This will be the first 24-hour public restroom in the Telegraph neighborhood.
Expanding public restroom access on the southside of campus is an urgent priority. Currently, the area does not have a 24-hour public restroom. Together, UC Berkeley, the City of Berkeley, and the Telegraph Business Improvement District, are working to address this critical need.
City of Berkeley selected the Portland Loo, a durable and easy to maintain restroom that has been highly successful in Portland and other cities, with input from the Telegraph Business Improvement District leaders and merchants, students, and campus leaders.
After conducting extensive research on the Telegraph neighborhood’s need and a public input process, the City of Berkeley will select a site for the 24-hour public restroom along Channing Way, near Telegraph Avenue.
Designed to be safe, clean, and durable.
Known as a Portland Loo, the new Telegraph Avenue area restroom will be a specialized design that has been successfully used for many years in parks and cities around the world. The thoughtful design prevents significant problems that are commonly experienced with public restrooms:
- Free and accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- A sleek and modern design that blends into the environment.
- Special coating on the steel wall panels makes it simple to clean.
- Nothing can be ripped off the walls or easily damaged.
- Commonly used components that are easy to replace or upgrade.
- Discourages vandalism with graffiti-proof wall panels and open grating.
- Can operate on solar power or low level volt power.
- Motion sensors that let you know if someone is inside.
- With proper maintenance, is expected to last up to 100 years.
- And because it’s a single stall, it’s gender neutral.
Image: The Portland Loo®
City, campus, and community, working together in partnership.
With approval of installation plans and financing by the Berkeley City Council, the City’s Department of Public Works will oversee installation of the Portland Loo, which is anticipated to be completed later this year.
Additionally, UC Berkeley, the City of Berkeley, and community partners will establish a new daytime drop-in center, open to all, about a block from People's Park that includes public restrooms, amongst other services and amenities.
Funding for the Portland Loo is provided by UC Berkeley, the Telegraph Business Improvement District, Measure T funds (approved by Berkeley voters in 2016), and other City of Berkeley sources.
Image: The Portland Loo®