MEDIA COVERAGE - METRORAIL STATION RESTROOMS 
          Stage 3 - Opening existing station restrooms 

Metro Reopens Closed-Door Restrooms Monday April 19, 2004 6:20pm 
Metro Glimpses a Flush of the Future   Washington Post  10/8/03
Metro looks at opening its restrooms Mongomery Journal Aug 12 03
Metro's little-known amenities  Common Denominator Jul 15 03
Empty Stalls - There's No Restroom for the weary,  Editorial, The Journal May 28, 2003 
Metro sits tight on toilet policy The Journal Vol 65 #101

Subway station bathrooms are being closed to passengers AP Mar 18 04

MEDIA COVERAGE - METRORAIL STATION RESTROOMS 
           Stage 2 - Pilot Test of self cleaning restroom 

If You Have to Go, Perhaps Soon You Can Go on Metro Washington Post  1/5/03
No Subway Pit Stops  WTTG-TV FOX5 News  !large Video file! 
D.C. Considers Public Subway Toilet ABC News 1/23/03
Relief in Site Video  WJLA-TV ABC7  1/6/03 source:/wjla/metro0123.rm
Metro System Considers First Public Toilet  NEWS Channel 8  1/23/03
Station to Try Self-Cleaning Restroom  Washington Post 1/24/03 Pg B03
Metro examining public restrooms  The Journal Vol 65 #15
Metro restroom receives initial approval  The Journal Vol 65 #16
Relief is On the Way Connection  Newspapers 2/5/03 
Trial-Run Toilet Planned For Metro Station WUSA TV9  1/23/03
Metro Riders Get a Place to Go When Nature Calls - WTOP 10/08/2003

MEDIA COVERAGE - METRORAIL STATION RESTROOMS 
          Stage 1 - Drumming up Public Support

Metro's Not-So-Sweet Smell of Success  Washington Post August 3, 2002; Page B01
Metro Pressured To Open Restrooms  WJLA-TV  ABC7 7/6/02
Metro Passengers' Plight Washington Post   7/6/02
Metro Asked To 'Let Our People Go Associated Press   via WTOP Radio 6/7/02
Public Restrooms Divide Agencies ...  Urban Transport News  V30#16 P124
To Ride or Not to Ride. It's Not Just a Traffic Question   Mount Vernon Gazette  8/7/02
Seeking Relief at the Metro  Mount Vernon Voice  Vol2#1
Metro System Considers First Public Toilet 1/6/03  News Channel 8   [not online]
  

MEDIA COVERAGE - HISPANIC  

Banos publicos para la dignidad  La Nacion USA Vol XII #1055
Piden acceso a banos en Metro   Washington Hispanic V14#8 3/8/03

Metro Passengers' Plight Some Riders Want Transit Agency To Ease Rules on Restroom Access 
By Lyndsey Layton Washington Post Staff Writer Saturday, July 6, 2002; Page B01

There are certain aspects of Metro that disturb even the most unflappable subway rider. Staring up a long, broken escalator. Watching a Farecard machine repeatedly reject your only dollar bill. And realizing, as you wait on the platform, that you need to use a restroom.  Of the hundreds of thousands of passengers who spend time in the Metro system each weekday, a certain percentage need to go.  For those unfortunate riders, the only hope is to plead their case before a station manager, who holds the key to the locked restrooms in each station.  "Some of them are really nasty," Leslie A. Slaughter, 47, a secretary from Laurel, said about the station managers who have sat in judgment as she begged to use restrooms in various stations. "They say it's not open to the public. At Fort Totten, just a few weeks ago, they had up a sign that said, 'No public restrooms.' " Many riders are not even aware that restrooms exist in the Metro system, hidden as they are behind heavy brown doors with small signs that read, "To Fire Equipment Cabinet" or "Authorized Personnel Only."  When Metro was designed in the early 1970s, the retired military men who planned the system considered New York City's troubled subway system and decided that public restrooms were out, along with any nooks or crannies or visual barriers that would offer hiding space for criminals.  But a small group from Northern Virginia wants to bust open the locked restroom doors.   "This is a transportation system where you have people driving some distances to park at a Metro station and then ride 40 minutes in some cases," said Bob Brubaker, 55, founder of the Public Restroom Initiative, which is lobbying for more public restrooms in the region. "There are older men, older women, pregnant women, people with small children, who all have to use a restroom and are forced to hold it in or they just can't use the Metro."  Metro policy requires station managers to make the restrooms available to any passenger who is having an emergency, has small children or is elderly or disabled. They are allowed to refuse requests "in those rare occasions when they feel customer safety could be in jeopardy," spokesman Ray Feldmann said.   But interviews with Metro riders, and an informal round of requests by a reporter, found that station managers rarely admit patrons into restrooms.   Greg Yarbrough, 34, was with his 5-year-old son at the Franconia-Springfield Station when the boy had to go to the bathroom. "She opened up the place, but it was like I was doing her an injustice," Yarbrough said, referring to the station manager. "She said, 'We don't do this for everybody.' "  Every Metro station has at least two restrooms, one for each sex, and they are usually near the station manager's kiosk, off a hallway that is tucked behind a locked door. Generally, these restrooms are spacious and clean, equipped with multiple stalls, plenty of soap and neatly stacked piles of paper towels.   This year, Bernadette Badio found herself in need at Landover Station on the Orange Line. "I walked up to the station manager and asked if I could use the restroom," she said. "You would have thought that I requested a month of his salary."   One 49-year-old Maryland woman stopped riding the Metro after she was turned down by a station manager at Braddock Road in 1989. "He was so rude and adamant about me not using them," said the woman, who suffers from irritable bowel syndrome and asked not to be identified. She ran home and vowed to never again ride Metro. Although she now lives "within spitting distance" of the Grosvenor Metro, the administrative worker drives to her District job with a nonprofit organization.   It's not just the very young, old or infirm who need relief. "If I go to happy hour, I have to make sure I use the restroom before I leave," said Jill Kitchen, 25, who commutes between Vienna and Farragut West. "When I get out at Vienna, I frequently have to wait 15 minutes for my ride to pick me up, which means close to a full hour with no restrooms available."  Some riders leave the subway, find a restroom and then pay again to reenter the fare gates. About six months ago, Ted Perez, 29, was on the Orange Line heading home to Vienna when he had to get off at Rosslyn to find a restroom in a shopping mall near the station.  "Metro needs to do something about this," he said. When Michelle Hudgins, 32, moved to metropolitan Washington two years ago, friends gave her some advice. "If you gotta go, go before you Metro," they told her.  "Before I leave for the day, I actually have to think about it -- Do I go now or can I make it home?" said Hudgins, who commutes between Van Dorn and Farragut West.   A check of major subways across the country found a mix of policies regarding public restrooms. Los Angeles and Chicago do not have restrooms; Philadelphia has restrooms at major stations; and Boston unlocks its restrooms upon passenger request.  The BART system in San Francisco, built around the same time as Metro, has public restrooms in all stations. After Sept. 11, BART closed those in underground stations indefinitely, citing security concerns.  Maintenance and upkeep is another headache, BART spokesman Mike Healy said. "Restrooms have always been problematic, not because of security but, you know, all the things that people do in bathrooms," he said. "People have had babies in there. Different things happen in bathrooms." The New York subway system has about 200 public restrooms in its stations but closed most of them about 20 years ago because they became impossible to clean, maintain and police, transit officials said. Although about 60 remain open today, their locations are not publicized; they are a kind of amenity for those in the know.  Metro officials say they do not want the headaches -- and expenses -- of having open restrooms. "It would be very costly to patrol and maintain these restroom facilities, since we would want them to be as safe and clean as the rest of our system," Feldmann said.  Some riders agree with Metro management. "No way," said Holly Degn, a 28-year-old District resident. Money used to build or maintain restrooms would be better spent buying rail cars, she said. Public restrooms would attract loiterers and people who might prey on passengers, she said. Finally, Degn said she had no faith in Metro's ability to maintain, clean or patrol public restrooms.  Brubaker argues that Metro would attract more passengers if it made restrooms public. "The small investment in cleaning would be offset by an increase in ridership," he said.  Crime in public restrooms "is a legitimate concern," said Brubaker, adding that new facilities could be designed with security in mind.  At a minimum, Brubaker wants Metro station managers to unlock the restroom anytime access is requested by a passenger unless they "suspect foul play." He also wants Metro to install portable toilets at suburban stations with large parking facilities. And he wants public restrooms incorporated in the design of new stations.  "This is a huge system, carrying hundreds of thousands of people a day," he said, "and not one restroom open and available to the public."

