This video was produced by Nate Dorr and RPA and aired during the RPA Centennial Assembly on May 6, 2022 to commemorate the organization’s 100th anniversary.
The Second Plan in Context
By the early 1960s, the recommendations of RPA’s First Regional Plan were largely implemented, with one glaring exception: the transit connections. The failure of the region to invest in transit, along with an explosive growth in car ownership and Federal policies that supported new construction outside of city centers, led to the unprecedented suburbanization of the New York region after World War II.
- The economic base of the region shifted. In the 1930s, 55 percent of the region’s population growth was in New York City. After World War II, there was a massive move to the suburbs - in just 15 years, the suburban population doubled. The number of jobs in the suburbs also grew, while at the same time, manufacturing jobs rapidly left New York City.
- This migration was enabled a highway network that had tripled in size between 1945 and 1969. As more people purchased cars, ridership on public transportation plummeted.
- Land consumption in the region skyrocketed. The surface area of developed land in the region more than tripled between 1935 and 1965. Residents occupied four times as much land in 1965 than in the three decades prior. Open, undeveloped natural spaces were becoming a finite resource.
Multiple Reports, One Plan
The Second Regional Plan consisted of a series of comprehensive reports on the challenges facing the region in the 1960s. The reports ranged from analytical studies on the economic and demographic features of the region to specific case studies that illustrated novel ideas advanced in the Plan, such as more public participation in planning and the redevelopment of regional city centers.
![1968 Plan2 Books](https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/300x300/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/work/Reports/Archive-Featured-Reports/Second-Plan/1968_Plan2-Books.jpg?bossToken=5184d1be766856a6419e7a705971b28eab8136d2bfcc2fe1d8227d9b59c793d9 171w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/600x600/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/work/Reports/Archive-Featured-Reports/Second-Plan/1968_Plan2-Books.jpg?bossToken=f91742e1c754437abf9561a321daead66283209dd2349b27f3dccb25f0e88d2c 343w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/900x900/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/work/Reports/Archive-Featured-Reports/Second-Plan/1968_Plan2-Books.jpg?bossToken=17a947c8e11bb09cc22e6323dd7e33f5499b9460c79cfdbb3c32ed2a56233abf 514w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/1200x1200/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/work/Reports/Archive-Featured-Reports/Second-Plan/1968_Plan2-Books.jpg?bossToken=ec5e0a34e5fbf3922cd0116e9e2887c0227fc780d6ef8976675c279fcd2f71fc 686w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/1500x1500/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/work/Reports/Archive-Featured-Reports/Second-Plan/1968_Plan2-Books.jpg?bossToken=c0b60470b05c135de4818215bd39904b985c9b173b24f958cf35b546faa5ec1a 857w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/1800x1800/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/work/Reports/Archive-Featured-Reports/Second-Plan/1968_Plan2-Books.jpg?bossToken=7b8697d5c800c6cdb05233bb4966338309075243d70a61f2234d60508345a3e2 1029w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/2100x2100/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/work/Reports/Archive-Featured-Reports/Second-Plan/1968_Plan2-Books.jpg?bossToken=ec7ac7f19fd2ce3c3e9adf5f41727dab2c8ac5ce23bfc361b8ab5a2fa1a9e3de 1200w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/2400x2400/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/work/Reports/Archive-Featured-Reports/Second-Plan/1968_Plan2-Books.jpg?bossToken=791438c4da5373d898f11060b65785efaa94d8554e136f011b6f72a0ab2907f5 1371w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/2700x2700/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/work/Reports/Archive-Featured-Reports/Second-Plan/1968_Plan2-Books.jpg?bossToken=1e234057c23952bf1a26cc1c39058ab3cb6b7188dbe82803d877f67ca97241e6 1543w)
A Radical Central Tenet
At a time when the general consensus was that the automobile-enabled decentralization of growth was good, the Second Regional Plan called for building the transit network necessary for regional city centers to thrive. The Plan identified and quantified the alarming trends caused by sprawl, including environmental degradation and decline of the region’s older city centers. It proposed a bold program of concentration of employment in cities. RPA called for Manhattan to be the commercial and financial hub of the region, and for regional city centers such as Downtown Brooklyn, Jamaica, Newark, New Brunswick, Paterson, Stamford and others to grow and thrive.
Major Reports of The Second Regional Plan
The Future of the Counties
RPA released a series of place-based supplemental reports for the Second Regional Plan. From 1969 through 1974, RPA released reports on Connecticut counties such as Fairfield; New Jersey Counties such as Bergen, Passaic, Middlesex, and Morris; and New York counties such as Dutchess, Nassau, Orange, Suffolk, and Westchester.
Through meetings, conversations, and workshops involving thousands of volunteers, RPA identified the major concerns that formed the backbone of the Second Regional Plan.
