Graffiti Gone: Washington Heights Tunnel Paint Job Sparks Community Uproar

One of New York City's most iconic tunnels (for pedestrians) is not so recognizable after a surprise paint job stripped its walls of the curated artwork and added graffiti that has become synonymous with the thruway.

The 191st Street pedestrian tunnel has become the latest lightning rod for controversy after the city's Department of Transportation scrubbed the walls over the weekend, leaving the nearly 1,000-foot pathway bare.

An unofficial landmark of Washington Heights, the tunnel connects St. Nicholas Avenue with Broadway for access to the No. 1 train. It's received attention not only for its painted walls, but reported concerns over safety and cleanliness from community members.

People in the community told NBC New York that there had been concerns of drug use, security and trash accumulating inside the tunnel, which led people to ask for better maintenance. But none say the painted murals were an issue.

Despite those worries, one city councilmember could not believe the decision to wipe its walls clean, removing what she calls the "soul of the tunnel" seemingly without community input.

"The continual lack of transparency from city agencies has long damaged our community's trust," Councilmember Carmen De La Rosa, who represents the area, said in a statement.

She later told NBC New York, "The art was never the issue...it does take people by surprise, when they come in and history that was in the walls in no longer here." She added that there had been concerns over those who live in the tunnel, as well as the presence of hypodermic needles and bad lighting.

A spokesperson for the DOT confirmed the agency's clean-up work, saying "cleaning is the first step towards creating a new art project for the tunnel."

“We look forward to working closely with the community and local elected officials on a project that celebrates the culture and diversity that makes New York so special," Interim Press Secretary Vincent Barone said.

DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said that the city has "allocated $25 million that we'll be investing in the infrastructure of this tunnel in the next two years."

The change comes nearly eight years after the city commissioned artists to fill the tunnel walls with murals. Much of the original artwork has been painted over in the years since.

One of the artists who contributed to the original murals said the art "was something that made me truly happy, because what that did was brighten the tunnel, brighten the community."

Those who live in the area once again want local artists to lead the way in telling the history of the community through artistic expression.

"It's a question on how do we organize it, and we should spread the word. We have talented individuals, that's what we're doing," said Rodriguez.

On Monday, some graffiti artists struck back against the decision to remove the previous work, and were already seeing painting once again over the walls.

"It's not surprising to walk in this morning and see the tunnel covered in graffiti. There is culture of graffiti that is very intimate to New York City," said De La Rosa.