CAPE CHARLES, Va. — Cape Charles Town Council met this week to consider multiple options to replace a problematic restroom trailer that has served downtown visitors for more than five years, with costs ranging from $70,000 for a new trailer to $900,000 for a lease agreement.
The current facility, dubbed “The Silver Bullet,” is a 2-stall trailer located at Mason Avenue and Peach Street on Canonie Railroad property. Town officials presented options to the council and community on Aug. 7, citing ongoing issues with the existing facility, including frequent out-of-order signs, locked doors, cleanliness problems and lack of ADA accessibility.
The town is evaluating three main approaches: short-term trailer replacement, long-term permanent construction, or leasing space at 11 Peach Street that would combine restrooms with visitor center functions.
Short-term Options
Four trailer vendors have provided quotes ranging from $69,970 to $97,500 for facilities with 4-6 stalls. The least expensive option from JAG Mobile Solutions offers a 5-stall trailer for $69,970 but lacks ADA accessibility. Only the BOXX Modular option at $97,500 includes ADA compliance but provides just 4 stalls.
All trailer options have an estimated 5-year lifespan and could be deployed within 2-4 months of approval.
Permanent Solutions
Long-term permanent buildings range from $260,000 to $790,000, with installation timelines of 7-11 months. Options include prefabricated modular buildings from Green Flush, precast concrete structures, and stick-built kits from Romtec.
The Green Flush Telluride single building, priced at $335,610, would provide 6 ADA-compliant unisex stalls with features including automatic locks, drinking fountains and digital comment cards for maintenance alerts.
Precast concrete solutions offer the fastest permanent installation at about one week on-site, with total costs of $330,000-$350,000 including site preparation.
Lease Alternative
The most expensive option involves leasing 11 Peach Street for $7,500 monthly over 10 years, totaling $900,000. This would provide 5 ADA-compliant restrooms plus visitor center space, with an option to purchase after the lease term.
Key Decisions Ahead
Town council must determine whether to prioritize short-term or long-term solutions, select a location among Canonie Railroad property or town-owned parcels behind the library, and decide between ownership and leasing arrangements.
The presentation emphasized the classic “good, fast, affordable” triangle, noting that projects typically can achieve only two of the three qualities simultaneously.
Public works currently cleans the existing facility three times daily and has added a portable ADA unit as a temporary measure, but officials acknowledge these steps don’t address fundamental capacity and accessibility issues.
The council has not yet announced when it will make a final decision on the restroom replacement options.
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