Manhattan CB3 transportation committee schedules restroom pilot feedback
A $5 million city pilot plans 17 modular restrooms by the end of October, including sites at Cooper Square and Delancey Plaza.
Two hosts walk through the week’s edition in conversation — dot public modular restroom pilot program, letter draft discussed, and what’s coming next. Generated by Aware, from this week’s verified summaries.
At Cooper Square, signs would include Chinese, but members asked whether the spoken warnings and other instructions would reach people using different languages.
Two public restrooms are planned for two CB3 locations. Jess Heinselman, co-founder and COO of Throne Labs, told the Manhattan CB3 Transportation, Sanitation & Public Safety Committee that the company expects to deploy 17 modular units citywide by the end of October. Four were already operating when he presented. The CB3 sites are Cooper Square and Delancey Plaza, near Suffolk Street. The city committed $5 million to the pilot, and DOT is its implementing partner. The CB3 transportation committee took no vote on the presentation.
Heinselman described solar-powered units that need no sewer hookup and include running water, a flushing toilet, an accessibility ramp, baby changing tables, menstrual products and sharps disposal. Throne Labs monitors the units remotely and sends crews to clean them based on use and cleanliness ratings. Entry requires a phone or a tap card distributed through community partners. A 10-minute limit triggers escalating warnings before a door-opening sequence.
Members of the CB3 transportation committee questioned whether that limit works for people with disabilities and parents with children. They asked about language access, privacy, emergency help and what performance data the public would see. Heinselman said Throne Labs does not sell or share personal data and reports measures such as uptime to its customers; the city decides what becomes public. Cooper Square will have Chinese signage alongside English and Spanish instructions. Rather than vote on feedback immediately, the CB3 transportation committee put the pilot on next month’s agenda to draft and circulate its response.
Letter draft discussed: Manhattan Bridge exit and Canal Street safety improvements and timeline request
The Manhattan CB3 Transportation, Sanitation & Public Safety Committee reviewed a draft letter calling for immediate safety measures at the Manhattan Bridge exit and an updated schedule for the Canal Street redesign. Addressed to the Mayor and DOT leadership, the letter had not yet been sent. It cited a July 19, 2025 crash that killed two people and a September 10, 2026 truck crash that struck three pedestrians, one of whom later died.
The draft asks for action within 30 days. Its proposed measures include bollards at Canal Street and Bowery and at the bridge’s base, a lower bridge speed limit, traffic cameras and radar speed displays. It also seeks a written plan for interim safety work, separate from a Canal Street redesign schedule with milestones and anticipated dates for remaining phases.
Members of the CB3 transportation committee discussed whether to describe the truck as overloaded but questioned relying on press accounts while the facts were still being investigated. A DOT representative said the agency would review the letter and continue evaluating improvements. No vote on sending it was recorded during this discussion.
Resident reports hazards along NYCHA complex sidewalks
A resident told the Manhattan CB3 Transportation, Sanitation & Public Safety Committee that sidewalks around the NYCHA Lower East Side Consolidated Complex pose trip hazards and said they filed 22 separate 311 complaints. Committee leadership and CB3 staff asked for the complaint numbers so they could follow up with DOT and NYCHA.
The reported hazards affect walking routes around a 22-building complex, including routes used by residents with disabilities.
Committee hears alternative to planned e-bike confiscation
The Manhattan CB3 Transportation, Sanitation & Public Safety Committee heard a letter urging the 9th Precinct to reconsider planned October 7 e-bike confiscations near East 11th Street and 1st Avenue. The letter proposed warnings first and enforcement beginning October 21; the chair read it as an informational update, not a CB3 position.
The proposed approach would give delivery workers notice before enforcement near a major pickup area.
Health department reports CB3 rat inspection results
The Manhattan CB3 Transportation, Sanitation & Public Safety Committee heard a Health Department report on 4,219 first-round 2026 rat inspections in CB3, with 434 properties failing. Residents identified East 5th Street and other hotspots; Caroline Braggden of the department offered to organize an East 5th Street walkthrough.
The results identify properties needing attention and give residents a way to request a closer look at local hotspots.
Committee considers data on street service gaps
The Manhattan CB3 Transportation, Sanitation & Public Safety Committee discussed potential data requests on transportation and sanitation services but took no formal action. Possible topics included bus wait times, accessible pedestrian signals, loading zones, bike racks, street resurfacing and trash collection frequency.
Comparable data could help show where CB3 residents face long waits or lack needed street services.
- Manhattan CB3 Transportation, Sanitation & Public Safety Committee. A resident with a disability reported hazardous sidewalk conditions around the NYCHA Lower East Side Consolidated Complex (22 buildings) and described filing 22 separate 311 complaints. Committee leadership and CB3 staff asked for the 311 numbers and offered to coordinate with DOT and NYCHA to pursue repairs.
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