New York City has signaled its support for reopening a pedestrian walkway that runs through Columbia University’s Morningside Heights campus, nearly three years after the university closed the path amid protests related to the conflict in Gaza.

In a court filing submitted on September 3 to New York State Supreme Court, the administration of Mayor Zohran Mamdani endorsed reopening the walkway, marking a departure from the previous stance under former Mayor Eric Adams’s leadership, which did not take a formal position on the issue.

The pathway, known as College Walk, was closed by Columbia University on October 12, 2023, shortly after the Hamas attack on Israel that killed approximately 1,200 people and took around 250 hostages. The closure came in the context of escalating tensions on campus, where protests against the Israel-Hamas conflict disrupted daily student activities. These events unfolded against the backdrop of ongoing Israeli military operations in Gaza, which have resulted in significant Palestinian casualties, with estimates exceeding 70,000 deaths.

College Walk had been open to the public under a 1953 agreement between the city and the university that designated the walkway as public space. The closure has since barred neighborhood residents and other pedestrians from using the path, forcing them to take longer routes around the campus. Many local residents, including seniors, have expressed frustration over the restricted access, citing the impact on their daily routines.

A group of Columbia students and community members filed a lawsuit against the university in 2025, claiming the closure violated the longstanding agreement and calling for the gates to be reopened. Toby Glick, a Columbia alumna and attorney representing the plaintiffs, welcomed New York City’s intervention, emphasizing the importance of restoring public access to the space. “I am very pleased that New York City has now — as it did when it first gave a public street to Columbia to create College Walk — agreed with us that the gates should be reopened to the public,” Glick said.

Columbia University has maintained that its primary concern remains the safety and well-being of its students, while also recognizing the community’s interest in an open campus environment. Since the gates were locked, students have been required to enter through barricaded checkpoints, presenting identification cards for access. The gates themselves, an ornamental feature donated by philanthropist George Delacorte at a cost of $89,000, had previously stood unlocked.

The university grounds stretch from 114th Street to 120th Street between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue. The closure of College Walk has reshaped pedestrian traffic in the area, prompting ongoing debate about balancing campus security and neighborhood access.