168th Street (New York City Subway)

168th Street
New York City Subway rapid transit station complex
Entrance at 169th Street.
Station statistics
Address	West 168th Street, Broadway, and St. Nicholas Avenue New York, NY 10032
Borough	Manhattan
Locale	Washington Heights
Coordinates	40°50′28″N 73°56′23″W / 40.841022°N 73.939791°W / 40.841022; -73.939791Coordinates: 40°50′28″N 73°56′23″W / 40.841022°N 73.939791°W / 40.841022; -73.939791
Division	A (IRT), B (IND)
Line	IND Eighth Avenue Line IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line
Services	1  (all times)       A  (all times)       C  (all except late nights)
Transit connections	NYCT Bus: M2, M3, M5, M100, Bx7 (M4 on Fort Washington Avenue) Short Line Bus: 208
Levels	2
Other information
Opened	For the transfer point, July 1, 1948 (1948-07-01)[1]
Station code	605[2]
Wireless service	[3]
Former/other names	Washington Heights–168th Street
Traffic
Passengers (2016)	8,217,661 (station complex)[4]  2.6%
Rank	45 out of 422
Station service legend Symbol Description Stops all times except late nights Stops all times
Location Show map of New York City Subway Show map of New York City Show map of New York Show map of the US

168th Street (formerly Washington Heights–168th Street), is an underground New York City Subway station complex shared by the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line and IND Eighth Avenue Line. It is located at the intersection of 168th Street and Broadway in Washington Heights, Manhattan and served by the 1 and A trains at all times,^[5][6] and the C train at all times except late nights.^[7]

Station layout

G	Street Level	Exit/Entrance
B1	Mezzanine	Fare control, station agent (Elevator on SE corner of 168th Street and Saint Nicholas Avenue for A C trains only; elevators to 1 train are not accessible)
B2 Platform level	Northbound express	← toward Inwood – 207th Street (all times except nights) (175th Street)
	Island platform, doors will open on the left for express trains, right for local trains
	Northbound local	← termination track (all times except nights) ← toward Inwood – 207th Street (late nights) (175th Street)
	Southbound local	→ toward Euclid Avenue (boarding passengers only; all times except nights) (163rd Street – Amsterdam Avenue) →
	Island platform, doors will open on the left for A trains, right for C trains
	Southbound express	→ toward Lefferts Boulevard or Far Rockaway – Mott Avenue (all times except nights), or Rockaway Park – Beach 116th Street (PM rush) (145th Street) → → toward Far Rockaway – Mott Avenue (late nights) (163rd Street – Amsterdam Avenue) →
B3	Crossover	To elevators
B4 Platform level	Side platform, doors will open on the right
	Northbound	← toward Van Cortlandt Park – 242nd Street (181st Street)
	Southbound	→ toward South Ferry (157th Street) →
	Side platform, doors will open on the right

The IRT portion of the station is very deep and requires the use of elevators to reach the platform after fare control, which is on a full length mezzanine above the higher IND portion. Another set of elevators connecting the IND platforms and tracks to the mezzanine, and an elevator between the mezzanine to the street, make that portion handicapped-accessible. The IRT section is not ADA accessible since the platforms have no elevators (reaching the elevators to fare control requires climbing short staircases).

In 2005, the station was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Exits

The full-time fare control area is at the center of the mezzanine, and has a turnstile bank, token booth, and one staircase and one elevator going up to the northeast corner of West 168th Street and Saint Nicholas Avenue. The part-time side at the north end of the mezzanine has HEET turnstiles and three staircases, two to the southwest corner of Broadway and 169th Street and one to the northwest corner. An exit-only turnstile in the middle of the mezzanine, near the corridor leading to the IRT platforms, leads to a staircase going up to north end of Mitchell Square Park on the south side of West 168th Street between Broadway and Saint Nicholas Avenue.^[8]

The passageway leading to the IRT elevators is just beyond the full-time fare control area. There are two exit stairs past this part-time fare control area, both of which diverge in opposite directions near the southwest corner of Broadway and 168th Street.^[8]

There is evidence that there was another passageway outside fare control near the south end of the IND platforms, including two closed off staircases from each platform and street exits to 167th Street.^[9] This passageway was closed in the 1980s for safety reasons.^[9] This area is now used for New York City Transit employees only.

IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line platforms

168th Street
New York City Subway rapid transit station
Uptown platform looking south with passenger bridge connecting to the downtown platform
Station statistics
Division	A (IRT)
Line	IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line
Services	1  (all times)
Structure	Underground
Platforms	2 side platforms
Tracks	2
Other information
Opened	April 14, 1906 (1906-04-14)
Station code	302[2]
Accessible	ADA-accessible to mezzanine only; platforms are not ADA-accessible
Wireless service	[3]
Station succession
Next north	181st Street: 1
Next south	157th Street: 1
Station service legend Symbol Description Stops all times

Track layout
to 181 St to 157 St

168th Street on the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line has two tracks and two side platforms.^[10]

History

The West Side Branch of the first subway was extended northward to a temporary terminus of 221st Street and Broadway on March 12, 1906 with the station at 168th Street not yet open.^[11] This extension was served by shuttle trains operating between 157th Street and 221st Street until May 30, 1906 when express trains began running through to 221st Street.^[12][13] The 168th Street station opened for service on April 14, 1906.^[14]

In 1948, platforms on the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line from 103rd Street to 238th Street were lengthened to 514 feet to allow full ten-car express trains to platform. Previously the stations could only platform six car local trains. The platform extensions were opened in stages. On April 6, 1948, the stations from 103rd Street to Dyckman Street had their platform extensions opened, with the exception of 125th Street, which had its extension opened on June 11, 1948.^[15][16]

On December 28, 1950, the New York City Board of Transportation issued a report concerning the construction of bomb shelters in the subway system. Five deep stations in Washington Heights, including the 168th Street station, were considered to be ideal for being used as bomb-proof shelters. The program was expected to cost $104,000,000. These shelters were expected to provide limited protection against conventional bombs, while providing protection against shock waves and air blast, as well as from the heat and radiation from an atomic bomb. To become suitable as shelters, the stations would require water-supply facilities, first-aid rooms, and additional bathrooms.^[17]

In 2004, the number of elevator attendants at the station was reduced to one per station as a result of budget cuts by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). The agency had intended to remove all the attendants, but kept one in each station after many riders protested. The change saved $1.2 million a year.^[18] In November 2007, the MTA proposed savings cuts to help reduce the agency's deficit. As part of the plan, all elevator operators at 168th Street, along with those in four other stations in Washington Heights, would have been cut.^[19] On December 7, 2007, the MTA announced that it would not remove the remaining elevator operators at 168th Street, along with those in four other stations in Washington Heights. The move was intended to save $1.7 million a year, but was not implemented due to pushback from elected officials and residents from the area.^[20]

The elevator attendants currently serve as a way to reassure passengers as the elevators are the only entrance to the platforms, and passengers often wait for the elevators with an attendant.^[21] The attendants at the five stations are primarily maintenance and cleaning workers who suffered injuries that made it hard for them to continue doing their original jobs.^[22]

Service history

The station was served by Seventh Avenue express trains from 1906 to 1959, after which the station has been served by local 1 trains.^[23] From 1989-2005, the 9 service, a skip-stop variant of the 1, went to the station.^[24]

Station design

This deep station has a high arched tiled ceiling and white globe lights on ornate fixtures hanging from the walls and ceiling on the north half. The south half, where the platforms were extended in the 1950s, has a much lower ceiling and large marble columns with alternating ones having the standard black station name plates in white lettering, but the name tablets and trim line are the same as those on the north half of the station. There is a closed stairway on the extreme northern end of the northbound platform leading to an unknown location.

