17 free public restrooms installed in NYC
Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr
Seventeen free, accessible public restrooms are coming to New York City, helping New Yorkers relieve themselves while also relieving the city’s shortage of the facilities. Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Wednesday announced that installation has begun on the public restrooms in public plazas and high-traffic areas where New Yorkers currently lack reliable access to a bathroom, as part of a $4 million pilot program the mayor unveiled in January. To access the toilet, users must either text or scan a QR code on their cell phone or tap a key card provided by local businesses or nonprofit groups.
New Yorkers will be able to enter the bathrooms by text message, by scanning a QR code, through the Throne Bathroom Network app, or with tap cards distributed by local community partners. The app also provides information on the nearest bathroom, real-time cleanliness ratings, and unit availability.
Users get 10 minutes inside the bathroom before the door opens, accompanied by flashing lights and audio that warns about the door opening.
The ADA-accessible and touchless modular restrooms will be free and open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
The pilot program will run for one year, with installation beginning this week at the following locations:
- Manhattan: Cooper Square, Malcolm X Plaza, Delancey Street and Suffolk Street, and Plaza Alianza Dominicana.
- Queens: Astoria Boulevard South and 31st Street, Northern Boulevard and 31st Street, Northern Boulevard and 54th Street, and 34th Avenue and 64th Street.
- Brooklyn: Columbus Park, Milestone Park, Fulton Street and Truxton Street, and Avenue C Plaza.
- The Bronx: Yankee Stadium, Admiral Farragut Playground, Mapes Park, and Monsignor Raul Del Valle Square.
- Staten Island: North Shore Esplanade
“Too many New Yorkers know what it’s like to have nowhere to go while they’re on the go,” Mamdani said. “This pilot is about making sure New Yorkers can count on a clean, safe, accessible bathroom when they need one. We are going to learn from this pilot and build a public bathroom network that meets the needs of New Yorkers in every borough.”
The initiative seeks to address a longstanding gap in the five boroughs’ public infrastructure: a lack of public restrooms. NYC currently has roughly 1,000 public bathrooms, about 70 percent of which are located in parks, meaning there is only one bathroom for every 8,500 New Yorkers.
Addressing the shortage has been a recurring priority for previous mayoral administrations, and Mamdani is now seeking to expand those efforts. Earlier this year, the mayor issued a request for proposals (RFP) seeking manufacturers to create high-quality, modular public restrooms that can be installed more quickly and cheaply than traditional facilities.
Similar to facilities already deployed in cities like Los Angeles and Portland, the modular units can operate without direct connection to the city’s sewer and water lines, accelerating installation, as 6sqft previously reported. This also allows them to be easily deployed, relocated, or removed as community needs change.
In June, the city’s Economic Development Corporation selected Throne Labs to deliver, operate, and service the bathrooms. The company currently operates a fleet of public restrooms in Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Atlanta, Seattle, California’s Bay Area, and Detroit.
Throne Labs will be responsible for cleaning and maintaining each unit. Real-time feedback will allow the company to quickly respond to issues and prioritize units that need attention.
“My gut has always caused me issues, and I try not to leave my house without knowing exactly where the nearest restroom is going to be,” Fletcher Wilson, co-founder and CEO of Throne Labs, said. “That constant worry follows me everywhere.”
“We started Throne to solve exactly this problem, and we’re proud to bring our restroom solution to all five boroughs of NYC,” he added. “This launch is personal to me, and I hope it makes daily life a little easier for everyone who calls this city home.”
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