What's In a Name? Not Robert Moses

Local officials in the area of Niagara Falls in New York say the name Robert Moses is a detriment to the local tourism industry—so they're removing his name from a local parkway.

1 minute read

March 23, 2016, 2:00 PM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Robert Moses Parkway

Andy Arthur / Flickr

The New York State Legislature approved a bill earlier this month that changes the name of the Robert Moses Parkway in Niagara County, reports Bill Mahoney.

Republican state Sen. Rob Ortt sponsored the bill, which passed unanimously with no debate earlier this month. Ortt is quoted in the article explaining the reasoning behind removing Moses's name from the parkway.

I think from a tourism standpoint a lot of people felt that 'Robert Moses Parkway' didn’t really say anything about Niagara or Niagara County or anything about the area…. And it was a name that a lot of people today, maybe driving the parkway, don’t know who that is or why it’s important to the area. And while there’s certainly a significance there, I think the feeling was, amongst the localities, that changing the name to the Niagara Scenic Parkway is more in line with what we’re trying to promote, which is Niagara and Niagara County and Niagara Falls.

The parkway joins a growing list of projects from the Moses era getting new names, along with what Mahoney describes as a "broader effort to resist naming government holdings after living figures." 

[Updated March 23, 2016] New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced a $40 million plan to remove two miles of the Robert Moses Parkway earlier this week. An article by Nancy Fischer has more.

Wednesday, March 9, 2016 in Politico New York

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Aerial view of single-family homes with swimming pools in San Diego, California.

San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule

The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.

March 9, 2025 - Axios

Canadian flag in foreground with blurred Canadian Parliament building in background in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Has President Trump Met His Match?

Doug Ford, the no-nonsense premier of Canada's most populous province, Ontario, is taking on Trump where it hurts — making American energy more expensive.

March 11, 2025 - Toronto Star

Close-up of green ULEZ sign in London, UK.

Study: London ULEZ Rapidly Cleaning up Air Pollution

Expanding the city’s ultra low-emission zone has resulted in dramatic drops in particle emissions in inner and outer London.

March 10, 2025 - Smart Cities World

Tents set up by unhoused people under freeway overpass in San Jose, California with American flag above them.

San Jose Mayor Takes Dual Approach to Unsheltered Homeless Population

In a commentary published in The Mercury News, Mayor Matt Mahan describes a shelter and law enforcement approach to ending targeted homeless encampments within Northern California's largest city.

March 14 - The Mercury News

Blue Atlanta streetcar on street in downtown Atlanta, Georgia.

Atlanta Changes Beltline Rail Plan

City officials say they are committed to building rail connections, but are nixing a prior plan to extend the streetcar network.

March 14 - Saporta Report

New York City city hall building.

Are Black Mayors Being Pushed Out of Office?

The mayors of New York, St. Louis, and Pittsburgh all stand to lose their seats in the coming weeks. They also all happen to be Black.

March 14 - Governing

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.