D.C. stalls popular public bathroom program amid funding cuts
Driving the news: Throne, the startup behind a fleet of luxe loos, shut down its six free toilets on July 5 after the city let its contract lapse over funding issues.
City officials say they've identified funding to keep the bathrooms running through September, but they gave no timeline for reopening them.
Why it matters: D.C. is desperate for bathrooms, especially with massive events for America's 250th birthday and beyond.
Catch up quick: Throne launched 18 potties in DMV in 2024 — all free, mobile, ADA-compliant, and equipped with baby stations, sinks, AC and menstrual products.
So yes, popular — D.C. Thrones attracted around 71,000 visitors between the start of the pilot and May.
The city used six in a pilot program for high-traffic areas like Dupont Circle, Eastern Market and near the Mall.
The latest: City officials told the Washington Post that Throne's funding was wiped after the congressional GOP spending bill slashed $1 billion from D.C.'s budget and forced the city to terminate contracts.
Yes, but: The mayor's office seemingly reversed its decision after pushback from neighborhood organizations and public officials. A Change.org petition to reopen Thrones garnered more than 740 signatures.
As one Throne supporter told Axios: "There's nothing like the wrath of someone approaching a bathroom and finding it closed."
Zoom in: The D.C. Council is helping fund 10 Thrones in the new fiscal year, Councilmember Brianne Nadeau tells Axios. Nadeau, who championed the program as chair of the Committee on Public Works, says it's still unclear why the contract lapsed.
Multiple committees pitched in for the pilot in FY26, she says, and council members sponsored their own, covering new Thrones in Wards 7, 8 and 1.
Claims that Throne funding will cost Public Works jobs are "completely inaccurate," Nadeau tells Axios.
What they're saying: "Ultimately, this is really scalable. They're easy to use, easy to place, people love them," Nadeau tells Axios. Her next step: Introducing legislation to make the pilot permanent.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Boston Globe
an hour ago
- Boston Globe
MBTA announces new, largest ferry ‘Millennium'
'The service sells itself,' Coholan said. The MBTA saw success with the launch of the Lynn ferry in 2023, and last year bought two smaller boats due to the increased popularity, Eng said. The Advertisement 'This big addition is going to allow us to really handle some of the larger ridership routes because we know right now, the popularity has overgrown our capacity,' Eng said. Riders can expect a peaceful and enjoyable ride aboard the Millennium, which is equipped with a full beverage and snack service, accessible restrooms, and is ADA compliant, officials said. Although the Millennium does not have an official opening date, Eng said it's expected to be in service 'this season.' For its maiden voyage into Boston Thursday, the ferry left Somerset, where it was docked, just before 11 a.m. and traveled through Vineyard Sound and Cape Cod Canal before sailing past Long Wharf. Built in 1998, the Millennium is in pristine condition, Coholan said. Advertisement Its sister boats, Aurora and Asteria, feature the same design, meaning crews will be familiar with its operations and maintenance. The Millennium will be serviced and inspected at the Charlestown yard before its opening day. Boston Harbor Cruises assisted with closing the deal, and an all-female crew was aboard the Millennium during its debut, Eng said. 'We serve a diverse population, and we want to make sure the MBTA crews, including those that are supporting us, are just as diverse as the people we serve,' Eng said. Water transportation is becoming a more appealing option to riders, and Eng sees this market continuing to grow in the future. Eng thanked the governor's administration for focusing on mass transportation. Ten million dollars of state funds aided the purchase of the Millennium. 'Water transportation is exciting,' Eng said. 'We're going to look at continuing how to improve water transportation services.' Camille Bugayong can be reached at
Gizmodo
an hour ago
- Gizmodo
Secretive, Peter Thiel-Founded ‘Tech Bilderberg' Group Is Moving Up in the World
A secretive group founded by Palantir mogul Peter Thiel is planning to expand its influence in Washington, D.C., according to a report from Axios. The group, called Dialog, wants to establish a permanent physical campus in the capital, where it can carry on its invite-only meetings involving major power players. Working off information provided by a source with knowledge of the group's activities, Axios claims that Dialog—which it says is 'often compared to a tech-era Bilderberg'—has plans for a 'major expansion' that includes the new physical hub in D.C. It reports: Dialog leaders are in active discussions to buy a physical venue in Virginia, just outside Washington, to serve as a permanent hub for its off-the-record meetings, the tipster says. The decision to buy land, then build, within commuting distance of the capital shows the group isn't just kissing President Trump's ring, but plans to be engaged in Washington long after this term. As you might expect, there's not a whole lot of information available about Dialog or what it's all about. Online descriptions make it sound like a pared-down, less transparent, Intellectual Dark Web-tinged version of Davos—where well-connected folks sit around and discuss naughty ideas that the American peasantry just wouldn't get. Axios writes that a source invited to participate in the event described it as 