This is an actual doorway into the city…
Apologies, this lock is currently out of order
Street Address: Near 178th St and Cabrini Blvd
Hours: 6a to midnight, daily
Website: www.panynj.gov/bridges-tunnels/george-washington-bridge.html
Getting there: A train to 175th St
Once you arrive at the corner of 178th St and Broadway: follow 178th St against traffic (towards the Hudson River) past Fort Washington Ave, Pinehurst Ave, and Cabrini Blvd. After crossing Cabrini, the pedestrian walkway begins as a ramp on your left. Walk up the ramp and pass through two sets of gates.
Your key will unlock: the padlock on the right-hand door of the third gate you come to. In the event that the south pedestrian pathway is under construction, temporary signs will direct you to the north pedestrian pathway, where there will also be a lock.
First lock I went to kind of anticlamatic the was open already took a pic anyway
This was exactly as described – a padlock on the 3rd gate. That said, it doesn’t open anything, because the gate is already open – it’s just a lock on the gate and you happen to have a key to it. If I had traveled across boroughs to get to it, I would have been annoyed. Instead, it was in my neighborhood at sunset, I went with friends and having never traversed the pedestrian walkway on the GWB, I didn’t mind at all. I do recommend grabbing a drink afterwards at Reynolds Bar (4241 Broadway near 180th), one of the last true old school dive Irish watering holes in the nabe. Bring change for the jukebox and some cash, because they don’t take plastic. For authentic neighborhood eats, try the popular Dominican seafood & chicken restaurant El Malecon (4141 Broadway between 175th St & 176th St).
I loved the beautiful scenery, but fellow travelers beware of the bikers…they take up alot of space & one of them may almost run you over. LOL
My friend and I travelled a bit to get here and were disappointed that the lock was not there. However-I think the point is to see things you have never seen and Wow! What a view! I never would have walked the GWB w-o the key to the city! It was divine!
I went on the 25th of June and the attendant at the end of the gate told me the lock was stolen and is no longer there. At first it was confusing to find the third gate, cause there was also a gate past the second gate that had a lock which lead to no where. Definitely beware of the bikers, some of them will really run you over since the lane is so narrow. That was the part I liked the less because the bikers took up most of the lane. But the view from the GWB was definitely a sight to behold. I agree with Kristen, I definitely would never go there if I didn’t have the key since the travel distance was out of my way to get there. Definitely worth going to at least once in your lifetime. But be careful of the bikers and don’t be too disappointed if you don’t see a lock there. But regardless the gate is already open.
Yes, we were disappointed, too. I guess we should have checked the website first…but it was still a lovely walk across the bridge and back.
Despite the missing lock it was a great walk across the bridge. How often can I say that I walked to NJ from Manhattan? There’s a wonderful surprise on the NJ side if you continue walking to the end of the walkway. Make a left after passing the gate on the street. Continue for about 20 feet until you reach the entrance to Historic Fort Lee Park of the Palisades Interstate Park system on your left. Enter the park and walk past the visitors center to find 2 overlooks with terrific views of the GW Bridge and NYC on the opposite shore. Definitely worth the visit.
Likewise found the site with no lock. Both security guards at either end had never heard of the project nor the lock. Beware the bikers!!! One rounded a corner onto the bridge on the Jersey side and ran into me also collecting my bag and dragging a good length away (my bag not me!). Not in the least apologetic.
Aside from missing lock and bad bikers the view was amazing would never had made it there aside from this project. The walk back through the neighborhood to St John the Divine Church was also great.
no lock… but we went at dusk and the kids thought it was pretty cool to be on the bridge and then half way thru we could look down and see the little red lighthouse. Kids were kind of disappointed that there wasnt something to unlock.
A security person on the bridge had NO IDEA what this project is or where the lock is supposed to be!!
Though no lock – we went on an awesome adventure in our city, in a hood we don’t frequent. And we stopped for plantains too.
We went to bryant park after for a sure thrill… and neither of my kids’ keys would open the box – and i timed it perfectly to be there at night… disappointed but again it was cool to be at the fountain at night. Nice to be motivated to get to these spots in the city – but would be more fun if the locks were there/functioned.
Thanks.
STUNNING! The lock was broken when I went but I am so glad it brought me there!
Pics etc at http://key2thecitykey2myheart.blogspot.com/2010/06/sixth-date.html
Took bus all the way uptown (at least an hour) with 6 year old son, only to discover there was NO LOCK on the gate! The bridge attendant (who asked if we had any “paperwork” with us(we showed him the little blue book) said they have been instructed to CUT OFF any lock that is not part of their regular security. So, if a Key to the City lock goes back up, they just cut it off again. DEFINITELY Beware the bikers. Never knew bicyclists could be SO mean!
I had never been on the bridge, so that was cool, but it was my first time going to any of the spots and not succeeding in opening a lock. A bit disappointing this late in the journey.
A very lame lock…I was looking forward to this one but the door is open to everyone. I do not think the choices for the locks were made with care as part of the charm of the project was the access to someplace special.
Got key but no lock but what a view! Everyone always take pictures of the Brooklyn Bridge but they all neglect this one. They don’t know what they missed. Thanks for the adventure.
NO LOCK! O.O but a nice walk across.
The security guard half/jokingly told me the lock was at the bottom of the river since “no one cleared it with us so we cut it off”. The view is fantastic, especially the little red lighthouse at the bottom. Beautiful clear day. Forgot how much the bridge “moves” when you are walking across it.
PLRASE NOTE : apparently you are not to take pictures of the columns on the GWB. For the second time, I almost lost my camera to security