In the 1930s, New York City had roughly 800 public toilets. Today, with a population that has more than doubled, the city operates fewer than 1,200, many of which are in parks and not open 24/7. That’s a dramatic reduction in per-capita access, and it’s not just New York. Across the United States, public restrooms have been disappearing for decades, and the consequences are more serious than mere inconvenience.
A Short History of Public Restrooms
Public restrooms were once a point of civic pride. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, cities built grand, ornate public bathhouses and restrooms as part of the ‘City Beautiful’ movement. These were seen as essential amenities for a modern city, promoting public health and sanitation. But the rise of the automobile changed everything. As car ownership soared in the mid-20th century, cities deprioritized pedestrian infrastructure, assuming people would drive to their destinations and use restrooms at home, work, or commercial establishments.
By the 1970s and 1980s, the tide had turned against public restrooms. Concerns about crime, drug use, and vandalism led cities to actively remove them. The ‘broken windows’ policing philosophy treated public restrooms as magnets for illicit activity. New York City’s ‘Pay Toilet’ program in the 1970s was a failed attempt to privatize and monetize public restrooms, and it only accelerated their decline.
The Rise of the Retail Restroom
As public restrooms disappeared, businesses—especially fast-food chains and coffee shops—became de facto public restrooms. But this created a ‘bathroom apartheid’ where access depends on being a paying customer or appearing ‘respectable’ enough to be allowed in. If you’re not buying anything, or if you look homeless or ‘suspicious,’ you might be denied access. This shifts the burden from government to the private sector, and it’s not a reliable solution.
The Cost Barrier
Why don’t cities just build more public restrooms? The cost is a major barrier. A single self-cleaning public toilet, like the Portland Loo or the San Francisco ‘auto-toilet,’ costs between $100,000 and $250,000 to install, plus ongoing maintenance costs of $50,000–$100,000+ per year. For cash-strapped municipalities, this is a tough sell, especially when budgets are already stretched thin.
The Bathroom Bill Era
Since 2016, numerous state and local laws have restricted transgender individuals’ access to bathrooms matching their gender identity. This has created legal and social friction around public restroom access. In some cases, businesses have removed or restricted public access to restrooms to avoid liability, further reducing the available stock.
COVID-19 Made It Worse
The pandemic accelerated closures. Many public buildings, libraries, and businesses closed their restrooms during COVID-19 and never reopened them to the public, permanently reducing the available stock. This has been especially hard on people who rely on public restrooms, such as the homeless, delivery workers, and those with medical conditions.
The Technology Angle
Technology is not the primary cause of the decline, but it is reshaping the landscape. Smartphones and apps like Google Maps, Flush, and SitOrSquat have created ‘crowdsourced’ bathroom finders that rely on private businesses rather than public infrastructure. These apps are a symptom of the problem, not a solution—they depend on the goodwill of businesses and do not guarantee access.
Smart city initiatives have proposed sensor-equipped restrooms that monitor usage, cleanliness, and supply levels, but adoption has been slow due to cost and privacy concerns. The ‘internet of things’ (IoT) and data-driven urban planning could help cities identify gaps in restroom coverage, but few cities have invested in this kind of infrastructure mapping.
Why It Matters
The lack of public restrooms is a public health issue. It contributes to urinary tract infections, dehydration (people avoid drinking water to avoid needing a bathroom), and the spread of disease. It disproportionately affects people with medical conditions like Crohn’s disease, pregnancy, and diabetes, as well as the elderly. For unhoused individuals, the lack of public restrooms forces them to use unsanitary alternatives or to rely on the kindness of strangers.
The United Nations recognizes sanitation as a human right, and advocates argue that public restrooms are a basic dignity issue. When a city fails to provide public restrooms, it sends a message about who belongs and who doesn’t. It’s a form of social exclusion that affects the most vulnerable.
What Can Be Done
Some cities are experimenting with solutions. Portland’s Loo is a low-cost, easy-to-maintain public toilet that has been successful in reducing vandalism. San Francisco has installed automated self-cleaning toilets, though they’ve faced maintenance issues. Some cities are partnering with businesses to open their restrooms to the public through ‘bathroom access’ programs, but these are voluntary and not always reliable.
Data-driven urban planning could help cities identify gaps in restroom coverage and target investments where they’re needed most. But without political will and funding, these solutions will remain piecemeal. The problem is solvable, but it requires treating public restrooms as essential infrastructure, not an afterthought.
The decline of public restrooms is a story of urban neglect, policy failures, and shifting social norms. It’s a problem that affects everyone, but especially the most vulnerable. As cities grow and public spaces become more contested, the need for public restrooms will only become more acute. It’s time to bring back the public restroom as a basic civic amenity—not just for convenience, but for dignity and public health.
Summary
- Public restrooms have declined dramatically in the US, from New York City’s 800 public toilets in the 1930s to fewer than 1,200 today for a much larger population.
- The decline is due to a combination of factors: the rise of the automobile, ‘broken windows’ policing, the cost of maintenance, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The burden has shifted to private businesses, creating a ‘bathroom apartheid’ where access depends on being a paying customer.
- Technology offers workarounds like crowdsourced bathroom finder apps, but these are not a substitute for public infrastructure.
- The lack of public restrooms is a public health issue and a human rights concern, disproportionately affecting marginalized communities.
FAQ
Q: Why have public restrooms disappeared?
A: The decline is due to a combination of factors: the rise of the automobile, which made cities less pedestrian-friendly; ‘broken windows’ policing, which treated public restrooms as crime magnets; the high cost of installation and maintenance; and the COVID-19 pandemic, which closed many restrooms permanently.
Q: Are there any successful models for public restrooms?
A: Yes, the Portland Loo is a low-cost, vandalism-resistant public toilet that has been successful. San Francisco has also installed automated self-cleaning toilets, though they’ve had maintenance issues. Some cities are partnering with businesses to open their restrooms to the public.
Q: How does technology play a role?
A: Apps like Flush and SitOrSquat crowdsource bathroom locations, but they rely on private businesses. Smart city initiatives propose sensor-equipped restrooms, but adoption is slow. Technology can help map gaps, but it’s not a substitute for public investment.
Q: Who is most affected by the lack of public restrooms?
A: The homeless, people with medical conditions like Crohn’s disease or diabetes, the elderly, and pregnant women are disproportionately affected. It’s also a public health issue, as it can lead to dehydration and urinary tract infections.
Q: What can be done to solve this problem?
A: Cities need to treat public restrooms as essential infrastructure, invest in them, and use data to identify gaps. Public-private partnerships and innovative designs like the Portland Loo can help reduce costs. Ultimately, it requires political will and funding.