The High Line

The High Line is a public park built on an historic freight rail line elevated above the streets on Manhattan's West Side. It is owned by the City of New York, and maintained and operated by Friends of the High Line. Founded in 1999 by community residents, Friends of the High Line fought for the its preservation and transformation at a time when the historic structure was under the threat of demolition. It is now the non-profit conservancy working with the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation to make sure the High Line is maintained as an extraordinary public space for all visitors to enjoy. In addition to overseeing maintenance, operations, and public programming for the park, Friends of the High Line works to raise the essential private funds to support more than 90 percent of the park's annual operating budget, and to advocate for the preservation and transformation of the High Line at the Rail Yards, the third and final section of the historic structure, which runs between West 30th and West 34th Streets.

The High Line is located on Manhattan's West Side. It runs from Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District to West 34th Street, between 10th & 11th Avenues. The first section of the High Line opened on June 9, 2009. It runs from Gansevoort Street to West 20th Street. The second section, which runs between West 20th and West 30th Streets, opened June 8, 2011.

Elevator Service at the High Line

At 30 feet above the street, the High Line features four passenger elevators to provide access to the park (see above for a complete list of elevator locations). With more than four million visitors each year, the High Line's elevators experience a high volume of traffic. Friends of the High Line works closely with the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation to keep the elevators in working order, but occasionally one or more of them may be out of service for repair and maintenance work. When an elevator is out of service, Friends of the High Line posts a notice at each elevator entrance, both at street level and on the High Line, with directions to the nearest functioning elevator, and does everything possible to expedite service calls with the Parks Department.

Maintaining the 23rd Street Lawn

The 23rd Street Lawn is a favorite gathering space on the High Line, offering open green space for picnicking, sunbathing, and people-watching. Restoration plays a major role in maintaining the Lawn. To this end, the Lawn is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays throughout the busy season, as well as days following heavy rains and high use to allow the grass to recover. This helps keep the Lawn a welcoming green space all season long. Visit the High Line Blog to get the latest update on the Lawn.

Removing Snow and Ice from the High Line

As snow and ice blanket the city, Friends of the High Line staff members work diligently to clear the park's pathways, making the park safe for visitors to enjoy the High Line's unique winter landscape. Now that the High Line is one mile in length, connecting three neighborhoods on the west side of Manhattan, we have adapated our approach to removing snow and ice from the High Line. Our goal is to open the High Line in phases, from south to north, to allow visitors access as quickly and as safely as possible.

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