Adult changing rooms will soon be available for use in Johnson County on Interstate 380 to assist caregivers of people with disabilities.

The Iowa Department of Transportation is adding adult changing rooms to four interstate rest areas this year, including on Interstate 380 northbound between Iowa City and Cedar Rapids and on Interstate 80 westbound near Tiffin.

Adult changing restrooms are designed for use by people with physical or intellectual disabilities who may have difficulty using a standard toilet. The amenities in these restrooms typically include a hoist and height-adjustable changing table, which help people remain sanitary and make the process easier for caregivers.

Steve McMenamin, Iowa Department of Transportation rest area administrator, said the organization is working to remodel restrooms in these buildings to make the building more accessible for all people.

“We’re modifying all the larger buildings to add an adult changing station in the family rooms,” McMenamin said. “The problem was out there for a large portion of the population, and it’s an issue that we thought we could address because we had the space.”

McMenamin said they are currently wrapping up projects with plans for more accessible bathrooms being placed in rest stops in the future.

“We started in our last building where we opened the first adult charging station in an Iowa county building,” McMenamin said. “We’re in the process of finishing up four other buildings, and in the future here, probably next month in March, we’ll be getting contracts for five more buildings.”

There are some concerns that came along with the construction, primarily surrounding the usage of the changing areas for activities it was not designed for, McMenamin said.

“The room has a lock from the inside, which is unusual,” he said. “I think it’s a good idea, but you never know for sure.”

Nancy Baker Curtis, an Iowa mother of two and a member of Changing Spaces Iowa — an organization that advocates for more height-adjustable adult sized changing tables across Iowa — the new restrooms are accessible to her family’s necessities.

“My 7-year-old son Charlie is disabled. He does not speak, and he requires the use of diapers,” Baker Curtis said.

Baker Curtis said she has been advocating for more accessible changing rooms in rest stops and other buildings across the state for multiple years.

“When I first became aware of this issue was in 2018,” Baker Curtis said. “He was 2 years old at the time, and well, he was small enough to fit on an infant wall mounted changing table, but he was too long. I would change him in my car whenever I could.”

As the winter months approached, however, Baker Curtis realized she was no longer able to use her car because of the cold temperatures.

“We realized that we really only had the option of going back inside to the rest area and having to use that dirty bathroom floor,” she said.

Baker Curtis said she is thrilled about the addition of rest areas, and she hopes that it sheds a light on public advocacy for populations who benefit from having accessible restrooms available.

“I would encourage anyone if they go someplace to speak up and to be an ally,” Baker Curtis said. “You don’t have to have a loved one with a disability in order to be an advocate for them or to want them to have access to the exact same thing everybody else does.”