The agency cites the high cost of the program and a county code that bars restroom facilities from transit centers as reasons for ending the six-month pilot.
King County Metro plans to remove two public restroom facilities at its transit centers, despite what The Urbanist’s Ryan Packer calls “promising results.”
As Packer explains, “Central Puget Sound has a dearth of public restrooms, particularly at transit facilities, with the few available often accessible for limited hours and many riders dependent on nearby private businesses for restroom access.” The six-month pilot was designed to explore options to expand restroom access.
“However, the pilot program’s high costs, mostly associated with providing 24-hour security to both transit centers to monitor the restrooms, will likely prove the biggest deterrent to making them permanent.” The program cost $568,567 to operate — with roughly 70 percent spent on security personnel.
Councilmember Rod Dembowski, who championed the project, said hiring 24/7 security may have been ‘overkill.’ Dembowski added, “There’s a long history in Seattle with struggling with public restrooms, they can be costly, difficult to maintain, but I think for the usability of our system and the riders, I think it’s something we ought to continue to work on.”
FULL STORY: King County Plans to Close Transit Center Restrooms Despite Promising Pilot
Seattle to Reinstate Bus Fare Enforcement
After a COVID-era move to eliminate fare inspections on city buses, King County Metro is reinstating checks for fare evasion.
King County Metro to Cut Bus Service
With hundreds of buses out of service and a mechanic shortage delaying repairs and maintenance, Seattle area bus riders will see significantly reduced service this summer.
A ‘Playbook’ for Better Bus Service, From King County Metro
King County Metro operates one of the nation’s busiest transit systems—without running any trains. The agency recently released a playbook as a guide to transit service.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research