Monterey-Salinas Transit to offer more public restroom options in downtown Salinas
The restrooms at Salinas Transit Center see a lot of action throughout the day, as one of the only public restrooms in downtown Salinas. “It is very small and, of course, is gonna get packed because this is a very busy place,” said MST rider, Marcos Martinez.
Not only is the center busy, but CEO of MST, Carl Sedoryk, said the restrooms are past their prime. “Our facility here is over 30 years old and we need new restroom facilities. They no longer serve the purpose of what they were designed for,” said Sedoryk.
This is where the new “Portland Loo” will come in. MST said the “loo” has proved successful at the Monterey Transit Center, and would benefit downtown Salinas, as well.
The “loo” is designed different than your typical restroom. A button on the “loo” open the doors and keeps them closed for a few minutes. When the “loo” is ready to open its doors, it provides a warning. Sedoryk said this feature could solve many of the safety concerns at the transit centers. “That is our goal — to keep people from lingering in the bathrooms and doing things that they maybe shouldn’t be doing. To make the bathrooms available for those who really need to use them and to keep them safe, clean, and secure,” said Sedoryk.
Some riders expressed that the new safety features don’t completely wipe away concern. ” I’ve seen people linger around here. I still think it would scare me,” said MST rider, Aline Diaz.
On the other hand, Salinas City Councilman, Steve McShane, has been a proponent of the innovative restrooms from the start . “For many years there has been a need for additional public restrooms in downtown Salinas. The “Portland Loo” is an amazing design where city planners, public safety professionals, and a ton of the public came together for the ultimate design for a restroom that offers decency, cleanliness, and safety,” said McShane.
MST said the funding is all in place for the new “loo” — a $110,000 facility. MST noted that the “loos” are not cheap, but said they are completely indestructible and built to last. Councilman McShane explained that once the city approves the building permit, the “loo” will be a go.
