A quiet panic starts to take over as you walk one block after another in search of a place that will let you use their restroom-- feeling a sting of shame when a cashier says "sorry customers only."
The City is hoping to change that narrative with the purchase of new public restrooms in areas that previously lacked bathroom access.
The NYC Parks Department said they will be installing Portland Loos in five different locations across the five boroughs with each restroom costing about $185,000.
The city will invest a total of $5.3 million to have the public toilets installed. The big price tag reflects the cost of installing new utility lines for water and electricity to service the loos, according to the parks department.
"We recognize that public access to restroom facilities is a top priority for our parkgoers, and we are always happy to explore ways to make additional comfort stations available to the public," reads a statement released by the parks department.
New Yorkers can expect the public restrooms to be up and running by summer 2024.
The new loo locations will be at Irving Square Park in Brooklyn, Thomas Jefferson Park in Manhattan, Hoyt Playground in Queens, Joyce Kilmer Park in the Bronx, and Father Macris Park in Staten Island.
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18 public restrooms reopening at various subway stops
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