Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine is pushing for the MTA to increase awareness about the availability of bathrooms in the subway system. He believes that many riders are unaware that there are functioning bathrooms in the subway and wants to change that with a public awareness campaign. He has recommended that the bathrooms be noted on maps or announced on automated announcements when a train arrives at a stop.
Levine believes that promoting the existence of subway bathrooms will be a great relief for riders who may urgently need to use them. He describes the bathrooms as being cleaner and better maintained than expected, but the issue is that most riders do not know they exist. Prior to the pandemic, there were 133 bathrooms at subway stations across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and The Bronx. As of now, 59 stations have restrooms that are open following renovations, with availability between 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
To further increase awareness and accessibility to the subway bathrooms, Levine is calling for new signs and wayfinding signals to be installed pointing riders to the restrooms. He also suggests that digital bathroom maps should be installed in subway stations and updates should be made to the MTA map to include the locations of the bathrooms. These initiatives would make it easier for riders to locate and use the subway bathrooms as needed.
The MTA is currently reviewing Levine’s letter and the proposed initiatives to increase awareness about the availability of subway bathrooms. Levine believes that this campaign would be beneficial for riders who may find themselves in uncomfortable situations without nearby bathroom access while riding the subway. By promoting the existence of these bathrooms and making them more visible and easily accessible, riders can have peace of mind when traveling throughout the city via the subway system.
Levine emphasizes the importance of having access to bathrooms in the subway for riders who may urgently need them. He has identified a lack of awareness as a major obstacle to riders utilizing the existing subway bathrooms. By implementing a public awareness campaign and improving signage and maps within subway stations, Levine hopes to address this issue and make using the subway bathrooms a more convenient and comfortable experience for all riders.
Overall, Mark Levine’s priority is to ensure that riders are aware of and have access to the subway bathrooms, which are described as being in better condition than expected. By implementing new signs, maps, and automated announcements, Levine hopes to increase awareness about the availability of bathrooms in the subway and improve the overall rider experience. The MTA is currently considering Levine’s recommendations and may implement initiatives to make subway bathrooms more visible and accessible to riders in the future.
