Robert Caro says that in the 1920s people complained that government could not build anything because of numerous obstacles.

“People were also saying, "You can't build anything." This was in the 1920s. The people were saying, "Government can't build anything.”

“There are too many blocks. Nothing's getting built. We need highways. The, it's the age of cars. Everyone's getting automobiles, but we have the same old roads, and nobody can build them because the property owners don't want the roads built through their land."”