A trip to the National Mall and nearby monuments and memorials offers natural beauty, architecture and American history. But what it doesn’t offer is easy access to a bathroom when you need one.
And get this: There’s not a single public toilet on the National Mall, between the Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol.
The National Park Service said there are currently nine public restrooms on the mall — but none east of 15th Street in Northwest D.C., necessitating long walks for some visitors.
The National Capital Planning Commission will soon review plans from the park service to add 12 new public restrooms and replace three existing “comfort stations,” including four on the grassy mall itself.
Over the years, visitors to the National Mall have ducked into one of the Smithsonian Institution museums to make a pit stop. However, with increased security and timed ticketing, a quick bathroom break in a museum isn’t always possible, with some visitors resorting to using nearby bushes and trees.
The exact design and location of the public restrooms are still to be determined. In some cases, new restrooms will share a building with restaurants to replace free-standing food kiosks.
In a conceptual design study, to be presented to the National Capital Planning Commission on Oct. 3, the map shows that most toilets will be located in heavily-trafficked areas, including near the Lincoln Memorial and Constitution Gardens.
National Park Service spokesman Mike Litterst told WTOP that construction of the new restroom facilities would be done in phases of a period of many years, based on funding availability.
“We hope to start design of the new facilities at the Lincoln Memorial next year, with construction starting as early as 2026,” Litterst said.