© 2002 The Washington Post Company

Metro Riders Get a Place to Go When Nature Calls 
Updated: Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2003 - 4:42 PM 

By MICHAEL W. KAHN
Associated Press Writer 
ALEXANDRIA, Va. - Metro riders now have a place to answer the call. 

The transit system unveiled its first readily accessible public toilet Wednesday at the Huntington station on the Yellow Line. The self-cleaning toilet will be at the northern Virginia station for a year as part of a pilot project. 
Parked inside the faregates, within eyesight of the station manager's booth, the device was built in New Zealand by Exeloo.  "Every 30 minutes it closes down" for a complete automatic washing, Exeloo president Philip Harman said. Spray jets are located at various points, and there are also dryers near the floor. The toilet seat is cleaned automatically after every use.  A flashing green light indicates the toilet is vacant. The door opens and closes at the push of a button, while another button leads the retractable toilet seat to emerge from the wall. Still another button dispenses toilet paper. A sink dispenses water and soap, and there is a hand dryer. All the while, the customer is soothed by piped in music.  "It flushes for you, so you don't forget," Metro spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein noted. But customers should not dawdle. The door opens automatically after ten minutes, at which point, Harman says, "You've got to go."   Metro is leasing the toilet for one year at a cost of about $109,000. Metro chief engineer Pat Prozillo said they hope it will lead to a 2 percent increase in off-peak ridership at Huntington. The station, in northeastern Fairfax County, was selected because it is a terminal where many passengers arrive at the end of long subway and bus rides.  "There's a lot of seniors and families with small children who'd like to use the (rail) system but don't" because of a lack of accessible toilets, Metro Board member Dana Kauffman said. "It's up to our riders to make it work."   Metro has bathrooms in its stations, but does not advertise the fact, so few riders are aware. Metro policy is that the bathrooms are for employees, but are available to riders when they ask the station manager, who must escort them.   Kauffman said the Metro Operations Committee, which he chairs, will meet next week to discuss changing the policy to better open the facilities "where security allows us to." 

(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. 
Source: http://www.wtopnews.com/index.php?nid=25&sid=131828  

Metro looks at opening its restrooms
By MICHAEL NEIBAUER Journal staff writer August 12, 2003

Metrorail riders, hold on: An ad-hoc team of transit provider staff is quietly evaluating the logistics and costs of opening some existing rail station bathrooms to the public.  The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority organized the study in May in response to Metro board member requests and a determined Fairfax County resident. The findings are expected to be presented to the board's Operations Committee in late September.
"Persistence sometimes pays off," said Fairfax County Supervisor Dana Kauffman, a Metro board member.
All 83 Metrorail stations are equipped with varying numbers of well-hidden restrooms accessible to employees. Passengers are allowed to use them in emergencies, but only if the station manager is available to unlock the door. There are no signs posted that advise of the policy or of the bathrooms' existence.  The Metro team is made up of staff from the transit police, safety office, chief engineers office and operations.  The group is investigating the financial impacts of public restrooms, which bathrooms are visible to station managers' kiosks, which are accessible without compromising sensitive station equipment and which are located in paid areas. Issues such as whether to provide separate restrooms for riders and employees, security and emergency access also are under study.  "They are tasked with reviewing restroom policy in terms of making it more flexible so that passengers can have access to the restrooms as long as it's safe for us to do so," said Cheryl Johnson, Metro spokeswoman.
Although Metro signed an agreement in 1975 with Fairfax to follow all county building codes - which would have required installation of passenger bathrooms - Metro officials have consistently argued their stations were not designed or constructed with that convenience in mind.   They also claim that opening existing bathrooms to riders could introduce an unsavory element and create a safety risk, especially after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.   The Huntington Metro station has a total of 18 stalls and urinals on two floors tucked behind locked brown doors marked "To Fire Equipment Cabinet." Motor and engineering rooms located near the bathrooms are potential targets for terrorists, according to Metro officials.   "We recognize the security concerns," Kauffman said. "But we also recognize one of the biggest needs for Metro is more off-peak ridership, and perhaps one of the best ways to secure that off-peak ridership is to make Metro more friendly to seniors and incontinent riders."
The transit system has grown significantly over the years, said Arlington County Board member Christopher Zimmerman, a Metro Board member. Commuters can spend more than an hour transferring between trains to get to work. And ridership is up as well, topping 700,000 on nine separate days in July.   "I just think this is something we obviously ought to be doing," Zimmerman said. "This is a service we should provide to passengers when they are transferring, things like that."   Robert Brubaker of Fairfax County started the "Public Restroom Initiative" last year, a decade after his 82-year-old father was told there were no public restrooms at the Huntington Metro station. Instead of visiting the Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum in Washington that day, an embarrassed father and his son headed home.   Brubaker has pressed Metro board members for a solution, written a position paper and developed a mission statement. He would have been content if Metro had offered to install signs clearly delineating the emergency-only policy. The study, and what might come out of it, he said, is far better.  "I believe they're being genuine," Brubaker said, "that it's a good faith genuine effort to provide this customer service."

