Deputy Mayor, Dan Doctoroff, introducing the APT on Jan. 10 with Parks Commissioner, Adrian Benepe, and Transportation Commissioner, Janette Sadik-Khan.

Madison Square Park is a great public space but everyone has long agreed there's something missing.
No Longer!
A high-tech coin-operated public toilet opened this week on the Madison Avenue sidewalk between 23^rd and 24^th streets. The APT (automatic public toilet) was installed by Cemusa (in coordination with the Department of Transportation) as part of its new street furniture contract with the City that has already introduced handsome bus shelters, newsstands and bike racks. Our APT is the first of 20 to be installed around the city as part of the street furniture project. The high-tech toilets—a feature of the European sidewalks scene—self-clean after each use and are monitored by computer as well as by crews that drop by twice daily.
At the first flush on Thursday, January 10, city officials traded puns before showing off the APT interior to neighborhood enthusiasts, press and passers-by.