Platform Heaters

Metro's partners in Illinois at the St. Clair County Transit District determined that MetroLink passengers need to stay toasty while waiting for MetroLink. In 2009, Metro finished installing platform heaters at all Illinois MetroLink stations, thanks to funding from St. Clair County Transit District. These heaters are passenger-controlled, ceiling-mounted heaters that Metro installed along with a wind shelter on the MetroLink platforms. They run on a timer, so they turn off after 15 minutes, to save energy. The heaters are also set so that they don't come on at all if the temperature is above  fifty degrees. This initiative was so popular, Metro decided to extend it to Missouri stations as well.

Beginning in February 2010, Metro began turning on new platform heaters at several Missouri MetroLink stations, including: North Hanley, Delmar Loop, Clayton, Shrewsbury, Civic Center, and Central West End. All other Missouri MetroLink stations got heaters, excluding the underground stations (such as the 8th & Pine station downtown - passengers are already sheltered and those stations don't get as cold) in 2011.

The project necessarily included an evaluation of the power needed at each station, and in some cases updating equipment to move extra power into the station. The stations chosen for the first round of installation in Missouri were some of the busiest stations, but also the easiest to upgrade.

The Grand Station heaters will be placed as a part of the station redesign in 2011 and early 2012, in conjunction with the construction of a new transit plaza underneath the new Grand Avenue bridge that the City of St. Louis will build.

Project Contractor

Streib Electric

More Information

A Toasty Commute: MetroLink Platform Heaters Roll Out in Missouri, NextStop Blog, October 22, 2010