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Seventeen free, accessible public restrooms are coming to New York City, helping New Yorkers relieve themselves while also relieving the city\u2019s shortage of the facilities. Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Wednesday announced<\/a> that installation has begun on the public restrooms in public plazas and high-traffic areas where New Yorkers currently lack reliable access to a bathroom, as part of a $4 million pilot program the mayor unveiled in January<\/a>. To access the toilet, users must either text or scan a QR code on their cell phone or tap a key card provided by local businesses or nonprofit groups. <\/p>\n New Yorkers will be able to enter the bathrooms by text message, by scanning a QR code, through the Throne Bathroom Network app, or with tap cards distributed by local community partners. The app also provides information on the nearest bathroom, real-time cleanliness ratings, and unit availability.<\/p>\n Users get 10 minutes inside the bathroom before the door opens, accompanied by flashing lights and audio that warns about the door opening. <\/p>\n The ADA-accessible and touchless modular restrooms will be free and open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.<\/p>\n The pilot program will run for one year, with installation beginning this week at the following locations:<\/p>\n Manhattan: Cooper Square, Malcolm X Plaza, Delancey Street and Suffolk Street, and Plaza Alianza Dominicana.<\/p>\n Queens: Astoria Boulevard South and 31st Street, Northern Boulevard and 31st Street, Northern Boulevard and 54th Street, and 34th Avenue and 64th Street.<\/p>\n Brooklyn: Columbus Park, Milestone Park, Fulton Street and Truxton Street, and Avenue C Plaza.<\/p>\n The Bronx: Yankee Stadium, Admiral Farragut Playground, Mapes Park, and Monsignor Raul Del Valle Square.<\/p>\n Staten Island: North Shore Esplanade<\/p>\n \u201cToo many New Yorkers know what it\u2019s like to have nowhere to go while they\u2019re on the go,\u201d Mamdani said. \u201cThis pilot is about making sure New Yorkers can count on a clean, safe, accessible bathroom when they need one. We are going to learn from this pilot and build a public bathroom network that meets the needs of New Yorkers in every borough.\u201d<\/p>\n The initiative seeks to address a longstanding gap in the five boroughs\u2019 public infrastructure: a lack of public restrooms. NYC currently has roughly 1,000 public bathrooms, about 70 percent of which are located in parks, meaning there is only one bathroom for every 8,500 New Yorkers.<\/p>\n Addressing the shortage has been a recurring priority for previous mayoral administrations, and Mamdani is now seeking to expand those efforts. Earlier this year, the mayor issued a request for proposals (RFP) seeking manufacturers to create high-quality, modular public restrooms that can be installed more quickly and cheaply than traditional facilities.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Zohran-Mamdani-Public-Restroom-Pilot-2-1040x693.jpg\")
Credit: Ed Reed\/Mayoral Photography Office<\/a> on Flickr<\/a><\/p>\n