What to Know
- New York City is looking to expand access to public restrooms citywide over the next five years.
- Mayor Eric Adams announced on Monday the launch of the "Ur In Luck" initiative which will build 46 new restrooms and renovate 36 existing ones.
- Part of the "Ur In Luck" initiative is a new Google Maps layer that New Yorkers can activate on their phones to easily find the locations of every public restroom citywide.
New York City is looking to expand access to public restrooms citywide over the next five years.
Mayor Eric Adams announced on Monday the launch of the "Ur In Luck" initiative which will build 46 new restrooms and renovate 36 existing ones. Once this plan is completed, 10 additional restrooms are slated for the Bronx, 23 for Brooklyn, 28 in Manhattan, 14 in Queens and seven on Staten Island -- an addition to the nearly 1,000 public restrooms already in existence across the five boroughs, the city said.
Additionally, the city said, the 36 existing restrooms that will undergo renovations ranging from additional stalls to accessibility upgrades to energy efficient features.
Part of the "Ur In Luck" initiative is a new Google Maps layer that New Yorkers can activate on their phones to easily find the locations of every public restroom citywide.
The Google Maps layer — which will be updated biannually— will include restrooms operated by NYC Parks, DOT, the Metropolitan Transit Authority, the city’s ‘privately-owned public spaces,’ and all three of the city’s library systems — the New York Public Library, the Brooklyn Public Library, and the Queens Public Library.
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“Part of making New York City a more livable city is tackling the little things — the things we don’t think about until we need them,” Adams said. “Access to public restrooms is high on that list, maybe even number one or two. We’ve already added changing tables to all NYC Parks public restrooms where it’s feasible — three years ahead of schedule. The new and renovated bathrooms we’ll deliver over the next five years will make it easier for New Yorkers to embrace the best parts of this city: our shared outdoors spaces. And our new Google Maps layer will make it easier to find relief when you’ve got to go. ‘Ur in’ luck, New York.”
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Finally, the city is establishing a joint taskforce to assist in siting and fast-tracking approvals for 14 new high-tech, self-cleaning automatic public toilets on city sidewalks and plazas.
“New Yorkers deserve accessible, well-maintained public restrooms — and we’re delivering. NYC Parks is leading the way with innovative initiatives and partnerships to build these vital public resources more quickly and efficiently,” NYC Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue said.
“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," Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi. "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.”