Metro's little-known amenities Group seeks public use of transit system restrooms 
(Published July 14, 2003) By ERIN HENK Staff Writer

For nearly 30 years, hundreds of thousands of Metrorail commuters have been traveling all over the District, Maryland and Northern Virginia without knowing they could get some relief in publicly funded restrooms.
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority's current restroom policy allows access to almost anyone, yet some citizens are voicing their concern over the fact that they have not been able to use the facilities when they needed to.  The Metro restrooms - which are primarily used by transit system employees and are generally located in "safety sensitive" areas of Metrorail stations, near equipment rooms not easily spotted by riders - "provide vital services to our train stations," said Metro spokesman Steven Taubenkibel. "They keep our trains running."  The current restroom policy allows restroom accessibility to senior citizens, children accompanied by an adult and to any adult in an emergency. All must be escorted to and from the restrooms by the station manager.
But some concerned Metro riders have recently raised their voices to question whether the current policy is being carried out. Fairfax resident Bob Brubaker, who started the Public Restroom Initiative, said that station officers often deny that they have restrooms in the stations.   "What is an emergency?" asked Brubaker, who further criticized the current policy as too restrictive and said many station managers ignore it.  Brubaker said his 82-year-old father was denied access to a Metro restroom when he asked. He said pregnant women also are among riders who have been denied access.  While Metro contends that the restrooms in rail stations were originally intended for employee use only, Brubaker points to the size of some restrooms to support his contention that they were built for public use. He said the Huntington station in Northern Virginia has restrooms with 18 stalls.
There is "no way they can say it's for employees only," Brubaker said.  He said he wants the restroom policy to be publicized with signs in Metro stations and in Metro brochures.  Metro officials counter that public accessibility is not as simple as it may seem. Safety concerns have been heightened in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks as many restrooms in public areas across the country have been locked to the public.  "I understand the commuters' needs," said Polly Hanson, chief of the Metro Transit Police, "but I get paid to be concerned about safety."  Hanson worked with the original team of security planners for the D.C. Metrorail system. Based on analysis in New York, Philadelphia and Paris, Metro station bathrooms were recognized early as crime promoters, she said. Hanson said Metro police have had to take people out of the restrooms who have injured themselves or who have overdosed on drugs, and there have even been people who have refused to come out. Sanitation concerns are intertwined with safety issues as well. Drug paraphernalia also has been found in the restrooms.
"The majority of stations do ... allow access to the Metro bathrooms," Hanson said.  However, she said Metro needs to improve the customer service skills of some station managers.   Currently, a committee of Metro's maintenance, operations and police divisions is conducting an analysis of all restrooms in the 83 Metro stations to assess which ones can be used by the public without compromising the safety of employees and commuters. Factors being considered include the proximity of restrooms to station kiosks, the number of managers who work at the station at any given time, whether the restroom is located inside the turnstyle and if there are other public facilities located near the Metro station.  The findings are expected to be presented to the Metro board sometime this fall. The board will then decide if the restroom policy should be changed or publicized.  Putting up signs about the restrooms would satisfy Bob Brubaker.   "If they want them locked up, so be it," he said.  Brubaker said he believes signs and brochures about the policy would yield a positive public response at a low cost.   "We have to solve the problem," said Carlton Sickles, a Metro board member who feels the current system isn't working because people don't know about it. "There needs to be information put out about what the policy is. ... One has to be able to make an appropriate request and [the station managers] cannot arbitrarily deny it," he said.
Discussion of the Metro restroom policy over the past year has prompted WMATA's Board of Directors to test a self-cleaning toilet at the Huntington Metro station. The $66,500 Automated Self-Cleaning Pilot Test (APT) program will be installed at the north mezzanine entrance and will be equipped with vandal-resistant walls and handicapped-accessible facilities.   The pilot program's cost will include $14,400 for restroom maintenance. Metro officials said they could not immediately provide information about how much is currently spent on restroom maintenance in Metro stations.  Next year, the pilot project will be evaluated by Metro board members in terms of customer feasibilty, safety, cleanliness and ridership changes, Taubenkibel said. 

Copyright 2003, The Common Denominator

Metro sits tight on toilet policy
By MICHAEL NEIBAUER Journal staff writer

Source:http://www.jrnl.com/cfdocs/new/stories/fp01fx05272003.htm

Relief is On the Way - Huntington Metro station to get comfort station.
By Chuck Hagee February 5, 2003