Near the north end of the station, there are two bridges above the tracks, each of which has two staircases going down to each platform. On the southbound side of the bridges, there are four elevators, one of which is staffed, going up to an unstaffed fare control area where a turnstile bank leads to two staircases going up to the southwest corner of Broadway and West 168th Street. A corridor within fare control leads to the IND mezzanine.

Until 2015, the elevators to the platforms on the IRT Broadway – Seventh Avenue Line still utilized elevator operators, one of the only stations in the system to do so.^[25]

Gallery

• 
  Mosaic name tile
• 
  Details of the mosaic work on the wall
• 
  Middle of uptown platform under renovation in 2013.
• 
  The southbound platform under reconstruction in 2015

IND Eighth Avenue Line platforms

168th Street
New York City Subway rapid transit station
Station statistics
Division	B (IND)
Line	IND Eighth Avenue Line
Services	A  (all times)       C  (all except late nights)
Structure	Underground
Platforms	2 island platforms cross-platform interchange
Tracks	4
Other information
Opened	September 10, 1932 (1932-09-10)[26]
Station code	148[2]
Accessible	ADA-accessible (IND Eighth Avenue Line platforms only)
Wireless service	[3]
Station succession
Next north	175th Street: A  (Terminal): C
Next south	163rd Street–Amsterdam Avenue (local): A  C  145th Street (express): A
Next north	175th Street: A  none: C
Next south	125th Street: A  C
Station service legend Symbol Description Stops all times except late nights Stops all times Stops late nights only

Track layout
to 174 St Yard to 175 St to 145 St to 163 St

168th Street is an express station on the IND Eighth Avenue Line that opened on September 10, 1932,^[27] and has four tracks and two island platforms. Contrary to the usual express station layout, the inner tracks serve the C local trains while the outer tracks serve the A express trains. This is to make it easier for C trains to terminate here, and turn around to make the southbound trip to Brooklyn. South of this station, the outer tracks descend to a lower level below the inner tracks, creating a two-over-two track layout. North of the station, the inner tracks continue north under Broadway to 174th Street Yard while the outer tracks turn sharply under Fort Washington Avenue before continuing to Inwood–207th Street.^[10]

Both outer track walls have a reddish purple with a black border, but no name tablets, and small "168" signs below them in white numbering on a black border. This station has a full length mezzanine above the platforms and tracks.

The station is planned to be renovated starting in 2016 as part of the 2010–2014 MTA Capital Program. An MTA study conducted in 2015 found that 48% of components were out of date.^[9]

Service history

When the line opened, this station was served by an AA local train from 168th Street to Chambers Street/World Trade Center.^[28] It was discontinued in 1933 when the CC was created to run local along the IND Eighth Avenue and Concourse lines. It was resurrected in 1940 when the BB (later B) was created.^[29] The AA, which only ran outside rush hours after 1940,^[29] was renamed K in 1985 and completely replaced by the C's midday service on December 11, 1988.^[30][31]

The original BB train, beginning with the opening of the Sixth Avenue Line on December 15, 1940, ran as a rush-hour only local service starting at 168th Street–Washington Heights. The designation "B" was originally intended to designate express trains originating in Washington Heights and going to Midtown Manhattan on the IND Sixth Avenue Line.^[32][33] On March 1, 1998, the B and the C switched northern terminals, ending B service to this station and bringing C trains to this station at all times except late nights.^[32][34]

The A has always served this station since its inception in 1932.^[32][9]

An R32 C train entering service at 168th Street bound for Brooklyn

Nearby points of interest

Nearby points of interest include NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center, Hudson River waterfront parks, and remnants of the Audubon Ballroom.^[8]

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to 168th Street (New York City Subway).

