New Yorkers will have additional access to public bathrooms thanks to a $4 million investment.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Saturday said the city is launching a new program to expand access to public bathrooms across the city, committing $4 million to a Request for Proposals for high-quality modular public restrooms. The New York City Economic Development Corporation will release the RFP within the administration’s first 100 days in office, seeking bids to install public bathrooms at a lower cost and on a faster timeline than existing public bathroom installations.
Similar projects in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Portland, and other cities have delivered restrooms within months at a fraction of the cost as New York’s prior public restroom projects, and thanks to this program, New Yorkers will be able to benefit from more widely available public restrooms, officials said.
“Everyone knows the feeling of needing a bathroom and not being able to find one," Mamdani said in a statement. "With this new commitment to public toilets, we're ensuring New Yorkers can travel through our city with a little less anxiety.”
There are currently nearly 1,000 public restrooms in New York City, roughly 70% of which are in parks. This program will significantly grow the number of public restrooms elsewhere in the city, including public plazas – exponentially increasing the number of new restrooms that the city adds each year, according to officials.
“In the biggest city in the country, access to public bathrooms is basic infrastructure, not a luxury," City Council Julie Menin said. "When New Yorkers can’t find a restroom, it affects how they use our streets, parks, and public spaces, and ultimately whether they feel welcome in their own city."
City agencies, including the New York City Department of Transportation, will determine where the additional new facilities will be located.
