New Council Law Plans to Double Number of Public Restrooms Across City

When you gotta go, you gotta go, and this is something the City Council doesn’t take lightly. On July 12, major strides were made toward increasing the accessibility of NYC public bathrooms.

Legislation passed by the Council last month included a bill with a long-term citywide bathroom strategy. The bill, which has now officially been enacted into law, establishes a plan to increase the number of public bathrooms in NYC to 2,120 by 2035, requiring detailed updates from both active and planned installation projects.

Council Member Rita Joseph, a prime sponsor of the bill, explained why holding capital projects accountable is a crucial step toward restroom accessibility.

“Expanding transparency and accountability in our citywide bathroom strategy is not only about infrastructure, it is a step forward toward improving public health, and the quality of life in our city,” Joseph said in a statement. “Local Law 92 will ensure that the public has real insight into where and how these essential projects are moving forward. From tracking timelines to understanding maintenance plans, this is how we build a more responsive and accessible city, one bathroom at a time.”

Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine has also been outspoken about the city’s need for more accessible restrooms. In the aftermath of the Covid 19 pandemic, Levine had established a “Making NYC Healthier” initiative, part of which has to do with public bathrooms. It also included a Google Maps layer to help New Yorkers easily locate available public restrooms.

“New York City ranks 93rd out of the 100 largest US cities in public bathrooms per capita, and enough is enough,” Levine told Straus News. “Whether you’re a parent with a child, an elder, someone with a medical condition, a delivery worker, or a tourist, everyone deserves a safe, clean place to go. During my time as Manhattan borough president, I’ve made this a priority because it’s essential to making our city livable and accessible for all.”

Levine also frequently partners with got2gonyc, a TikTok account turned public health mission run by young performer Teddy Siegel. The two collaborate on viral videos, including one where Levine gives Siegel’s followers an in-depth review of a subway station’s bathroom.

“They have a good staffing plan and are cleaned and maintained a couple times a day,” said Levine in the video. “We’ve got 120 bathrooms open to the public across our subway system.”

Siegel, who has been following the bill, spoke to Straus News about her public bathroom advocacy and what this bill means for restroom availability.

“Access to a public bathroom is a basic human right, not a privilege,” said Siegel. “The passage of Local Law 92 is an exciting step closer to a more dignified, inclusive, and accessible NYC.”

Similar to the way that social media platforms like TikTok are able to reach broader audiences, the bill will create more transparency around public bathrooms. By putting pressure on these capital projects, the hope is to accelerate the installation of more public bathrooms, and make it so New Yorkers won’t have to rely on viral videos when they’ve got to go.