Viral TikTok highlights commuters' frustrations with Upper West Side subway station elevator closure
A subway station elevator on the Upper West Side has been out of service for months, and one fed-up mom turned to social media to try to get help.
Her video garnered more than 15 million views and 2.6 million likes on TikTok, connecting people of all walks of life who are frustrated by the service disruption.
Elevators closed since December
Back in December, both elevators at the 72nd Street subway station were closed down to install new ones, and the timeline has struck a chord with commuters.
The MTA says the elevators will be running again in July, but that feels far for Katie Knuhtsen, who demonstrated the difficulty she faces trudging up and down two flights of stairs with a stroller to get her toddler to and from school.
"In the subway, there are a lot of dangers, and I prefer my toddler to be strapped in," she said.
She took her issue to TikTok, asking Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who jumped in to shovel snow and fill potholes, to come to the rescue.
"I said, 'Mayor Mamdani, please fix the elevator at 72nd Street,'" she said. "'It's been down for months, and I am sick of having to turn into the Hulk just to get my daughter to school.'"
Other commuters share her feelings.
"Imagine a blind person trying to walk down using your cane ... and then somebody hits the cane," commuter Bryan Velasquez said. "So the elevator, it may take a little longer, yes, but it's easier."
Dozens of elevators to be modernized
While the MTA project falls outside of the mayor's power, Knuhtsen is hopeful.
"It's definitely gotten attention, so I really hope that it speeds up the process, at least," she said.
The mayor's deputy press secretary said in a statement, in part, "We are happy to see that the MTA will take action to fix this elevator and others through their capital replacement projects."
According to the MTA website, 25 elevators are currently out of service across the subway system. Of those, six need repairs and 19 elevators have been decommissioned to be replaced.
The MTA plans to replace and modernize at least 45 elevators between 2025 and 2029 under the capital plan.
"Replacing elevators now means less repair and fewer disruptions to your travel," the MTA website says.
If your stop has an elevator outage, you can report it on the MTA website.
