Mamdani announces pilot program to install new public bathrooms across NYC
NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Wednesday announced plans to install 17 additional modular public bathrooms across New York City as part of a one-year pilot program with Throne Labs.
The new bathrooms will be placed in high-traffic areas across the city, with installation beginning this week. Officials showcased two of the modular units as part of the announcement.
New Yorkers will be able to access the bathrooms by text message, QR code, through the Throne Bathroom Network app or with a tap card distributed by local community partners. The tap cards are intended to ensure people experiencing homelessness also have access to the facilities.
Planned locations include areas near Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, Columbus Park in Brooklyn and Cooper Square in the East Village.
Each bathroom will be free to use and open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. They will be ADA-accessible and fully touchless.
Users will be limited to 10 minutes inside. Audio warnings will sound at the five-minute and eight-minute marks before the doors open when the time limit expires.
The bathrooms will include a comfortable interior, running-water sink, flushing toilet, climate control and a baby-changing station.
"Too many New Yorkers know what it's like to have nowhere to go while they're on the go," said Mayor Mamdani in a statement. "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."
Earlier this year, the mayor committed $4 million to install at least two dozen modular toilets across the five boroughs.
Unlike traditional restrooms, modular toilets can be installed above ground without connecting to sewer and water lines, making them less expensive and faster to build.
The pilot program is part of a broader goal to have slightly more than 2,100 public toilets across New York City by 2035.
The city provided this list of where the new bathrooms will be located:
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