Independence Day 2003 may take on a whole new meaning for Metro riders. July is when the first "APT" is scheduled to become operational. The acronym stands for "Automatic Public Toilet." It will be installed at the Huntington Station in Alexandria.  "It was approved by WMATA's Operations Committee last month and will be voted on by the full Board on February 20," according to Dana Kauffman, Lee District Supervisor, who represents Fairfax County on the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Board.  "Procurement and engineering are to be completed during the period from March to June. Delivery of the facility will be in June and it should be hooked up and operational by July," said Kauffman.  Called the Exeloo-Galaxy Unit, the fully automatic stainless steal facility is made in New Zealand, according to Kauffman. It flushes, dispenses water, soap, paper, all automatically. After every use the toilet itself is sanitized with a chemical cleanser and after every 30 uses the floor is cleaned by automation.  The lack of designated public restrooms throughout the Metro system has been a point of contention with riders and public interest groups. Robert Brubaker, director, Metroped, a non-profit organization "dedicated to removing public policy impediments to pedestrians" has been a leader in getting Metro to change its policy of not providing public restrooms.   The operative word is "public" when it comes to restrooms and Metro. The system has restrooms but under current policy WMATA has noted, a "station manager, at his or her discretion, may allow public access to restrooms by patrons in the following situations: 
in emergency situations, with small children, and elderly and/or physically disabled."   Brubaker's assessment of this policy has been, "Metro's refusal to not make their restrooms available on a regular basis is an example of the impediment to commuters and others who would like to use mass transit rather than drive."   METRO OFFICIALS have based their opposition to public restroom facilities on two rationalizations: 1. They are too expensive to service and maintain given the level of ridership; and 2. They can become a haven for crime and/or terrorism. 
Both of these arguments have been challenged by Metroped and others. They have noted that other metro systems, such as the Bay Area Rapid Transit in the San Francisco Bay Area and the Chicago system both have public restrooms available. Restrooms are also available at both Washington area airports, all bus terminals, and railroad stations.   "Metro is saying there has to be a two percent increase in ridership to make restrooms available at all stations to be economically feasible," Brubaker claimed. "I just don't believe that because they don't have the data to support it."   The existing restrooms at Metro stations were originally designed for public use, according to Brubaker. "Huntington has a total of 18 stalls with both men and women facilities on each level. That wasn't built for just employees.   "They were patterned after BART [Bay Area Rapid Transit] for public use. Somewhere along the line the policy got changed," he insisted. "These large existing restroom were paid for with taxpayer dollars." 
METRO OFFICIALS HAVE consistently maintained the opposite, that they were not designed for public use. Another opponent to the existing facilities being made available to the public is Transit Police Chief Polly Hanson. She has expressed the opinion they would be a haven for criminal activities.    Ray Feldmann, Metro's media relations director, has insisted the lack of public restrooms at metro stations was "an intentional move on the part of the original designers.   "Stations were designed without public restrooms for safety reasons. Even the new stations that have been added to the system over the years were not designed with public restrooms. And none are included in future planning at this time."   As for the upcoming test of the new restroom at Huntington, Brubaker is in favor of the experiment but emphasizes, "This is only one station. People need to know there are public restrooms available all along the line."   He also expressed perplexity, stating, "I'm not sure why they are going ahead with the more expensive solution when they have existing facilities." Galaxy's utilization and maintenance will be tested for one year at an estimated cost of approximately $65,000- plus.    HUNTINGTON WAS chosen because it's a "terminal" station, where a line ends or begins. It has long-term parking and, therefore, attracts commuters that make longer trips to and from their ultimate destinations. It also meets Metro's other two criteria:   availability of utility connections and space available near the station manager's kiosk. 
Kauffman noted, "For a minimal expenditure we will be able to see if it does provide a facility for the ridership. We will also see if it helps to increase that ridership."   Under the agreed upon plan Metro will negotiate a three year lease with Exeloo at a monthly rate of $3,300 for a single unit. The company will lease the unit for one year with a buy back clause if WMATA is not satisfied. WMATA will be liable for the difference between the unit's capital cost and lease payments plus the buy back price.   Servicing costs are projected at $1,200 per month. Installation of utility connections for electric, water, sewer, and unit deployment, either by WMATA personnel or an independent contractor are estimated at $12,500.  One of WMATA's own Board members, Carton Sickles, representing Montgomery County, endorsed the need for public restrooms at the recent committee meeting when he said, "It's a real problem that's only going to grow as the population ages." He is 81 years old. 
As Brubaker pointed out, "This is not just a local issue. Washington draws people from all over the world and they ride Metro. That's why this issue is receiving broad-based media attention."   THAT FACT WAS emphasized in a letter to the chairman of the Metrorail Operations Board, Chris Zimmerman, from Ingrid Nygaard, MD. She is a urogynecologist and associate professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Iowa, College of Medicine.   She wrote, "I spend my days trying to protect and improve women's bladder health ... Issues related to bathroom access are not widely discussed, but are integral to people's ability to use public transportation. Millions of Americans suffer from urinary incontinence, urinary urgency, urinary tract infections, and other diseases that require ready bathroom access in order to function well in society.   "It is my understanding that current Washington subway station restrooms are available only to employees. I  urge you to work toward extending the same right to your passengers."  Source:http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=17175&paper=69&cat=104  © 2002 TimberLake Publishing. All Rights Reserved. http://www.timberlakepublishing.com

If You Have to Go, Perhaps Soon You Can Go on Metro
By Lyndsey Layton Sunday, January 5, 2003; Page C04  

It was an odd field trip. A gaggle of top brass from Metro convened at the Huntington Station on a recent midweek afternoon to boldly go where relatively few have gone before: the station's restroom.   They unlocked the heavy brown metal door inside the station, the one deceptively marked "To Fire Equipment Cabinet," and stepped inside. Some took pictures. Others counted the stalls. Still others checked the sightlines and pondered the possibilities.  The man who brought them there, Robert Brubaker, has been campaigning to make restrooms available to the riders of the nation's second-busiest subway.  Every Metro station has at least two restrooms, one for each sex. They are usually near the station manager's kiosk, off a hallway tucked behind a locked door. They are spacious and clean, equipped with multiple stalls, plenty of soap and neatly stacked paper towels.  Metro policy requires station managers to make the restrooms available to any passenger who is having an emergency, has small children or is elderly or disabled. But riders say station managers rarely admit them into restrooms.  Brubaker, a computer manager retired from the Defense Department, has been pushing for a year to make Metro restrooms more visible and accessible. He has created a Web site, formed a group called the Public Restrooms Initiative and become a darling of the bladder-challenged community, collecting speaking invitations before groups such as the National Association for Continence.   "He's extremely bright, and he's trying to bring a fair, equitable and knowledgeable solution to this problem," said Cheryle B. Gartley, president of the Simon Foundation, a nonprofit organization based in Chicago dedicated to assisting and supporting those suffering from urinary incontinence.  Gartley said the "able-bladdered" folks at Metro must realize that the decisions they make affect thousands who may not ride the Metro because they're afraid to be caught without a restroom.   One person who doesn't want to make existing restrooms more accessible is Transit Police Chief Polly Hanson, who says she sympathizes with those in need of a restroom but fears that the facilities would become a magnet for graffiti, prostitution and drug use, among other unpleasantries. "Most places closed their bathrooms after 9/11, and we're talking about opening them?" she said.  As a compromise, Metro Deputy General Manager James Gallagher is proposing that Metro test an automatic self-cleaning restroom, a kind of luxurious port-o-potty, that could be positioned inside the paid areas under the watchful eye of the station manager.  The bathrooms cost an estimated $96,000 to install and $1,500 for maintenance, Metro spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein said.   T. Dana Kauffman, who represents Fairfax on the Metro board and supports Brubaker's efforts, said advertising space could be sold on the bathrooms to defray their cost. He plans to suggest a pilot program when the Metro directors meet Thursday.  Huntington Station would be a good place to test the restroom, because it's a terminal station used by many commuters who drive a good distance to reach the station and then face a long subway ride into Washington, Kauffman said. "Especially for those traveling great distances, we should find a way to accommodate them as long as it isn't a major cost," he said.   Kauffman said Brubaker has convinced him that riders need a bathroom break. "He's made a strong case for an urgent need," Kauffman said.  
© 2003 The Washington Post Company

