According to the Wall St Journal, Research Has Shown That

Short Answer

According to the Wall St Journal, research has shown that women take about twice as long in public restrooms as men (roughly, 3 minutes to 1.4 minutes). It is therefore not surprising that waits at the women's restrooms are generally longer than at the mens'. As a consequence, many states have passed so-called Potty Parity Laws. (A Google search on "potty parity" yields over 300 results.) These laws aim to equalize waiting line lengths for restrooms at public facilities such as theaters and convention halls. Laws in Maryland and New York mandate an equal number of toilets for men and women (older facilities generally had more men's rooms). Other states mandate more toilets for women. For example, California requires a 4 to 1 ratio.
a. Assuming that a typical facility serves an equal number of men and women, would you expect the Maryland and New York legislation to be adequate in delivering equal waiting lines? Why?
b. The Colorado Convention Center in Denver has dealt with potty parity by installing movable walls between the men's and women's rooms. Capacity is allocated based on the make up of the group using the facility. Thus when a largely female group is in town, the women's room is allocated up to 75% of capacity. When a largely male group is having a meeting, the men's room gets up to 75% of capacity. What are the benefits of this approach? How does it compare to supply chain management techniques we discussed in class