To: WSFAlist at keithlynch.net
Date: Thu, 3 Apr 2003 05:33:34 -0500
Subject: [WSFA] Re: restrooms for Metro
From: ronkean at juno.com
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at keithlynch.net>

On Wed, 2 Apr 2003 23:54:40 -0500 (EST) "Keith F. Lynch"
<kfl at KeithLynch.net> writes:

> It says that one-stall self-cleaning restroom cost $66,500 per
> year.
>
> Your tax money at work.  Wouldn't it have made more sense to
> install
> a standard multi-stall restroom and hire a full time janitor to
> keep
> it clean?

As I understand it, the one-stall self-cleaning restroom is like a very
expensive porta-potty, in that it can be put in for the duration of the
lease period, and then removed, or, if desired, left in place for
continued leasing.  For a one year trial, it would much less expensive to
pay $66K for one of those for one year than it would be to pay hundreds
of thousands of dollars to retrofit the one station with a new permanent
built-in "brick and mortar" restroom.  In the long run, it might well be
cheaper to build permanent restrooms with more traditional cleaning and
maintenance arrangements.

There may be one simple reason why they picked the $66K solution - the
Americans with Disabilities Act.  The existing restrooms might not meet
ADA requirements for _public_ access, while being O.K. for employee use.
Otherwise I would say to use the existing restroom(s) at the one station
for the trial.