'offering global elites the chance to talk candidly across ideological lines, away from their phones and the pressures of social media, the news media, and their stakeholders.' Simone Collins, one half of that notorious pronatalist couple that had an unfortunate media glow-up a while back, previously worked as the managing director of the group. A website that appears to belong to Dialog lends itself to the group's secretive vibe. There is pretty much nothing on the site except an email address and the tagline: 'leaders join Dialog to discuss topics off-the-record.' We used that email to ask about the group's plans. Gizmodo also reached out to Thiel via Palantir. The rich and powerful have always used exclusive, secretive clubs to advance their own agendas, so it definitely tracks that the newest band of tech oligarchs would want their own forum from which to plot world domination, or whatever it is that they're plotting. The group's founder, Thiel, is a major player in business, tech, and politics, and has flitted in and out of the spheres of influence connected to the current administration. Many of his associates and friends currently have positions in the government, and Palantir continues to work for the Trump White House while making money hand over fist. Dialog was also founded by Auren Hoffman, another tech bigwig and angel investor. It's unclear how Dialog matches up in terms of 'coolness' to other secretive groups. Yale's Skull and Bones Society (also known as the 'Brotherhood of Death'), where multiple presidents have been members, and Prescott Bush, according to legend, helped steal Geronimo's skull, obviously ranks pretty high. Then there's the Bohemian Grove, the weird California retreat where powerful dudes get together to pee in the woods, wear ceremonial robes, and reportedly worship a giant owl statue. Your mileage may vary on how cool (or not) that is. The Bilderberg Group itself, while ominous, has always just seemed like a boring, albeit nefarious, business meeting, where the world's leaders get together to discuss how best to keep the globe's winners winning. Given that Dialog is staffed by a cadre of professional nerds, it seems unlikely that it's particularly cool—but there's no way to tell.
New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
NYC unveils $164M plan for sprawling, new rec center to replace aging pool complex, preserve iconic Keith Haring mural
The city is committing $164 million to build a sprawling new rec center with two pools, an indoor gym, and public open space to replace the beloved, but aging West Village rec center where Keith Haring scrawled his iconic figures in the 80s. The state-of-the-art facility will replace the 116-year-old the Tony Dapolito Recreation Center on Clarkson Street that closed in 2021, City Hall announced Thursday. As part of the plan, officials will preserve the 18-foot-tall historic mural the late street artist painted at the outdoor pool in 1987, following community uproar over its unknown fate. New renderings of the sprawling indoor-outdoor corridor depict over 100,000 square feet of what the Mayor's office is calling a 'recreation, cultural, and fitness hub.' 4 Aerial renderings of the 100,000 sq. foot plan. NYC Parks 'This $164-million investment will revitalize a community that has consistently contributed to the rich history of our city,' Mayor Eric Adams said in a press release. The news is a major development for the shuttered Tony Dapolito pool building — which neighbors and activists have been fighting to preserve — along with Haring's mural that adorns the poolside. 4 The Tony Dapolito pool, which features an iconic mural by the artist Keith Haring. NYC Parks 'The project will explore ways to honor the site's history, including the potential reuse of exterior building elements along Seventh Avenue and Clarkson Street,' city officials said. The city reaffirmed its promise to restore the mural 'as part of the site's reimagining.' The new blueprints come after the city announced a $51 million plan in May to rebuild the pool complex — which some locals said was not enough. The revised plan was given a funding boost in part by the 10-year capital plan included in the recently adopted city budget. The $164 million number takes into account $51 million that had been set aside for the parks department's budget for the revamping of the Tony Dapolito building. 4 An example of what the indoor rec center could look like. NYC Parks / NYCâ¯DDC 'This project reflects what residents have asked for: inclusive, free, and accessible recreation that inspires healthier, more connected neighborhoods,' NYC Parks Commissioner Iris Rodriguez-Rosa said. The revitalization plan will encompass most of a block bound by Leroy, Hudson, and Clarkson Streets and 7th Avenue — which will become the site of the outdoor aquatics complex. An adjacent field to the west of the complex will remain. A separate, mapped-out rec center will take shape at 388 Hudson Street — which will boast an ADA-accessible indoor pool, gym, and programming spaces. Additional outdoor public space called the Hudson Houston Plaza will be created for pedestrians to take advantage of. 4 The Hudson Houston Plaza open space design. NYC Parks / NYC DEP/ HSBID The Hudson Houston Plaza will go into procurement imminently — separate from the outdoor pool area – while 388 Hudson is in the review process and officials are expected to choose a developer by early 2026, according to the Parks Department. The outdoor pool will be developed with the Department of Design and Construction. It's not immediately clear when the development process will begin.