• nycsubway.org – IRT West Side Line: 168th Street
• nycsubway.org – IND 8th Avenue: 168th Street
• Station Reporter – 168 Street/Broadway Complex
• The Subway Nut – Washington Heights–168th Street Pictures
• 168th Street entrance to Eighth Avenue Line from Google Maps Street View
• 169th Street entrance to Eighth Avenue Line from Google Maps Street View
• 168th Street entrance to Broadway-Seventh Avenue Line from Google Maps Street View
• IRT overpass from Google Maps Street View
• IRT platforms from Google Maps Street View
• IND platforms from Google Maps Street View

New York City Subway stations, by service
	Van Cortlandt Park–242nd Street 238th Street 231st Street Marble Hill–225th Street 215th Street 207th Street Dyckman Street 191st Street 181st Street 168th Street 157th Street 145th Street 137th Street–City College 125th Street 116th Street–Columbia University Cathedral Parkway–110th Street 103rd Street 96th Street 86th Street 79th Street 72nd Street 66th Street–Lincoln Center 59th Street–Columbus Circle 50th Street Times Square–42nd Street 34th Street–Penn Station 28th Street 23rd Street 18th Street 14th Street Christopher Street–Sheridan Square Houston Street Canal Street Franklin Street Chambers Street Cortlandt Street Rector Street South Ferry
	Inwood–207th Street Dyckman Street 190th Street 181st Street 175th Street 168th Street 163rd Street–Amsterdam Avenue* 155th Street* 145th Street 135th Street* 125th Street 116th Street* Cathedral Parkway–110th Street* 103rd Street* 96th Street* 86th Street* 81st Street–Museum of Natural History* 72nd Street* 59th Street–Columbus Circle 50th Street* 42nd Street–Port Authority Bus Terminal 34th Street–Penn Station 23rd Street* 14th Street West Fourth Street–Washington Square Spring Street* Canal Street Chambers Street–World Trade Center Fulton Street High Street Jay Street–MetroTech Hoyt–Schermerhorn Streets Lafayette Avenue* Clinton–Washington Avenues* Franklin Avenue* Nostrand Avenue Kingston–Throop Avenues* Utica Avenue Ralph Avenue* Rockaway Avenue* Broadway Junction Liberty Avenue* Van Siclen Avenue* Shepherd Avenue* Euclid Avenue Grant Avenue 80th Street 88th Street Rockaway Boulevard Lefferts branch 104th Street 111th Street Ozone Park–Lefferts Boulevard Rockaways branches Aqueduct Racetrack Aqueduct–North Conduit Avenue Howard Beach–JFK Airport Broad Channel Far Rockaway branch Beach 67th Street Beach 60th Street Beach 44th Street Beach 36th Street Beach 25th Street Far Rockaway–Mott Avenue Rockaway Park branch Beach 90th Street Beach 98th Street Beach 105th Street Rockaway Park–Beach 116th Street
	168th Street 163rd Street–Amsterdam Avenue 155th Street 135th Street 125th Street 116th Street Cathedral Parkway–110th Street 103rd Street 96th Street 86th Street 81st Street–Museum of Natural History 72nd Street 59th Street–Columbus Circle 50th Street 42nd Street–Port Authority Bus Terminal 34th Street–Penn Station 23rd Street 14th Street West Fourth Street–Washington Square Spring Street Canal Street Chambers Street–World Trade Center Fulton Street High Street Jay Street–MetroTech Hoyt–Schermerhorn Streets Lafayette Avenue Clinton–Washington Avenues Franklin Avenue Nostrand Avenue Kingston–Throop Avenues Utica Avenue Ralph Avenue Rockaway Avenue Broadway Junction Liberty Avenue Van Siclen Avenue Shepherd Avenue Euclid Avenue
See also Lists by borough (The Bronx Brooklyn Manhattan Queens) Accessible Closed Terminals Transfer Commons category Note: Temporary reroutes on the 2, 5, and M trains are not reflected here. Stations with asterisks are served by that service during off-peak hours only. See linked articles for more information.

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