for a massive transportation bond issue was about more than just infrastructure; it was also a way to balance the state budget and avoid raising taxes, a crucial consideration with a possible presidential run on the horizon. Although the proposal drew support from the media and many politicians, it faced resistance from skeptical voters, especially conservatives upstate who feared higher taxes. Moses, still influential with labor unions and the press, initially fought the merger. He argued that it wouldn’t fix the subway’s financial woes and would saddle the state with unmanageable debt. He even threatened to publicly expose these weaknesses, putting Rockefeller’s entire plan at risk.
But the story takes a turn when Moses, after a series of negotiations, unexpectedly changes course. His public endorsement wasn’t really secured by legal guarantees for bondholders, as officials claimed. Instead, Rockefeller privately promised Moses continued sway within the new MTA, including a seat on the board and control over select projects. With these assurances, Moses threw his weight behind the referendum, using Authority resources to campaign for it. He also dropped a legal challenge that might have blocked the merger, convinced that his influence would endure.
In the end, the aftermath was stark. Once the merger went through, Moses found himself quietly pushed to the sidelines. The promises of ongoing power faded, leaving him with little more than a ceremonial advisory role. The chapter closes with a telling moment at a formal luncheon: Moses, who had once dominated the city’s public authorities, was now just another guest. This scene marks the close of his forty-four-year reign and underscores how political ambition, personal rivalry, and behind-the-scenes deals reshaped New York’s transportation system and brought an era of individual rule to a close.