Overview
- Installation of the 17 units began this week, with city officials unveiling locations and rollout details on Wednesday as the one-year pilot went live.
- Each free, ADA-accessible unit is touchless, climate-controlled, and includes running-water sinks, flushing toilets and baby-changing stations, and will operate daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Entry is controlled digitally by text, QR code or the Throne Bathroom Network app, and by physical tap cards distributed through community partners for people without phones.
- Visits are limited to 10 minutes with audio warnings at five and eight minutes and an automatic door opening after 10 minutes, and Throne says sensors and user feedback will trigger cleaning roughly every 10 to 15 uses.
- Advocacy groups warn the digital entry system, fixed hours, limited sites and the strict time limit could block people experiencing homelessness or those with health or mobility needs, and city officials say they will use pilot data to decide whether to change the approach or scale up.