Peek inside downtown Columbus' fancy public restrooms
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The downtown public restroom at Third and Broad streets. Photos: Alissa Widman Neese/Axios
Downtown's permanent public restrooms are flushing away doubts, with officials reporting higher-than-expected use and few issues after a rough, monthslong rollout.
Why it matters: It's frustrating when nature calls and there's nowhere to answer it.
- But for people who are unhoused, it can also be degrading and potentially unsanitary, advocates say.
The big picture: A nationwide lack of public restroom access has gained attention as a social and public health issue.
- On average, the U.S. had just eight public toilets per 100,000 people in 2021, much fewer than many European countries, according to the Public Toilet Index.
- Columbus had just six per 100,000 residents at that time.
Catch up quick: The city's three stainless steel restrooms opened Feb. 8, purchased with over $2 million in federal pandemic relief money.
- The restrooms cost four times initial estimates and opened a year and a half behind schedule due to regulatory and operational issues.
- This summer, local artists decorated them with vinyl wraps inside and out.
By the numbers: The Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District maintains the restrooms at a cost of $90,000 annually and monitors use.
- The toilets were flushed 54,000 times during their first nine months and now average 1,600 flushes per week, district special projects manager Mark Klingler tells Axios.
What they're saying: Some skeptics were concerned about vandalism and crime, but the restrooms are inspected hourly and issues are rare, he says.
- Other cities, including Cleveland, are "inspired" and have reached out to learn more.
Zoom in: The restrooms are open 7am-10pm Monday-Saturday and 10am-7:30pm Sunday year-round at the corners of Third and Broad, High and Lynn, and High and Long streets.
- They offer free period products, hand sanitizer and hand-washing stations.
What's next: Klingler hopes the program will spur interest in installing more restrooms throughout the city, though there are no immediate plans to do so.
💠Alissa's thought bubble: I've never called a public restroom "pretty" — until I saw the eye-catching public art at Third and Broad. The inside was pleasantly spotless, too.
- Pro tip: The toilets have an "open-air" design to discourage loitering, so it's a strangely breezy experience.
