New York City has begun installing 17 free public restrooms in parks and plazas across the five boroughs. They will be open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., with no charge, and each person is limited to 10 minutes. Under the $4 million pilot program, the units will be rolled out in phases in Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan and elsewhere.
New York City announced on Sept. 16 that it has begun installing 17 free public restrooms across the five boroughs. The units will be placed in busy parks and plazas and will be open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. There is no fee, and each person may use a restroom for up to 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, the door opens automatically.
The units are modular structures built in a factory and placed on site. They are wheelchair accessible and touchless. Each has a running-water sink, a flush toilet, heating and cooling, and a baby changing table. The program follows Mayor Zohran Mamdani's announcement in January of a $4 million pilot, and in June the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) selected Throne Labs as the operator and manager through a competitive bidding process.
Where They Will Be Placed
In Brooklyn, the restrooms will go to Columbus Park, Milestone Park, the intersection of Fulton Street and Truxton Street, and Avenue C Plaza. In Queens, the locations are Astoria Boulevard South and 31st Street, 34th Avenue and 64th Street, Northern Boulevard and 31st Street, and Northern Boulevard and 54th Street. In Manhattan, they are Cooper Square, Malcolm X Plaza, Delancey Street and Suffolk Street, and Plaza Alianza Dominicana.
Apart from park restrooms, New York City has had almost no restrooms available directly on the street, causing difficulties for tourists, delivery and transit workers, and older adults. The city plans to decide whether to expand the program after reviewing how the 17 restrooms are used.