The Second Regional Plan broadened the concept of public participation from simple dissemination of proposals to community engagement and consultation. This new approach consisted of several steps: preparation of basic projections for the region’s future, creation of sketches based on these projections illustrating what the living conditions might be like if present trends and policies continued, and presentation of the sketches to the public in organized meetings and workshops. RPA also coordinated a 125-member Committee, composed of civic, business, educational, labor, professional, and religious leaders, to provide feedback on the Plan.
In 1968, RPA presented the Second Regional Plan as draft for discussion to around 1000 individuals in New York, who then broke out into smaller groups to discuss the issues raised and fill out questionnaires. Concerns raised by residents included: a growing separation of rich and poor, inadequate housing, long commutes, racial segregation, the loss of green space, and a lack of a sense of community.
The public participation approach used by RPA in the Second Regional Plan provided a template for community engagement in urban planning.
![Second Plan Movie Stills](https://img.imageboss.me/general/width/300/quality:80/work/Unsorted-Report-Images/SecondPlanMovieStills.jpg?bossToken=38791d6579c538ecf726888944cc7da093509f01a40bafa7351fbdb4c43b347b 171w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/width/600/quality:80/work/Unsorted-Report-Images/SecondPlanMovieStills.jpg?bossToken=9b7373b458eb3ea6bf2ccea609619f69f049b9e3e719623c6d961f3cf2bd67a7 343w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/width/900/quality:80/work/Unsorted-Report-Images/SecondPlanMovieStills.jpg?bossToken=66f021275589c454da1a2aeaedf6a3d2f28e018e554a48a931055f7488f39693 514w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/width/1200/quality:80/work/Unsorted-Report-Images/SecondPlanMovieStills.jpg?bossToken=be18442a8976ecb3fffa5ac1e3bb23f7298267ef24b96f642a9fa6cadfb0fbfa 686w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/width/1500/quality:80/work/Unsorted-Report-Images/SecondPlanMovieStills.jpg?bossToken=c13ed1da937ef49a54517a9570c23208dd60544d246c0f65eb965a856590e776 857w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/width/1800/quality:80/work/Unsorted-Report-Images/SecondPlanMovieStills.jpg?bossToken=08fbcecc4540cd1fe35aa7103ec74f9fb3cdbf42227295583e18a8fe8b258285 1029w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/width/2100/quality:80/work/Unsorted-Report-Images/SecondPlanMovieStills.jpg?bossToken=9855170e587a3bc2e33a3ea40229948b3053a2c4ab15f4ed774a5c48a8bb41f1 1200w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/width/2400/quality:80/work/Unsorted-Report-Images/SecondPlanMovieStills.jpg?bossToken=f14cb438bf6db0bfe736e80c08870407c9ba5d669d5b712389b27a3bfc1099e6 1371w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/width/2700/quality:80/work/Unsorted-Report-Images/SecondPlanMovieStills.jpg?bossToken=138e6bd99fff52055b10db702c1ebca465d959deed03096d59064507d612ac3a 1543w)
To create the Second Regional Plan, RPA used then cutting edge technology – television – to expand the public planning process. Here are frames from two short movies illustrating mobility options.
The Second Regional Plan introduced some key urban planning concepts that are still relevant today:
- “Only public transportation investment can help the motorist out of congestion.” In the Second Regional Plan, RPA clearly articulated that providing additional roadway capacity in a dense region would not improve conditions, as new drivers would quickly fill up any additional space.
- The Plan called for varied housing types and income groups in each community, and for housing to be near employment and retail – what today is called mixed-income, mixed-use neighborhoods.
Major recommendations of the Second Regional Plan that continue to shape the region include:
Federal Support for Urban Mass Transit
The federal Urban Mass Transportation Act adopted RPA’s principle of federal support for capital costs for urban mass transit. By ensuring adequate funding, the region’s transit agencies were able to plan for the long term. RPA supported the formation of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which brought together the subway, bus, commuter rail, and many bridge-and-tunnel toll facilities under one roof.
