Additional security officers will be at the North Hanley, Forest Park-DeBaliviere and Fairview Heights MetroLink stations beginning Monday for about a month as part of a pilot project to assess station design and passenger movement. The project’s goal is to find ways to improve safety and validate fares.

Fencing and crowd barriers will be installed, and Metro Transit security and public safety officers will check fares and monitor passengers as they arrive at modified platform access points, Metro said. Each station will have designated platform entrance and exit areas. Passengers are encouraged to have their passes, tickets and valid fares out before they arrive at the checkpoints.

The MetroLink system has no turnstiles. Fare inspectors randomly require riders to produce time-stamped tickets.

The program is an effort by Citizens for Modern Transit, Metro Transit, the East-West Gateway Council of Governments, the St. Clair County Transit District, the Organization for Black Struggle and local law enforcement.

The security officers, with the support of local law enforcement, will enforce fare validation for 21 hours each day, CMT said.

The total cost of the pilot is $55,000 — $48,880 of which will cover security. The nonprofit has budgeted $45,000 for the project.

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