"All the way back in 2006, 20 years ago, Mayor Mike Bloomberg agreed to a contract with Cemusa to build 20 automated public bathrooms across the city; just five would be built by 2022, and the others were locked up in storage."
"In 2025, Mayor Eric Adams proudly unveiled the Portland Loo, five modular bathrooms installed across the city as part of a pilot program on expand public bathroom access. But the installation came with a hefty price tag — $1 million per toilet — and by that summer, at least one of the loos that amNewYork visited was in a very soiled state."
"For two decades, City Hall has pitched many promises and pilot programs, but provided little concrete progress in providing New Yorkers with literal relief on the go. And we might have to hold it in a little longer, given that City Hall now has to close a budget hole of up to $7.3 billion."
New York City faces persistent challenges in expanding public bathroom access despite two decades of efforts across three mayoral administrations. Mayor Bloomberg's 2006 contract with Cemusa aimed to build 20 automated bathrooms but only five were completed by 2022, with others remaining in storage. Mayor Adams introduced five Portland Loo modular bathrooms in 2025 at $1 million per toilet, though maintenance issues emerged quickly. Mayor Mamdani recently announced a $4 million program to build up to 30 modular self-cleaning toilets. However, City Hall's track record shows repeated promises with minimal progress, and current budget constraints of up to $7.3 billion deficit raise questions about affordability and feasibility of expensive toilet models.
#public-infrastructure #urban-planning #government-accountability #budget-constraints #public-restrooms
Read at www.amny.com
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