NYC Faces Further Struggles With Public Bathrooms

By Idy Perl

Recent initiatives to make bathrooms more accessible in New York, such as Mayor Adams’ Ur In Luck campaign or the privately owned Got 2 Go bathroom finder map, are only solving part of NYC’s public bathroom problem.  

According to the NYC OpenData site, 1 in 10 of the 1,047 public restrooms in NYC aren’t operational, with 116 labeled as Not Operational, Closed for Construction, or just simply Closed. Public bathrooms are already a rarity in New York, and these findings show just how difficult it actually is to find a restroom in the city. 

The available restrooms are disproportionally spread out, with some neighborhoods having miles between available restrooms. Many restrooms located in public parks and playgrounds are closed as well, which pose challenges for parents with young children. 

It is unknown how the city plans to rectify the problem.