When you have to go you have to go, but unfortunately finding a public bathroom in NYC can be downright impossible (that’s why it’s good to always keep this map handy, which shows every open bathroom in NYC, and this one which specifically shows the open bathrooms in Central Park).
In fact, NYC has only one public bathroom per 6K residents, ranking NYC at 93 out of 100 when talking about the largest U.S. cities along with their number of public bathrooms per capita.
But we’ve got some good news to share: 46 new public bathrooms will open in NYC over the next five years.
Mayor Eric Adams has announced the launch of “Ur in Luck,” a new effort to expand New Yorkers’ access to public bathrooms across all five boroughs.
As part of the effort, NYC Parks will build 46 new bathrooms and renovate 36 existing bathrooms throughout the city. Once all are complete, 10 bathrooms will have opened in the Bronx, 23 in Brooklyn, 28 in Manhattan, 14 in Queens, and 7 on Staten Island.
The 36 existing restrooms undergoing renovations will receive improvements ranging from additional stalls to accessibility upgrades, as well as energy efficient features.
Beyond building new bathrooms and renovating existing ones, a new Google Map will be available (updated biannually) that New Yorkers can open on their phones to easily find the locations of every public bathroom in NYC, including bathrooms operated by NYC Parks, DOT, the MTA, the city’s “privately-owned public spaces,” and all three of the city’s library systems.
NYC is also establishing a joint taskforce bringing city departments together to assist in fast-tracking approvals for 14 new high-tech, self-cleaning automatic public toilets on city sidewalks and plazas.
Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi stated:
Need a bathroom, ‘ur in’ luck.Everyone — seniors, parents with kids, anyone enjoying the day outdoors, needs access to a public bathroom without having to buy anything or beg for a code. Public bathrooms are critical infrastructure for New York City, where people are always out and about. We’re making New York City a little easier and more livable, one public restroom at a time.
NYC Parks also announced in February 2023 they’d be installing five freestanding public toilets–one in each borough–as early as this summer.