New York City has begun installing 17 modular public bathrooms across all five boroughs as part of a $4 million pilot program designed to expand access to clean, free and accessible facilities.
The bathrooms will be placed in public plazas, parks and other high-traffic areas where residents, workers and visitors currently have limited access to restroom facilities. Installation is beginning this month, and the city will evaluate the program over a one-year trial period.
Each unit will be free to use and open daily from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. The fully touchless and ADA-accessible facilities will include running-water sinks, flushing toilets, climate control and baby-changing stations.
The Bronx will receive four units, including locations near Yankee Stadium, Admiral Farragut Playground, Mapes Park and Monsignor Raul Del Valle Square. Brooklyn locations include Columbus Park, Milestone Park, Fulton and Truxton streets, and Avenue C Plaza.
Four facilities will also be installed in Queens, including sites near Astoria Boulevard and 31st Street, Northern Boulevard and 31st Street, Northern Boulevard and 54th Street, and 34th Avenue and 64th Street.
In Manhattan, the bathrooms will be placed at Cooper Square, Malcolm X Plaza, Delancey and Suffolk streets, and Plaza Alianza Dominicana. Staten Island’s unit will be installed at the North Shore Esplanade.
Users will be able to unlock the facilities through a text message, QR code or mobile application. Tap cards will also be distributed by community organizations for people who do not have access to a smartphone.
The company operating the units will be responsible for cleaning and maintenance. Users will be able to check whether a bathroom is available, view cleanliness ratings and report problems in real time through the application.
Unlike traditional permanent bathrooms, the modular facilities do not require direct connections to the city’s water, sewer or electrical infrastructure. This allows them to be installed more quickly and relocated if demand changes.
City officials said the program is intended to support delivery workers, taxi drivers, parents with young children, older adults, people with disabilities and others who spend extended periods in public spaces.
The results of the pilot will help determine whether New York should expand the modular bathroom network to additional neighborhoods. Officials have described the initiative as an initial step toward addressing the city’s longstanding shortage of reliable public restrooms.
