Politicians Visit 168th Street Station, Call For Immediate Elevator Fixes

WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, NY — Politicians stood outside the 168th Street subway station Tuesday morning in Washington Heights to demand timely fixes to the station's elevators, which have broken down five times in the past three weeks and left people stranded on the platform.

City Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez and Public Advocate Letitia James said Tuesday morning that the MTA's refusal to lasting fixes at the station is an affront to the Washington Heights and Inwood communities, and that the same problems would be fixed quickly elsewhere in the city.

"We are calling on the MTA to dedicate the necessary resources to fix this problem, and to fix it immediately," James said Tuesday. "And to treat the residents of Washington Heights and Inwood with the same respect and attention, and level of service that is afforded to other New Yorkers."

Last week six politicians wrote a letter to the MTA calling for complete renovations of the eight elevators at the 168th Street and 181st Street subway stations. Since the letter was sent to Interim Executive Director of the MTA Veronique Hakim the 168th Street elevators have broken down twice — on Friday and Monday — forcing trains to bypass the station and on Friday trapping an MTA employee inside the elevator for a little more than an hour.

When trains bypass the station riders can either chose to get stuck in the elevator waiting area, as there is no stair access to the 1 train platform at the station, or to get off the train abut 10 blocks from their desired destination. Many riders going to 168th Street are patients at the Columbia University Medical Center and cannot walk 10 blocks, Rodriguez said Tuesday.

"These conditions cannot last a day longer," said NYC Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez. "It's every subway rider's worst nightmare, being caught on a platform with no way out. The MTA needs to set a date for when a complete renovation of these elevators will begin, so we can ease the concerns of our community. We know it wouldn't take this long if these elevators were at 42nd Street. "

Rodriguez said Tuesday that in addition to elevator fixes, the MTA should give riders another way to exit the station.

When asked for comment last week MTA spokesman Kevin Ortiz told Patch, "Funding to replace the elevators is included in the current 2015-2019 capital plan." The MTA has not made any indication on when repairs to the elevators will be made.

Photo courtesy of Public Advocate Letitia James/@TishJames