The Capital Area Transit Authority (CATA) plans to implement heated bus stops along major routes as early as next fall. At the April 11 meeting of the East Lansing University Student Commission, CATA officials provided updates on the proposal and listened to comments from East Lansing residents.
For some East Lansing residents, the addition of the new heated shelters would be a welcome change.
“If they’re planning it I would really appreciate it,” said Stefan Kobiljak, who said that cold weather was a large reason why he began taking the bus in the first place. “I started using the bus system a lot more recently just because it was so cold. … I think it would be really cool.”
Another East Lansing resident, Nathan Winston, also showed support. “I think it’s good … In the middle of winter it’s going to be -20 degrees,” he said.
For other residents, potential heated bus stops may come with some concerns.
“It doesn’t sound like a horrible idea, I just worry about more inefficiencies with electricity,” said Jackson Hougen. Hougen’s reservations stemmed from the amount of energy that would be put to use to power the heated bus stops, as well as the amount of use they would get.
“It depends on how much people would use them. If they’re not going to be used, it’s probably not a good idea,” he said.
While the potential of heated bus stops across East Lansing is still very much in the discussion phase, it is clear that the project would be impactful for some of the city’s residents. While some may have concerns over its implementation, others will welcome it into the city.