Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine has approached Richard Davey, the director of the New York City Transit Authority, in a letter dated April 17, requesting that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) make it easier for the public to locate restrooms within subway stations. During the pandemic, many subway restrooms underwent renovations, with 58 restrooms now reopened, but the public remains unaware of this fact.
Prior to the pandemic, the New York subway system had a total of 133 restrooms spread across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx. Currently, Manhattan and Brooklyn have 21 restrooms each, Queens has 9, and the Bronx has 7 restrooms that have been reopened to the public. Borough President Mark Levine highlighted that many passengers are still unaware of the restroom locations.
To address this issue, Levine suggested that the MTA should add signage at subway platforms and station entrances, as well as introduce guidance signage within the stations to ensure that restroom locations are clearly marked and easy to find.
Furthermore, he recommended that information about restrooms at stations be displayed on the screens of the new subway trains (R211A and R211T) and that announcements be made when the trains arrive at these stations.
Levine proposed that the MTA provide digital tools such as a subway restroom map and include restroom information in the “Explore” section of the MTA app. This way, passengers can access restroom information through various means, including maps, announcements, the official website, and the app.
The MTA has stated that they are reviewing Levine’s letter and will consider all the suggestions he has put forward to enhance subway services.