Source:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11550-2003Jan4.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A11550-2003Jan4?language=printer

Trial-Run Toilet Planned For Metro Station 
 1/23/2003 2:28:20 PM
Metro is thinking about installing a portable toilet in one of its subway stations as part of a one year test. Officials say the test run will monitor customer acceptance, feasibility, safety and cleanliness. The single-stall unit will be placed inside the fare gate of the Huntington station if it's approved by the board next month.  Metro's longstanding policy requires kiosk managers to make restrooms available to any passenger who is having an emergency. But such requests are rarely honored.   An advocate for bathroom access in the subway system says this is a step in the right direction. He says the pressure will grow as more people learn about Metro's secret policy to keep its bathrooms locked.
Copyright 2002 Associated Press  Source: http://www.wusatv9.com/news/news_article.asp?storyid=13812

D.C. Considers Public Subway Toilet  
By Associated Press January 23, 2003, 4:00 PM EST

WASHINGTON -- The first public toilet in the Washington area subway system would get a one-year trial under a recommendation Thursday from transit officials.  If the full Metro Board approves Feb. 20, a self-cleaning single stall unit made in New Zealand will be placed inside the fare gates of the Huntington station in Fairfax County, Va. The test run, with a price tag of $66,500, will monitor customer acceptance, feasibility, safety and cleanliness, officials said.   "We're going to gauge it and see what happens," Metro chief engineer Pat Porzillo said. "Hopefully, it will generate some ridership."   Huntington, the last stop on the Yellow Line, was chosen because many commuters end up there after a long bus or train ride. The vandal-resistant portable john has all the comforts of home: a flushing toilet, tissue paper, soap, a sink and hand drying.   Other cities such as Atlanta and San Francisco offer public restrooms in their transit system, but such facilities were not part of the plan when the 26-year-old Washington Metrorail was designed. Existing restrooms are for employee use only.   The agency's long-standing policy, which would remain in effect during the test, requires kiosk managers to make restrooms available in case of emergencies. But passengers have said such requests are rarely honored, with 28 complaints recorded in the last six months.   Robert Brubaker, a retired Defense Department computer manager, has been pressing the board for a year to make restrooms more accessible. He said some Metro stations have large, high quality, multistalled restrooms -- much larger than station employees need.   "My goal has been for Metro to publicize their policy," Brubaker said. "I want to see it on their Web site, in their brochures." He said that as people learn about the hidden, private restrooms, complaints will increase.   Every Metro station has at least two restrooms. They are usually near the station manager's kiosk, off a hallway behind heavy brown doors. They are spacious and clean, equipped with multiple stalls, plenty of soap and neatly stacked paper towels. But designers thought it would be a challenge to open them to the public due to problems New York City was having at the time in policing and keeping its subway restrooms clean.

Copyright © 2003, The Associated Press http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-metro-toilets0123jan23
,0,5075167.story?coll=sns-ap-nation-headlines

To Ride or Not to Ride. It's Not Just a Traffic Question  Public Restrooms is the Concern
Mount Vernon Gazette By Chuck Hagee August 7, 2002   

