Washington Heights 181st 1 Station Set To Close: What To Know

WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, NY — The 1 train station at St. Nicholas Avenue and 181st Street is closing on Saturday for repairs that will take until December 2021.

There will be no 1 train service at the station for the entirety of the time.

The Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) will replace the elevators within the station and extend them directly into the northbound platform. The station's elevators are over 80 years old.

Reminder for 181 St 1 Customers: Starting Sun, Dec 5, until Dec 2021, there will be no 1 service at 181 St. We're completely replacing the elevators (they're over 80 years old!) that provide access to the station.

Here’s everything you need to know https://t.co/WoUJI2bnri
— NYCT Subway. Wear a Mask. (@NYCTSubway) December 2, 2020

The station closing will undoubtedly change the commute for countless Inwood and Washington Heights residents. Here's how the MTA suggests getting around the neighborhood without using the 181st Street 1 train station.

• You can take the M3 bus to get to and from the 168th or 191st 1 Street stations. The bus will operate every six to 10 minutes on St. Nicholas Avenue during weekdays.
• For those traveling to and from Amsterdam Avenue, the M101 will make stops every eight to 11 minutes in the area on weekdays.
• Use A train service at the 181st Street station on Fort Washington Avenue.

The MTA finished a project last week that installed brand new elevators at the nearby 191st Street 1 station. The elevators have more space and are also easier to access for passengers.

The 181st Street 1 station was built in 1906, and while the repair work is undoubtedly necessary, the extended closure on such a central Washington Heights subway stop will come with its hardships for commuters.

You can read more about the repair work the MTA is doing in Upper Manhattan here.