NYC Unveils High-Tech Public Bathroom Pods… But Hurry Up and Finish

NYC Unveils High-Tech Public Bathroom Pods With a 10-Minute Time Limit

New York City is taking a very modern approach to a very basic human problem. Finding somewhere to go to the bathroom when it is badly needed. The city has begun installing 17 new modular public restrooms across the five boroughs, providing free bathroom access in areas where residents and visitors have historically had few reliable options.

The new facilities are part of a $4 million, one-year pilot program launched by the administration of Mayor Zohran Mamdani. The modular bathrooms are being provided, operated and maintained by Throne Labs and are designed to be deployed much faster than traditional public bathrooms because they do not require connections to underground water, sewer or power infrastructure.

But there is a catch. Users have 10 minutes to complete their business.

Here are the Details

The bathrooms can be unlocked using a text message, QR code, the Throne Bathroom Network smartphone app or a special tap card distributed through local community partners. Once inside, users are given 10 minutes to handle their business before the door automatically opens. The system uses audio and visual warnings at five and eight minutes, followed by flashing lights and additional warnings as the 10-minute limit approaches. There is also roughly a 30-second buffer before the door actually opens, because apparently the city does understand that some bathroom situations require a little dignity.

The bathrooms themselves are considerably more sophisticated than the average public toilet. Each unit is ADA accessible and includes a flushing toilet, running-water sink, climate control and a baby-changing station. They are fully touchless and will be open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The city says the electronic entry system also serves another purpose: maintenance. Users can provide real-time feedback about cleanliness and other problems through the app, allowing Throne Labs to respond to issues and prioritize bathrooms that need attention. The company will be responsible for cleaning and maintaining the units throughout the pilot program.

Where Will You Be Able to Poop in NYC?

The bathrooms are being placed in high-traffic areas throughout the city. Locations include Yankee Stadium, Cooper Square, Malcolm X Plaza, Columbus Park, Astoria Boulevard, Northern Boulevard, Avenue C Plaza and the North Shore Esplanade on Staten Island. In total, there will be four locations in the Bronx, four in Brooklyn, four in Queens, four in Manhattan and one on Staten Island.

The need is fairly obvious in a city where millions of people are constantly moving around. A New York City Council analysis counted 973 operational public restrooms as of November 2025, with only about 49% of New Yorkers living within a five-minute walk of one. The vast majority are located in parks and libraries, meaning availability can depend heavily on location and operating hours.

The new modular bathrooms are intended to fill some of those gaps, particularly for people who spend long periods outside their homes, including delivery workers, parents with young children, older residents and people with disabilities.

There are also provisions for people who don’t have smartphones. Community organizations near each bathroom will distribute tap cards, with the city saying locations where cards are available will be posted near the facilities. That is important because requiring a smartphone to use a public toilet would be a particularly New York version of solving one problem by creating another.

There are Big Plans for the Program

The city isn’t starting from scratch. New York has already been expanding its public restroom network through other programs. NYC Parks announced in 2024 that it planned to build 46 new restrooms and renovate 36 existing facilities by 2029. The city has also installed Portland Loo-style public toilets at parks throughout the five boroughs.

But these new Throne Labs units are different because they are designed to be mobile and relatively easy to relocate. If a neighborhood needs a bathroom more than another location, the units can potentially be moved without tearing up streets and digging into the city’s famously complicated underground infrastructure.

For New Yorkers, the concept is simple: when nature calls, there should actually be somewhere to answer. The city is betting that these high-tech bathroom pods can provide that relief while remaining clean, accessible and difficult to monopolize.

Just remember: 10 minutes.

This is New York City, after all. Even going to the bathroom comes with a deadline.