City ready to roll out more public toilets

By David Freedlander, amNewYork Staff Writer
More stories | dfreedlander@am-ny.com

7:23 PM EDT, May 29, 2008

New York will soon be flush with public toilets, as officials announced Thursday the addition of four more to be installed around the city within the next six months.

"Restrooms are an essential part of a livable city and we will not stall until we have world-class amenities and public spaces in New York," said Department of Transportation head Janette Sadik-Khan.

New Yorkers loaded up on coffee and beer and in search of bladder relief may now head to the 69th Street Pier in Bay Ridge, Marcus Garvey Boulevard and Broadway in Williamsburg, Corona Plaza in Queens, and Lippmann Arcade in -- naturally -- Flushing.

The new loos are called "Automatic Public Toilets" and cost a quarter to operate. Loiterers are limited to a strict 15 minute time limit, after which the doors open and the john begins an automatic cleaning process.

The toilet's sleek, modern design, are courtesy of Cemusa, a Spanish outdoor furniture firm, who are also installing new bus shelters and newsstands through the city.

The first public toilet was installed in Madison Square Park in January and a total of 20 are slated to be spread around the five boroughs. Officials estimate that they could generate more than $1 billion in revenue over the years from charging for loo use.