INDIANAPOLIS—This winter will be a test for the electric buses and the stations being used for the first time on IndyGo’s Red Line.
How will the system perform in snow, sleet, ice and cold?
The 28 station platforms along the 13-mile route are open air, meaning wind will whip rain and snow right in. Each platform and the ramp leading to it has a melting system that heats the concrete. “As the system detects moisture, it kicks in automatically to keep the snow from accumulating,” said IndyGo’s Faith Chadwick.
If temperatures get too cold or there’s too much snow for the heating system to keep up, IndyGo will also have employees out salting and shoveling.
Red Line buses use an electric battery system and it’s no secret that batteries die quicker in colder temperatures. Buses may need recharging while out on their routes. Early next year, charging pads will be installed along the route so buses can stay out longer in the cold.
The city’s Department of Public Works will take care of plowing and salting along the Red Line route and at the stations.
IndyGo asks riders to use caution walking up and down ramps to the platforms.
And when driving, give the buses a little extra room.
