More electric vehicle charging could come to Alexandria parks and libraries
More electric vehicle infrastructure could be coming to the city, particularly at public parks and libraries.
Alexandria is applying for a U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) grant to deploy more electric vehicle charging stations and alternative fuel infrastructure.
A memo from Ryan Freed, climate action officer, said the grant would help Alexandria with its Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Readiness Strategy, a road map established in 2021 for meeting the electric vehicle charging needs of the city.
The city’s proposed electric vehicle infrastructure work is estimated to cost around $15 million, with the city shouldering 20% of that if the grant goes through.
The lion’s share of that — $13.75 million — will go to public charging infrastructure. This covers the costs for design, installation, operation and maintenance of publicly accessible chargers throughout the city.
According to the memo, other projects include:
- Vehicle-to-Building Pilot (Up to $400K): Implement bi-directional charging capabilities at one of the charging sites to allow a DASH battery electric bus to act as a mobile generator that can provide power to a shelter facility (e.g., recreation center) during a power outage.
- Workforce Development (Up to $450K): Participate in regional efforts to develop workforce development programs that will create good paying jobs and support wealth creation, consistent with the US DOT’s Equity Action Plan.
- Community Engagement and Outreach Activities (Up to $400K): Educational and community engagement activities
The grant application is scheduled for review at the Transportation Commission meeting on June 20.