What do airports, railroad stations and bus terminals have that Metro doesn't?  Public restrooms.   It's not that they don't have restrooms. It's that they don't have "public" restrooms. For many potential users that is the determining factor in their decision not to use Metro and, thereby, add to Northern Virginia's already bumper-to-bumper roadways.   Why don't they have public restrooms? Answers range from personnel demands to terrorism to budgetary priorities. But none of the reasons ring true to Robert Brubaker, director, Metroped, a nonprofit organization dedicated to removing public-policy impediments to pedestrians.  "Metro's refusal to not make their restrooms available on a regular basis is an example of an impediment to commuters and others who would like to use mass transit rather than drive. They need to have all restrooms unlocked and available for public use, and they need to have a published policy to that effect," Brubaker insisted.   One of the arguments by Metro is that the restrooms could be used by terrorists to plant explosive or biochemical devices. But the restrooms have been locked since 1976.   Other mass transit systems such as the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) in San Francisco and the Chicago system have restrooms available. Restroom access is not restricted at either Reagan National Airport or Dulles, at Union Station in Washington, at Alexandria's Union Station, or at any of the area bus terminals. MetroPed's Web page states, "BART closed all station restrooms immediately after 9-11 but has since reopened many. BART now provides restroom access" and is planning restroom upgrades as part of its renovation process. Brubaker's information also cites a survey of public restrooms in New York City that highlighted as "a serious deficiency" the fact that 21 percent of NCVT's 74 subway-station restrooms were not available to the public. MetroPed also noted San Diego's recent decision to purchase "33 customer-friendly buses equipped with restrooms."  Ray Feldmann, Metro's director of media relations, explained the lack of public restrooms as "an intentional move on the part of the original designers of the system. Stations were designed without public restrooms for safety reasons." Feldmann noted, "Although there are restrooms for our employees, they are not places where the public can have ready access. They are also very small and not designed for public use.  "Even the new stations that have been added to the system over the years were not designed with restrooms. And none are included in future planning at this time."  THE PRIMARY REASON cited by Feldmann for this decision, in addition to security concerns, was primarily cost — both in terms of construction and maintenance. "They would require patrolling for safety reasons and would require use of employees to maintain them to the standards required," he said.  "There doesn't seem to be a lot of demand for them, and our resources are stretched very thin. On the long list of priorities, I'm not sure it has moved near the top. To include them would cost a considerable amount of money," he emphasized.   Feldmann did concede that now that the system is approaching nearly 103 miles in length, "it could become more of an issue. If the Board deems that this is a priority, I'm sure they will deal with it." He acknowledged that Metrorail does have a policy in place, which has been made known to all station managers, that there are three situations where managers are supposed to provide access to existing restrooms if requested by a customer. They are (1) in case of emergency, (2) if the rider is disabled and (3) if a small child is involved.  Brubaker verified Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) policy that patrons in need must obtain permission from station managers. But there are no signs advising of this policy in the stations, nor is it printed in Metro literature, according to Brubaker. On a recent visit to the Eisenhower Avenue Station this reporter tested WMATA's advice to "obtain permission from station managers."  "Is there a restroom available?" was the question posed to the station manager on duty at approximately 5 p.m. on July 30. Her answer was "We have no public restrooms." The question was then clarified as to not whether there was a public restroom but rather was there a restroom available? Again, her stock answer was "We have no public restrooms."  When asked if a passenger had a critical need to use a restroom, what would he be told, the station manager stated, "They would be told we have no public restrooms."  AT THE SAME TIME this conversation was taking place, representatives of the Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club were conducting a campaign at the Eisenhower Avenue Metro Station advocating the building of the proposed Purple Line across the new Woodrow Wilson Bridge. Their rationale was that this would encourage commuters to use Metro instead of their individual vehicles.  As stated on MetroPed's Web page, "WMATA Restroom Policy, as practiced by a significant percentage of their station managers, is at variance with good public health and, apparently, with Metrorail Policy itself," as explained by Feldmann. It then quotes from a medical advisory published by the National Institutes of Health in July 1995, concerning the public and personal health needs for ready access to restroom facilities.  Lee District supervisor Dana Kauffman, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors' representative to WMATA, assured, "We are seriously addressing this concern. The challenge we face is twofold. One, making sure the station managers are letting people use the restrooms unless there is an obvious reason not to, and two, addressing the security concerns while also serving the patrons of Metro."   Kauffman further noted, "The county code requires that every store and public facility have restrooms available. However, they are not required to have them open, just to be available upon request.   "I would prefer that we would err more on the side of more liberal use and availability than on the side of being more restrictive. But we do have to be aware of security concerns, since Metro is a vital part of our area transportation network."   MOUNT VERNON District supervisor and vice chairman, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, Gerald W. Hyland, agreed with the argument to have them available and accessible. "I believe that they should be available to all those that use the system. And I'm not happy that people have to ask to use them. But if they must, they should be made available," he said.  MetroPed isn't the only group behind making Metrorail more user-friendly. Steward Swartz, executive director, Coalition for Smarter Growth, pointed out, "We have issued reports since the early 1990s on how to make mass transit more usable and affordable. To the extent that Metro hasn't taken immediate action on this issue, I assume is because they have had their hands full with all their other problems.   "But they should keep at it. And the restrooms they have should be available to Metro riders. We are very supportive of Bob Brubaker and MetroPed on this issue."   To further buttress his case for restroom availability and accessibility at Metro stations, Brubaker cited two examples of the hardship imposed on those who rely on the system.   "Fairfax County Social Service recipients requiring medical care are often sent to Inova Fairfax Hospital. For those in the Mount Vernon area, this requires a bus trip to Huntington Station, a transfer from the Yellow to the Orange line, and then a bus trip from the Dunn Loring station to the hospital.   "With no delays, this is a 1- to 1 1/2-hour trip without accessibility to restroom facilities. Many patients suffer, particularly the elderly and pregnant women," he stated.  "Another example is those that must travel from the Mount Vernon area to the Fairfax County Court House to resolve legal matters. This is particularly true of the increased immigrant population along the Route 1 corridor. This is often a 2- or 2 1/2-hour trip on Metro," Brubaker emphasized.   MetroPed has suggested the following be adopted by Metrorail as a minimum to becoming more user friendly when it comes to providing accessibility to restroom facilities:
   * Clarify Metrorail station policy so that station managers understand that no request from a customer is to be denied. And make this policy clearly known to customers;  
   * Post restroom policy in a public area in every station;
   * To minimize staff impact, allow pre-approved swipe-card patrons access to station restrooms or allow patrons to be buzzed in;
   * Stations with long-term parking should have at least one discretely placed chemical toilet;
   * Where current restrooms are located above ground and are visible from the station manager's kiosk, and the restroom entrance is located before any other doors, move (or remove) the first lockable door. This could be done on a trial basis at a few stations with large restrooms; and
   * All future stations should be designed and built with public restrooms.

METROPED ALSO offers several suggestions to minimize the threat of terrorists or others from using restroom facilities to perpetrate crimes. These include the following:
   * Employ sight-line, doorless entrances;
   * Provide video and audio surveillance entrances;
   * Add sensor alarms with automated restroom HVAC shutdown control; and
   * Have no paper towel dispensers or trash bins in the restrooms. Use air-only dryers.

In the Metro Pocket Guide there is a host of information to aid the customer in using the system. Leading off the text part of the Guide is a paragraph headed, "Thanks for using Metro." It states the following:  "Clean. Modern. Safe. And easy to use. No wonder Metro is considered the nation's finest transit system. This guide tells how to use Metro." © 2002  Source:  Mount Vernon Gazette

Metro's Not-So-Sweet Smell of Success  
By Lyndsey Layton Washington Post Staff Writer Saturday, August 3, 2002; Page B01

Cindi White boarded car No. 3198 at the Silver Spring Metro station, took one whiff and was overwhelmed by a scent redolent of a locker room, with a hint of sweat socks and notes of a dank basement.   "It smells like a smelly rug," sniffed White, a secretary at the Department of Agriculture who has been riding Metro for four years but just noticed the odor on certain trains in the past year. "It's a kind of moldy, unpleasant, wet smell." ...  
... Reeking rail cars are an affront to a transit system that has forged a national reputation for cleanliness. "Nobody wants to ride on a stinky car," said Joel Wexler, superintendent at Metro's Greenbelt yard, where Green Line cars are housed overnight and cleaned. ...  ... "They have a musky, urine smell all the time," said Angel Spates, a federal worker from Manassas who rides the Orange Line. "You can smell it as soon as you get on. It's awful." Gregory Robinson, 31, who cleans Green Line cars from 8 p.m. until 4:30 a.m. each weeknight, acknowledged that urine in the trains is a problem, especially in the secluded area of the rail car directly behind the operator's cab. ... 
© 2002 The Washington Post Company

Under the Dirt: A Subway Car 
By Libby Copeland Washington Post Staff Writer Sunday, September 14, 2003; Page D01 

