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Houston Airports lines up $30 million for restroom renovations, including tech upgrades
Houston Airports is making a major investment in helping travelers take care of one of their most basic needs. Over the next two years, the agency will invest $30 million in upgrading the bathrooms at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and at William P. Hobby Airport (HOU).
The money will be used to upgrade restrooms throughout Hobby and at IAH’s Terminals A and D. Houston Airports notes the restrooms at IAH are about 20 years old. Houston Mayor John Whitmire had made the upgrades one of his priorities.
Plans for the renovations include replacing floors, walls, stalls, lighting, sinks, and counters. The new stalls will be larger, with enough room for a carry-on suitcase and a shelf to hold a person’s bag, and will better comply with ADA regulations. Even better, occupancy sensors for each stall will mean not having to look for feet when trying to determine if one is available.
“Houston Airports joins Mayor Whitmire in a shared strategic priority to make our passengers happy. Earlier this year, the mayor challenged Houston Airports to prioritize the renovation of our aging restrooms at both airports,” Houston Airports director of aviation Jim Szczesniak said in a statement. “We are committed to exceeding expectations and ensuring that Houston Airports offers a world-class travel experience for all passengers. The restroom renovation project is a significant step forward in achieving that goal.”
Overall, the upgrades will include:- IAH Terminal A: 18 restrooms, seven family restrooms, and a companion care changing room
- IAH Terminal D: Five restrooms, one restroom in the Mother’s Room
- HOU: 9 restrooms each in Departures and the Ticketing Lobby
A $10 million grant from the FAA will help subsidize the cost of the renovations.
As for IAH Terminals B, C, and E, United has agreed to upgrade them as well. Last year, United and Houston Airports agreed to invest $2.6 billion to upgrade Terminal B.
"In 2023, Houston Airports welcomed a record 60.1 million passengers, with a vast majority flying through Bush Airport,” Szczesniak added. “It’s imperative that Houston Airports continue improve existing infrastructure to meet increasing demand while aligning our terminals to meet the modern and sustainable design of the new IAH international terminal. The end result of these projects will be a more resilient and sustainable airport system that delivers an efficient passenger experience from curb to gate.”
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This article originally ran on CultureMap.