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Race Restrooms
Boston Marathon and Race Restrooms: what it covers
Quick answer
A race route through Boston is planned as a series of clusters, not a single site, because spectators line the course for miles. The Boston Marathon runs from Hopkinton into the city on Patriots' Day, and crowds gather along Beacon Street and at Kenmore Square. Each cluster is set for the crowd that stops there, and the count is set by the operator for the route, not from a published ratio.
The Boston Marathon is a route event. Its course runs from Hopkinton into the city, and the spectators who line it do not gather at one place. Press coverage of the race describes crowds along Beacon Street and in Kenmore Square, and a pre-race report from 2014 projected about one million spectators across the day. No official spectator count for recent years was found, so this page does not quote one.
Because the crowd is spread out, the restroom plan is spread out too. The clusters are placed where people stop, which is often at a corner, a plaza or the edge of a park, and each one is sized to the people who stay in that spot. A cluster near the finish sees different use from one on a quiet stretch of the course, and the plan reflects that.
Race routes run through the permit routes of several City offices, including Transportation for road races and parades and Public Works for closures. The organizer applies for the route and the clusters are shown on the plan that goes with it, so the reviewer can see the full set of stops.
Keep every cluster clear of the course and of the emergency routes that run alongside it. Mark the clusters for stewards and check the approach before each wave of the race.
A spectator route with long stretches of curb and no restroom for several miles
A corner where crowds stand for hours and the nearest public toilet is inside a closed shop
A finish-area plaza that needs a cluster sized for a crowd that arrives in waves
A park stop along a race where grass is the only ground and the units need a firm pad
Our process
How our boston marathon and race restrooms visit works
Map the spectator stops
Mark the places where crowds stand longest, usually near corners, plazas, transit stops and the finish area, and count the people each stop is likely to hold.
Place a cluster at each major stop
Set a cluster where the stop is, not at the nearest open lot. Each cluster should be reachable from the crowd without crossing the course.
Plan the route permit and the stops together
Send the route and the cluster sites to the Transportation Department with the permit file, so one plan shows the whole course.
Service during and after the race
Set servicing for the day of the race and for the hours either side of it, and plan a fresh unit delivery before the crowd arrives.
Collect after the route reopens
Collect the units once the route is reopened and the crowd has left, and confirm the pickup order with the provider on the day before.
Job stories
Typical jobs for boston marathon and race restrooms
Spectators line a race route for hours at a corner where the nearest public toilet is inside a closed shop. The organizer needs clusters that are off the course and clear of the stewards' route.
What we do
The clusters are placed at the stops where the crowd waits, each sized to the people who stand there, and the cluster plan is sent with the route permit so one plan shows the whole course.
What to expect
Spectators have a unit at each stop without crossing the course, and the stewards can see every cluster on the plan.
Race day servicing with a fresh delivery before the crowd typical visit
How does the Boston Marathon change the restroom plan?
The race is a route, so the restroom plan is a set of clusters along it. The clusters are placed where spectators stop, and each one is sized to the crowd that holds at that stop.
A single large site would leave most of the course without any units. Clusters at the corners and stops where people wait for the race give the crowd a place to go without leaving the route, and they also keep the units away from the course itself. The organizer should record each cluster on the plan so the reviewer can see the full spread.
What permits cover race restrooms in Boston?
Road races and parades go through the Transportation Department, and street closures go through Public Works. Parks stops go through Parks and Recreation, and the clusters are shown on the plan filed with each of those routes.
The route permit and the restroom plan should agree. A cluster that sits on a closed street, a park or a reservation must appear in the file for that space, and a cluster on a sidewalk or a corner must be cleared with the office that governs it. Mismatched plans are the most common reason a race route needs a second round of review.
How is the count set for a race route?
The operator sets the count for each cluster from the expected crowd at that stop, the length of time the crowd stays, and the weather. No City ratio for race restrooms is published.
A finish-area cluster and a quiet corner on the course are not the same problem, and the count should follow the crowd at each. Hot days and long waits increase use, and a cold, wet race can reduce it. The organizer should write down the reasoning for each cluster so the count can be checked against the permit file.
Options
Types and options for boston marathon and race restrooms
Corner cluster
Two to four units at a busy corner where spectators stand for hours. The cluster is set off the corner so the crowd can move past it.
Finish-area cluster
A larger group near the finish, sized for the people who gather there as the race ends and the crowd disperses in waves.
Park stop cluster
A cluster set on firm ground at a park stop along the course, with a pad where the grass is worn or wet.
Suffolk County
Why boston marathon and race restrooms is different in Greater Boston
The Boston Marathon starts in Hopkinton and runs into the city, and the restroom plan covers the stretches that fall within Boston's own permit routes.
Beacon Street and Kenmore Square are the crowd points that press coverage describes, and clusters there are placed away from the course edge.
Patriots' Day falls on the third Monday in April, and the plan is worked out for that date, with the weather taken into account.
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Portable toilets for events on Boston parkland, the Greenway and the Emerald Necklace parks, with the reservation route handled before the units are set.
Accessible units for Boston temporary events, planned as a share of each cluster under the Massachusetts Architectural Access Board's rule.
See details
FAQ
Boston Marathon and Race Restrooms FAQs
Do race spectators in Boston need portable toilets?
The race route needs clusters where spectators stop. Each cluster is sized for the crowd at that stop, and the operator sets the count.
Are there published spectator figures for the marathon?
A 2014 pre-race report projected about one million spectators. No official figure for recent years was found, so this site does not quote one.
Which City office handles the race route?
The Transportation Department handles road races and parades, and Public Works handles street closures. The clusters are shown on the plan for each route.
Can units go on the race course itself?
No. Clusters are placed off the course, at corners, plazas and stops where spectators gather.
Does a race route need accessible units?
The clusters follow the accessibility share for temporary events in Massachusetts, and at least one accessible unit is planned in each cluster group.
