Inside NYC subway bathrooms, MTA report finds missing seats, locks and toilet paper

NEW YORK - Using a bathroom in a subway station is rarely anyone’s first choice — and a new report suggests it may be something riders should avoid altogether.

What we know:

A report from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s inspector general found widespread problems inside public restrooms across the subway system, including broken locks, missing toilet paper and even toilets without seats.

FOX 5 NY’s Arthur Chi’en spoke with MTA Inspector General Daniel Court, who said his office inspected 27 subway bathrooms that were open to the public and found that 23 lacked at least one basic amenity, such as soap, toilet paper or a functioning stall lock.

"We saw broken locks. We saw a lack of toilet paper," Court said. "And of course, when there’s no toilet seat and no toilet paper to cover that lack of a seat, then I think that’s not a usable restroom."

10 of 37 toilets had no seats

Court said inspectors also found that 10 out of 37 toilets examined did not have seats at all.

"Twenty-seven percent of those that we visited had only the stainless steel bowls of the kind that people often associate with prisons and jails," he said, adding that toilet seats are critical for sanitation.

Why you should care:

While subway bathrooms are often viewed as a last resort for New Yorkers, Court said the findings highlight serious quality-of-life and public health concerns for riders who rely on them, especially in emergencies.

The inspector general said the MTA agreed with the report’s key findings and has committed to taking steps to address the issues.

Court said those changes could help ensure subway bathrooms are safer and more functional — and prevent them from continuing to spiral, quite literally, down the drain.