The LOMEX Proposal

City plans, 1941:

"This is a much-needed crosstown connection between the Manhattan and Williamsburg bridges, and the Holland Tunnel, serving local cross-Manhattan traffic as well as traffic from the bridges and the tunnel. This connection would not only provide additional needed capacity for crosstown traffic, but would also help relieve congestion on north-south streets by minimizing delays at heavily traveled crosstown streets, such as Canal Street."

Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Commission, 1955:

"East of the Holland Tunnel, the widened right-of-way would follow the north side of Watts Street, continuing eastward as an elevated eight-lane route along the north side of Broome Street. Near Centre Street, the outer lanes of the highway would descend and pass under Elizabeth Street, continuing eastward in an open-walled cut to the Williamsburg Bridge Plaza. All streets except Mulberry and Mott would be carried across bridges over the depressed highway. At Suffolk Street the alignment would meet Delancey Street."

Robert Moses original proposal that was approved by city government never got constructed because of World War II. In the following years, Robert Moses would propose 6 additional plans for Lower Manhattan. Below are a collection of sketches, renderings, and models from between 1967 - 1972 done in collaboration with Paul Rudolph. In this new proposal, several skyscrapers and a transit hub has been added. (All images here are obtained from the Library of Congress Archives.)

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