![MTA Logo](https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/300x300/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/work/Reports/Archive-Featured-Reports/Second-Plan/MTA_Logo.jpg?bossToken=85d20ee621b0f20fe86e5fd316e8921a126ffb785d609cdebfba3f0a029f0bbf 171w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/600x600/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/work/Reports/Archive-Featured-Reports/Second-Plan/MTA_Logo.jpg?bossToken=68ff4ab67e6d6fc27257c91ea20a288417d4e0941b324d0a70e08d87af756b5a 343w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/900x900/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/work/Reports/Archive-Featured-Reports/Second-Plan/MTA_Logo.jpg?bossToken=c1aaa58bd4ba2f5543707a7f6e8ca6c5e01fb79dc00212cdd53e747017829d85 514w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/1200x1200/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/work/Reports/Archive-Featured-Reports/Second-Plan/MTA_Logo.jpg?bossToken=cae7f6bc112e6a23a380c7c56da5fbe1a999c4853d325aa4b7f8bb4fb23e33f6 686w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/1500x1500/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/work/Reports/Archive-Featured-Reports/Second-Plan/MTA_Logo.jpg?bossToken=f0ce8a2c44c54be13a32e7cd8576cc885df22132017a5b56038750f2e2c385cf 857w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/1800x1800/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/work/Reports/Archive-Featured-Reports/Second-Plan/MTA_Logo.jpg?bossToken=a3d637863fe4cd008b040aa9c2c23a9ad249df3aae506b2dfbe2ba1591c0cdcd 1029w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/2100x2100/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/work/Reports/Archive-Featured-Reports/Second-Plan/MTA_Logo.jpg?bossToken=718b4eb1a54d53c6ecafee21f35d3ccdcb1add8b8c384901d57299c959159fed 1200w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/2400x2400/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/work/Reports/Archive-Featured-Reports/Second-Plan/MTA_Logo.jpg?bossToken=08ee4a08c440eed2f047a96ac5c70dc8c0829b85a1b21905a8f2ab338a0fc65b 1371w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/2700x2700/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/work/Reports/Archive-Featured-Reports/Second-Plan/MTA_Logo.jpg?bossToken=885fa86896b925ad43a3ea3f70d7c0c5f77babf7414b1e4e761b4603fe681931 1543w)
Traci Lawson
A Renewed Lower Hudson River Area
The Second Regional Plan identified the need to develop better infrastructure, housing, and public parks in the Lower Hudson area. Its vision for Manhattan, Hoboken, and Jersey City has largely become reality, with better transit, an attractive waterfront, and mixed-use development.
![Jersey City Waterfront](https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/300x300/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/work/Reports/Archive-Featured-Reports/Second-Plan/JerseyCityWaterfront.jpg?bossToken=74e20b89e3e69d7cd5f7780593c2ec28afa6e149565ad4369ccc5dff81dcf09b 171w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/600x600/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/work/Reports/Archive-Featured-Reports/Second-Plan/JerseyCityWaterfront.jpg?bossToken=708031ab72059b26a8a9b2ac6c3d3ab87bd1548825b4cb0f5436bde805e7c56c 343w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/900x900/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/work/Reports/Archive-Featured-Reports/Second-Plan/JerseyCityWaterfront.jpg?bossToken=9b88c22bc0ba616dec1abc3602feb92466bf2963ba276c868915543b524b6a06 514w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/1200x1200/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/work/Reports/Archive-Featured-Reports/Second-Plan/JerseyCityWaterfront.jpg?bossToken=03bd591310a496289b54dc659aa4f49f5a30ba1a7aeca1eafd9dffe6095ccb76 686w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/1500x1500/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/work/Reports/Archive-Featured-Reports/Second-Plan/JerseyCityWaterfront.jpg?bossToken=6bf44a6db4397210d0f3e0375b7b041b57c506e93e22d9f6a87aad49bf3c7e6f 857w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/1800x1800/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/work/Reports/Archive-Featured-Reports/Second-Plan/JerseyCityWaterfront.jpg?bossToken=e558fe66084085b87d4397669a5e945ad774416e6371822b237f965b715356df 1029w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/2100x2100/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/work/Reports/Archive-Featured-Reports/Second-Plan/JerseyCityWaterfront.jpg?bossToken=2b3778c42a0325b27f6d54458d2fcd95657b971d24612d9f2e1547dda5db2a34 1200w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/2400x2400/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/work/Reports/Archive-Featured-Reports/Second-Plan/JerseyCityWaterfront.jpg?bossToken=7fc4dc351e0bdf282dbe5481a8082f25d208b391af82d0dadf16cba00f25e3d1 1371w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/2700x2700/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/work/Reports/Archive-Featured-Reports/Second-Plan/JerseyCityWaterfront.jpg?bossToken=66e0533deabf2643668b5edec2f639811fd8be677085994c0b62e45c4ce49022 1543w)
A. V. Flores
Regional Centers Revived
The Second Regional Plan highlighted the issues facing regional city centers of rising taxes, disinvestment, and growing segregation. The Plan recommended more investment in public services, such as increased funding for education, and advocated for greater federal share in these investments. It also proposed patterns of urbanization that would focus development in regional city centers that would lead to greater access to jobs and higher education for low-income residents and communities of color. RPA called for the revival of regional centers such as Downtown Brooklyn, Jamaica, Newark, New Brunswick, Paterson, and Stamford.
