New Website Finds Closest Bathroom To Every Bethesda Metro Station

BETHESDA, MD —A bathroom is a rare and valuable find when you are traveling the rails of the D.C. Metro system.

Many on the popular Twitter feed known as "UnsuckDCMetro" agree — there is a remarkable lack of restrooms among all of Metro's stations. Therefore, owners of the local HVAC servicing company Michael and Son said they decided to band together and create an online map to help all the desperate commuters with full bladders out there.

"If you’ve ever gone searching for a toilet while on your daily commute, you may have found it to be inaccessible or entirely nonexistent. But, when you’ve gotta go, you’ve gotta go!" the company says on the map site.

The Web page looks somewhat similar to Waze, with a map of all of the Metro lines and surrounding streets, featuring large icons wherever there is a restroom at or close to a Metro station.

If the bathroom is in working order and accessible, the icon is blue, and if you click on the icon, there are even written directions to help you find the restroom, including approximately how far you have to walk to get there. They even give every restroom an "accessibility" score in the form of a five-star rating, based on how difficult it is to find and get to.

On the flip side, if a particular Metro station has no restroom within a reasonable amount of walking distance from the station, the app warns users of this with a red icon of a toilet with a slash through it.

For example, if you click on the icon at the North Bethesda station at 10300 Rockville Pike: "Exit the metro platform. To the right of the metro, and behind the music center parking deck, turn right at Strathmore Park Court and the Meridian is on the right side. You may be able to use the restrooms, but not a guarantee. No other bathrooms in the vicinity."

The folks at Michael and Son say, they just want to help the people of their community.

"Whether you’re traveling with someone who needs a little extra help, or you yourself are in need of a bathroom while aboard public transit, this guide can lead you to the closest free bathroom in the vicinity and provide information on overall ease of access from the station."

Visit the app online.

Additional reporting by Patch Editor Jennifer van der Kleut

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