... The Metro cleaners work every night at the region's eight rail yards, picking up trash, wiping down seats, spraying grease spots, scraping at dirty gum and sweating in the bright, empty cars. They clean from 8 p.m. till 4:30 a.m., and they clean sometimes to a soundtrack. ...   ... You could think of the car cleaners as anthropologists or detectives, seeking meaning behind the detritus, except they're usually too busy and too jaded to ponder stuff. Maybe the price of this job is losing one's sense of wonder.   "People make mistakes; they have accidents on the train," Diane Ballard says, as if she's resigned to it. She is 50, a car cleaner. She's standing in a Metro car at the Greenbelt rail yard on a recent weeknight, getting ready to give the car a deep cleaning.   Once, says Joel Wexler, 59, the yard's superintendent, someone relieved himself into one of the heating vents, which run along the floors of the cars. Workers removed a seat and pulled up a carpet before they figured out where the smell was coming from. "It gets worse in the winter because when the heat comes on, it heats the urine up," Wexler says.   "If you've got a weak stomach," adds Wanda Gross, 47, a rail car maintenance supervisor, "you've got a problem."   Gross is a calm, reassuring woman given to statements like, "It's not a glamorous job, but it's a job," and "Someone will get vomit at least once a day." She cleaned and oversaw cleaning for eight years, and she knows the nighttime riders are more likely to soil the cars. The weekend night trains are worst of all. ...
© 2003 The Washington Post Company   

Metro Pressured To Open Restrooms  
From ABC 7 News:   Location: Washington  Posted: July 06, 2002 2:25 PM EST

Metro is being urged to let its people go.  As most subway riders know, when nature calls, the worst place to be in the DC area is on the platform of a Metrorail station.   There's no easy access to the restrooms hidden behind heavy doors in each Metro station, and depending on train schedules, it could take quite some time to reach the next public restroom.   A small group from Northern Virginia, however, wants to bust open the locked bathroom doors.  Metro policy states that station managers must make restrooms available to any passenger who is having an emergency, but those requests are rarely honored.   Every Metro station has at least two restrooms, but designers of the Metro system decided in the early 70s that opening them to the public would be more trouble than it was worth. That was based largely on the problems New York City was having at the time in policing and keeping its subway restrooms clean.  © Copyright 2003 Allbritton Communications Company   http://www.wjla.com/news/showstory.hrb?f=n&s=48454&f1=loc,tra  http://www.wjla.com/news/printarticle.hrb?a=p&f=n&s=48454&f1=loc,tra&stat=wjla

Seeking Relief at the Metro
By Steve Hunt, Staff Writer Mount Vernon Voice  Vol 2 No. 2  January 9, 2003

Bob Brubaker, Lee District Supervisor Dana Kauffman, Mount Vernon District Supervisor Gerry Hyland all stood around the bathroom and looked around for a few minutes.  It was a typical men's bathroom with a couple of urinals, toilet stalls and sinks.   James T. Gallagher, deputy general manager -- operations, department of operations, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, took the three on a tour of something most Metro riders don't even know exist -- bathrooms at the Huntington Metro Station.  The bathrooms state "authorized personnel only" even though Metro station policy is to require station managers to allow anyone having an emergency, has young children, or is elderly or disabled to use the restrooms in any Metro station, according to The Washington Post.   Gallagher said the Metro restroom policy is not on the Metro's website.   The reason for the meeting in the bathroom at the Huntington Metro Station on a cold December afternoon, is that a few years ago, Brubaker's elderly father needed to use a restroom before boarding a Metro train to Washington.   The Brubakers were surprised to learn that there was no public restroom, and when Brubaker's 82-year-old father had to reluctantly ask the station manager permission to use a restroom at the station, he was denied.  "They wouldn't let him use it," Brubaker said. The Brubakers went home.   Bob Brubaker never forgot that humiliating experience and has made it his mission to open the restroom doors for not only the station managers and Metro employees, but anyone who needs to use the restroom while enroute on the Metro system.  It's something Metro is reluctant to do, especially in light of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11.   Brubaker, of www.metroped.org, with the motto "for and about the less evident pedestrian issues" solicted the support of Kauffman, a Metro board member, and Hyland in his quest for bathroom access for all.   Rather than allow the public to use existing restrooms in Metro stations, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority is proposing the idea of installing automatic public toilets in the Metro system, starting with a pilot program at Huntington.    Gallagher pointed out a location on the Huntington Avenue side of the station where a automatic public toilet, which is self-cleaning and vandal resistant, could be placed.  The cost for a "single-seater" is $96,000 and the cost for a double is $152,000, which although is considered self-cleaning does require service after 150 to 200 uses.    Gallagher said the concern Metro has with allowing the public to use the Metro restrooms unrestricted is that many of them are in secure areas where the public is not allowed.    Hyland expressed concern that people may not know they Metro policy is to all public access to the restrooms at Metro stations.  "They're not going to ask," Hyland said. "People need it, and they don't know it's possible."   Hyland said his perception of Metro policy regarding public access to restrooms is that denial should be the exception, not the rule.   Kauffman said the issue will be raised at a metro board meeting later this month.    Brubaker noted that as Metro increases its ridership, and as the local population ages, the issue of restroom acess is going to become more important.   While Brubaker didn't hear exactly what he wanted to hear at that December meeting, he said he was happy with anything "that keeps the ball moving forward."

Metro examining public restrooms  Vol 65 No. 15 Front Page
By CLARISSA SPASYK
Journal staff writer

Source:http://www.jrnl.com/cfdocs/new/stories/fp02fx01232003.htm

Metro restroom receives initial approval   
By CLARISSA SPASYK   Journal staff writer Vol 65 No. 16 Page 10

http://www.jrnl.com/cfdocs/new/stories/fxfp0124200303.htm

Metro Asked To 'Let Our People Go'
2002-07-06

(Washington) -- Subway riders know all too well that when nature calls, the last place you want to be standing is on the platform of a Metrorail station.

That's because there's no easy access to the restrooms hidden behind heavy brown doors in each station and it could take some time to reach the next public restroom. But a small group from Northern Virginia wants to bust open the locked bathroom doors.  Metro policy requires station managers to make restrooms available to any passenger who is having an emergency. But The Washington Post reports managers rarely honor those requests.
There are at least two restrooms in every Metro station. But the designers in the early '70s decided against opening them to the public, considering the problems New York was having in cleaning, maintaining and policing its bathrooms.  Copyright 2002 by The Associated Press. 
Source: http://www.wtop.com/news/newsdetail_print.cfm?NewsID=562189

WRC-TV April 5, 2002 'Ask Liz'
Liz Crenshaw, Consumer Reporter

Q: I would like to know how come Metro does not have public restrooms at the subway stations?