![Stamfod Connecticut](https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/300x300/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/work/Unsorted-Report-Images/Stamfod-Connecticut.jpg?bossToken=bc3faa60fbf625f477e949ec96182ad5abcbe1a4b45be5f17ec463c3569857be 171w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/600x600/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/work/Unsorted-Report-Images/Stamfod-Connecticut.jpg?bossToken=d7713241d3ae6f67dc02a22200813bd15d4d283f9d9ced709737f11928f7960d 343w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/900x900/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/work/Unsorted-Report-Images/Stamfod-Connecticut.jpg?bossToken=9fc3d7d3616a7da28ca64096afb3488882cf0e8f37d297f6482f5692632fb4ac 514w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/1200x1200/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/work/Unsorted-Report-Images/Stamfod-Connecticut.jpg?bossToken=2165c7c47d68aff671f30cd8fb7cedb02c3a21509d56fefdc5c17f3b1219c14d 686w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/1500x1500/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/work/Unsorted-Report-Images/Stamfod-Connecticut.jpg?bossToken=c5ca68fc6000570829bf7d74758054e990445ff54e3c233384d303d4116d45da 857w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/1800x1800/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/work/Unsorted-Report-Images/Stamfod-Connecticut.jpg?bossToken=6dc468e1ac41ac1dacdfe9c51ef1127a27f2ea271eb6bef80789be9045249c59 1029w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/2100x2100/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/work/Unsorted-Report-Images/Stamfod-Connecticut.jpg?bossToken=03792a242e41881b3880b780a989226a71cac666aadec1cd11b9e138ab043d19 1200w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/2400x2400/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/work/Unsorted-Report-Images/Stamfod-Connecticut.jpg?bossToken=fc1601b9c1874864c4411e2ef25ebb5f60307a43cc65b2026430a606a5156ea2 1371w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/2700x2700/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/work/Unsorted-Report-Images/Stamfod-Connecticut.jpg?bossToken=d60586518ccf105546620bc0c950e657ef4475326f9a5d582d89ca08c2da62f0 1543w)
J. J. Bers
Preserving and Protecting Natural Spaces
RPA called for an aggressive program to acquire, protect, and permanently preserve natural landscapes for future generations. Between 1961 and 1973, local governments in the region acquired 210 square miles of additional parkland, including $2 million in federal funds for acquisitions directly conforming to RPA proposals. Significant acquisitions included the creation of several new national and state parks, including Fire Island National Seashore. RPA led the effort to create Gateway National Recreation Center, which in 1972 became the first major federal recreation area in an urban setting.
![Gateway Park Sign](https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/300x300/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/work/Reports/Archive-Featured-Reports/Second-Plan/GatewayParkSign.jpg?bossToken=b2b26837489f3b88c7cdf275a3ce82e41cf92248756d05ff0ac941751c0f95c2 171w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/600x600/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/work/Reports/Archive-Featured-Reports/Second-Plan/GatewayParkSign.jpg?bossToken=229f34c3dece063b6bcc8af7bc454af60985873fb64c8dedaec74740d8a6cf25 343w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/900x900/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/work/Reports/Archive-Featured-Reports/Second-Plan/GatewayParkSign.jpg?bossToken=72713fa520d12ca7082881072f91470d42837968d7f7eed6215f68d7e5500dee 514w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/1200x1200/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/work/Reports/Archive-Featured-Reports/Second-Plan/GatewayParkSign.jpg?bossToken=0c172d1b255a7f4702a1e1a8125b1fbc6f51b227575985cd4862a224756befa5 686w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/1500x1500/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/work/Reports/Archive-Featured-Reports/Second-Plan/GatewayParkSign.jpg?bossToken=27655f811ae5f0620fab64799366b1c247b077fcdeefcec76d3a6437d4f7e448 857w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/1800x1800/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/work/Reports/Archive-Featured-Reports/Second-Plan/GatewayParkSign.jpg?bossToken=54dea2d348b5bfaf2d74a47093503bf48d4dad40534af6696dd66bef5b577be3 1029w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/2100x2100/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/work/Reports/Archive-Featured-Reports/Second-Plan/GatewayParkSign.jpg?bossToken=5ac855617360d285c2eb996de55bcf9d2b9b2f067f25159b59a642a5e1c7e218 1200w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/2400x2400/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/work/Reports/Archive-Featured-Reports/Second-Plan/GatewayParkSign.jpg?bossToken=3301c2fc118b48648287b29b71953630a7f021c3db098526054300592dfccc59 1371w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/2700x2700/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/work/Reports/Archive-Featured-Reports/Second-Plan/GatewayParkSign.jpg?bossToken=61ae9c574837a0e216b7619540a331684808fa5439271a568a15b794ce20ea17 1543w)
National Park Service
Acknowledgements
Authored by
Other Reports in this Series
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