Pittsburgh will use a U.S. Department of Transportation grant to help fund a $2.9 million program to install 100 electric charging stations in parks, parking areas and busy neighborhoods.
Federal officials announced Tuesday the city will receive $2.4 million for the program, part of $521 million in grants announced Tuesday. The city will use a $470,000 grant from Duquesne Light Co. and $40,000 in in-kind contributions from the city for the rest of the funding.
Deputy Mayor Jake Pawlak said the goal is to expand the number of charging stations at public places with multiplug stations at 21 locations. Four of the sites will be at parks: Banksville Park at 1459 Crane Ave.; Moore Park at 1801 Pioneer Ave.; McKinley Park in Beltzhoover; and the Biddle Building at Frick Park, 800 S. Braddock Ave.
Four of the charging stations will be at surface parking lots, Pawlak said, but only one has been identified. That station will be outside the Pittsburgh Parking Authority’s Second Avenue garage, where the station will allow motorists to charge without going into the garage.
A dozen curbside locations throughout the city also will be identified after a series of community discussions, Pawlak said. Initially, the city will look at high-traffic areas that aren’t necessarily in the heart of business districts but still draw a lot of traffic.
Along highways, charging stations often cost several hundred thousand dollars, but in urban areas it is substantially less expensive because a lot of the site needs already are available.
“It’s a lot less expensive than building from dirt,” he said.
The grants are part of the Biden administration’s Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant Program and will fund more than 9,200 charging ports. This supplements the $5 billion National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program that earmarks funds for each state across the country with goals of 500,000 stations by 2030 — one about every 50 miles on interstate highways — and spur electric vehicle sales.
That includes $171.5 million in Pennsylvania to install about 150 stations.
“The awards that we’re announcing [Tuesday] will build on this important work and help ensure that the cost savings, health and climate benefits, and jobs of the EV future are secured for Americans across the country,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a news release.
About $321 million of Tuesday’s grants were allocated for 41 community projects similar to the one in Pittsburgh. Another $200 million went for 10 projects on the interstate system.
There were two other projects in Pennsylvania, $6.8 million for underserved Philadelphia neighborhoods and $2.2 million for a charging hub at Philadelphia International Air[port.
Pawlak noted this is the second major project the city has embarked on with Duquesne Light Co. For Earth Day in April, the city announced a pilot program known as Energize Pittsburgh to help develop more energy efficient, less expensive homes for 100 residents.
“We’re really excited about another partnership,” Pawlak said. “[Duquesne Light Co.] has been a strong partner in our efforts at sustainability and lowering costs for residents.”
In a statement, Brian Guzek, DLC’s vice president of corporate strategy, said the agency is working with a variety of partners “to bring more electrification to our region and ensure a clean energy future that is accessible and equitable for all.”
“We understand that to be successful in this effort — which last year brought more than $43 million in grant funding to our partners — we need the support and collaboration of government agencies, community partners and other industry leaders. Through increased federal funding and community-centric programs, there is much potential in creating a cleaner, healthier and more equitable future for local residents while keeping our area economically competitive for years to come,” Guzek said.
Ed covers transportation at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at eblazina@unionprogress.com.