A: We called metro for your answer. It says there have never been restrooms in subway stations because it would be very hard to patrol restrooms to ensure public safety and security. And it says in light of September 11th events, public restrooms would pose enormous problems for metro, so there are none

© 2002 WRC-TV

^{Source: WRC-TV} 
http://www.nbc4.com/answerstoaskliz2002/1389150/detail.html 

NO METRO FACILITIES 
Washington Post June 19, 1998; Page A24  Section: OP/ED Word Count: 179

A few weeks ago a friend and I took advantage of Metro no-fare subway rides (Transit Day) to check out the localities around stations we had never used. In general our experience with Metrorail was pleasant, with one exception. We noticed that many of the parking lot stairways had a smell of urine. I got angry, at first, with the kind of people who do these things. I'm now wondering why a major transit system has no restrooms, or at least portable toilets, near the parking lots…  
© 2002 The Washington Post Company

A 1999 article Washingtonpost.com titled Metro Riders Sound Off  included this suggestions from a rider....  

"Provide restrooms and drinking fountains for passengers like practically every other transit system on the globe does"  Source http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/local/daily/april99/metresponse9.htm

Protecting Public Surface Transportation Against Terrorism and Serious Crime:
MTI Report 01-07  FHWA/CA/OR-2001-29
September 2001

...CCTV surveillance capabilities subsequently were increased. Alarms were also installed in public restrooms to ensure prompt response to incidents like the May 5 cyanide attack.  {Metroped Note: Japan did not close restroom after the 1995 Attacks} http://transweb.sjsu.edu/publications/terrorism_final.htm

Problema que afecta a todos 
Baños públicos para la dignidad

Por Andres Angel Carelno 
Vol XII #1055 Viernes 24 de Enero de 2003 

Es cierto que mucho cambió desde el 11 de septiembre de 2001. Desde las largas pero necesarias colas de seguridad en los aeropuertos, hasta los vientos de guerra que aún no dejan de soplar. De todas maneras el público comprende ciertas situaciones y las acepta. Pero existen varios aspectos que impactan innecesariamente la salud, la seguridad y la dignidad de las personas. Una de ellas son las restricciones que pesan sobre la elemental utilización de los baños públicos sobre las áreas de circulación masiva, como las terminales de transporte y las zonas administrativas.

Por razones obvias de prevención de ataques terroristas, sa ha limitado e incluso negado por completo el acceso a los "restrooms" e muchos lugares. Robert Brubaker director de Metroped, una organización sin ánimo de lucro, considera que este problema afecta principalmente a las comunidades de inmigrantes, hispanos entre ellos. "En medio de la medidas de seguridad que se han implementado para prevenir actos de vandalismo y hechos criminales, se han comenzado a vulnerar la dignidad y la salud de los transeuntes". Brubaker lidera una campaña social y legal que busca implementar esta clase de equipos de aseo personal en las estaciones del metro por ejemplo.

Los equipos de baños públicos cuestan alrededor de U$960 por unidad, costo considerado elevado. Sin embargo los efectos y el impacto en el bienestar de la gente podrian incrementarse y generar un grave problema de salud pública, si no se adoptan las medidas necesarias para atender esta urgente necesidad básica.

Piden acceso a baños en Metro
Prueba la inician en Huntington
Por Álex Washington Hispanic  Ormaza 7 Marzo 2003   V14 #8

De alguna manera todos estamos familiarizados con la angustia de estar en un lugar público, como por ejemplo la estación del Metro, y no tener acceso a ningún baño cercano cuando la necesidad llama. O no existe uno en los alrededores, o las “políticas” de los lugares públicos es no permitir su uso a los peatones.  Por suerte, alguien está haciendo algo al respecto: La Iniciativa de Servicios Higiénicos Públicos lucha para que haya suficientes baños disponibles o que al menos se le permita al público usar los existentes.   “En la última década, los jefes de las estaciones de Metro han sido renuentes a permitir que los pasajeros que piden los baños los usen, salvo en muy raras ocasiones”, dijo Robert Brubaker, de Metroped. Inc., una organización que vela porque se cumplan las leyes que garantizan el bienestar de las personas cuya condición de salud requiere que tengan un baño cerca.  “En el caso de los hispanos, nos preocupa porque son un grupo étnico que utiliza mucho el sistema de transporte de masas. Hemos recibido informes que no se les permite el acceso a baños en ocasiones, debido a la barrera del idioma”, dice Brubaker, un ex experto en computadoras del Departamento de Defensa.  El funcionario explica que en muchos casos no hay necesidad de que se construyan nuevos servicios higiénicos en las estaciones de Metro, “los ya existentes son de uso exclusivo de los empleados, cuando en realidad su capacidad es para darle servicio al público en general”.  Según explica Brubaker, los baños están siempre cerrados, sin que la gran mayoría del público sepa que existe. “No pedimos que se construyan nuevos baños, ni siquiera que mantengan permanentemente abiertos los que ya existen. Lo que queremos es que se le informe al público de su existencia y que no se le niegue a nadie el acceso a ellos”.  Por lo pronto, el Concejo Directivo de Metro aprobó el 20 de febrero una moción para crear un plan piloto de baños públicos en el sistema. Según lo aprobado, la estación de Huntington, la última de la Línea amarilla, tendrá un baño que tiene la característica de auto limpiarse después del uso número 30.  “El baño piloto tiene el propósito de medir el grado de necesidad de los baños. Queremos saber si son realmente necesarios, qué recursos debemos dedicarle si ése es el caso y cómo vamos a financiar esos recursos”, dijo el concejal de D.C., Jim Graham, presidente del concejo del Sistema de Transporte Masivo del D.C. (WMATA, por sus siglas en inglés).   Según Brubaker, al principio se argumentaban razones de alto costo para no ofrecer baños públicos, “desde los ataques del 11 de septiembre, la razón es ahora la seguridad. Si aceptamos esta última razón, aún así podemos ofrecer el servicio; WMATA puede instalar un abridor eléctrico de las puertas del baño que le permita al guardia permanecer en su puesto y no sacrificar la seguridad.   De acuerdo a un artículo de Donnica Moore, de Dr.Donnica.com, “la  industria del entretenimiento muestra la necesidad de ir al baño como si se tratase una experiencia de humor. La verdad es que es una experiencia dolorosa y hasta peligrosa”.   La iniciativa de los Servícios Públicos (www.metroped.com) es una fuente de información para las personas quienes durante sus viajes, en sus trabajos o a lo largo de sus actividades, deben tener acceso a un baño. Estas personas son: quienes padecen de incontinencia (alrededor de 30 millones de estadounidenses), padres con niños, quienes están confinados a una silla de rueda, o simplemente los que necesitan ir con frecuencia al baño, aún cuando están en sus casas.