Metro News Release

For immediate release: October 8, 2003

Metro installs public toilet at Huntington station

A new self-cleaning public toilet has been installed inside the Huntington Metrorail station as a one-year test to determine customer acceptance and feasibility, as well as the impact on safety and cleanliness. The pilot was approved by the Metro Board in February.

The new toilet is a single-stall unit inside the fare gate at Huntington’s north mezzanine. The unit, which is costing Metro $39,600 per year to lease, cost an additional $55,000 for site renovation, installation, and water, sewer, and electric power hook-ups. There is an additional $14,400 per year for routine service/ maintenance, bringing the 12-month project cost to approximately $109,000.

The vandal-resistant portable unit was manufactured in New Zealand and offers customers the use of a toilet, soap, toilet tissue, water dispensing, and hand drying. There is an automatic interior chemical spray cleaning cycle after each use. The units, which are ADA compliant, will be accessible to Metro patrons only.

"We are giving our customers yet another reason to take Metro in comfort and confidence," noted Metro Board member Dana Kauffman, who was instrumental in seeing the project come to light. "I look forward to seeing many seniors, parents with small children, and others taking advantage of this facility. We will gauge the effectiveness of this program in attracting riders against any incidents of vandalism or crime."

The Huntington station (Yellow Line) was selected for the project "because it is a terminal station where customers are likely to have arrived after a lengthy Metrobus or Metrorail ride," explained Metro Board member Katherine Hanley. "This is a station where we expect there to be high use of the new facility."

When the Metrorail system was originally constructed, public restrooms were not a part of the design due to construction costs, maintenance costs, and safety and security concerns. The existing restrooms were designed for employee use only. Customers who experience an emergency and need to use a restroom at another station should contact the station manager at that station for permission to use an employee restroom.

News release issued on October 8, 2003.