Posted by DAVIDRF at 8/21/08 5:38 p.m.

The problem with this is, how do you prevent homeless people/drug addicts/etc from coming in and completely slopping up the bathrooms while not contributing anything to their upkeep, ala buying something? I know some businesses have keys or passwords or token systems to prevent this, but honestly, I'd rather not have to use a toilet somewhere that has undesirable elements lingering around.

Posted by Traci_UDistrict at 8/21/08 5:41 p.m.

David,

Why, discreetly placed cameras, of course!

Uh, hehe, never mind. ;)

Posted by Panzo at 8/21/08 5:44 p.m.

This need should be met under the auspices of the Metropolitan Improvement District.

Cleanscapes would also be a logical choices for maintaining facilities.

I hope this works this time.

Posted by DFC at 8/21/08 11:25 p.m.

I think I might have been one of the people grumbling aobut the thought of toilets encrusted with advertising. However, what seems unfortunate is that Seattle never did what other locales that use these toilets do: have people paid to come by and check at random intervals.

But since it's fashionable to priviatize everything, we get to see what other agencies will charge the city for the service.... A place to pee at sau 10 pm is a BIG DEAL.

Posted by unregistered user at 8/22/08 7:03 a.m.

For all the money they've wasted, they could have had a purpose-built bathroom facility built and then paid to staff it with a few bathroom attendants for, like, forever. $5 million?!? That's tragic.

Posted by unregistered user at 8/22/08 7:38 a.m.

Time to think of other options. If in need, I'd gladly pay a couple of bucks to use a toilet. Just because it is public, doesn't mean it has to be free.

Posted by naabta at 8/22/08 7:39 a.m.

i feel bad for those reporter in that picture. they probably went to school for a long time to get a degree in journalism.

only to be sent downtown to listen to toilets...

Posted by unregistered user at 8/22/08 9:45 a.m.

Traveling through Italy several times over the years, I've always come back to Seattle and wondered why we don't do it like they do...

They have public restrooms that cost anywhere from .50 to 1 euro. Each facility had an attendant who kept the place clean and stocked with supplies, made change if needed and since they were sitting at a desk just outside the stalls, drug users would be deterred as would prostitutes. Granted they weren't open overnight, but from about 8am - 8pm during the week and about 11pm on Fri/Sat.

I'd guess that paying an attendant to manage 6-10 unisex stalls would have been much cheaper than what the city spent on those automated single stall contraptions.

I remember in Lucca they had automated stalls as well, unisex of course, and they were all over the place. Couldn't walk 5 blocks without seeing a sign for public toliets.

Posted by unregistered user at 8/22/08 10:15 a.m.

First of all, Washington state law prohibits charging people to use public toilets, so the Italy idea is out.

Second of all, part of the reason these things were purchased in the first place is that the BUSINESS OWNERS were tired of drug dealers and prostitutes using their bathrooms. Solution? Build public bathrooms. Now they (and everyone else, seemingly) are mad about the fact that drug dealers and prostitutes were using the public bathrooms. It just seems a tad hypocritical.

How do I know this? Just google "seattle public toilets" and choose the second link, which is the P-I article from when these went in in 2004.

Posted by unregistered user at 8/22/08 10:56 a.m.

okay. So don't charge anything. Problem solved.

Still cheaper to pay someone to sit there and keep an eye on things and cleaning up the place than hiring a company to 'stop by' and clean a couple times a day as was proposed by CleanScapes.

Put advertising in the stalls on the walls whatever it takes to offset some of the costs. That makes too much sense though for the city council - they'd rather spend $5mil on 5 toliets and then sell them on ebay for $12k.

No wonder this city is in financial distress.

Posted by Sasha7 at 8/22/08 11:10 a.m.

I wonder if the City would consider re-opening the men's and women's public toilets under the pergola in Pioneer Square. As far as I know, they're still there under the pavement. I even recall using the women's (in FAR younger days) from time to time.

Posted by BlueLight at 8/22/08 11:16 a.m.

Rent Honey Buckets and have a contract for Honey Bucket to service them.

Posted by Tenochtitlan at 8/22/08 12:35 p.m.

"Honey Bucket" is the most obscene euphemism in the history of the human race.

But seriously, so much of the public outcry against these public toilets came from the usual anti-government nuts who live on the fringes of our community but nevertheless have very loud voices. The automated public toilet was a good idea that was designed and executed poorly, and doomed by the senseless opposition of wingers and anarchists.

If I were mayor, I'd redesign the toilets and deploy them again. When you gotta go you gotta go, and if private businesses will not step up to the bowl on their own volition, then I prefer a public solution to this continuing problem.

Posted by Panzo at 8/22/08 12:52 p.m.

On the other hand we could just tell people to evacuate into Elliott Bay when the need arises. That's what we all do when it rains real hard.

Posted by Traci_UDistrict at 8/22/08 2:20 p.m.

::Rent Honey Buckets and have a contract for Honey Bucket to service them.::

Ok, call me OCD on this one. I will go out of my way to not use them. I will pay for a coffee or a bar drink or find a grocery store like Fred's or Whole Foods or PCC that has free restrooms. I will walk blocks away as an attendee at any festival so as not to use them. I will pee in the woods before I pee in one of them.

I agree with

::Posted by Tenochtitlan at 8/22/08 12:35 p.m.

"Honey Bucket" is the most obscene euphemism in the history of the human race.::

I have no problem with outhouses at campsites, or the family farm, but anything that doesn't flush and is going to be used by innumerable others in a given day just leaves me feeling a bit unsanitary--especially since as a woman I have to sit over the thing for either/or.

(This post may fall under TMI classification.)