City of Toronto considers heaters for some bus shelters
Waiting for a bus in the freezing cold could one day become a thing of the past as City of Toronto staffers are proposing the installation of heaters at some bus shelters across the city.
While the current shelters provide some relief from falling snow and brisk winds, the icy winter temperatures in Toronto can make for a freezing and uncomfortable commute. As reported by CP24, the proposed heating technology would operate between November 1 and April 30 annually when temperatures fall below 5°C.
There are currently over 5,000 shelters in Toronto and only certain structures will be able to accommodate the electrical distribution lines that would be needed for the heating technology.
The proposed heating devices will be controlled by a button that can be pushed by users, which would switch on five minutes of radiant heat that can be re-activated immediately after the five minutes expire.
City staff propose that 100 heating kits could be installed over the span of 7 years in bus shelters with high ridership and have lower service frequencies.
The City of Toronto has a 20 year deal with Astral Media, which is a company that installs and maintains street furniture and shares advertising revenue. The cost of installing heating technology at one bus shelter reportedly costs approximately $19,000 and would be paid for through modifying the amount of newspaper boxes available.