DDOT Announces Neighborhood Curbside Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station Pilot

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DDOT Announces Neighborhood Curbside Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station Pilot

(Washington, DC) — Today, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), along with the District Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE), announced the Neighborhood Curbside Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station Pilot, an initiative designed to expand access to public EV charging in residential neighborhoods across the District. The pilot will help inform future regulatory updates and establish guidelines for a permit program allowing private vendors to install, operate, and maintain curbside EV charging stations in the District’s public right-of-way. The pilot is being deployed in partnership with EV charging company It’s Electric and is funded through a federal grant awarded to the company.

“The District is committed to becoming carbon neutral and climate resilient by 2045. To achieve this, DDOT is working to make it easier for every Washingtonian to choose sustainable transportation options,” said DDOT Director Sharon Kershbaum. “By launching this pilot, DDOT is leading the way in innovation by testing curbside EV charging and sharing best practices with cities across the country.”

“This pilot is an excellent step toward meeting the District’s climate goals,” said Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) Director Richard Jackson, “And it continues to showcase the Bowser Administration’s commitment to a greener, sustainable future. DOEE is pleased to support this project.”

It's Electric will install, operate, and maintain sixteen (16) curbside chargers serving two (2) adjacent parking spaces in eight (8) locations across the District – one location in each Ward. The first location is open in Ward 1 next to The Festival Center (1640 Columbia Rd NW) on Mozart Pl NW. Advisory Neighborhood Commissions (ANCs) have been consulted in the process of determining the best locations. This and all future locations have been carefully reviewed to ensure safety, accessibility, and compatibility with other street uses. The remaining seven (7) locations will be installed in the coming months.

"Pepco is excited to team up with It’s Electric and DDOT to bring convenient curbside EV charging right to District neighborhoods, making it easier for more residents to consider an electric vehicle as their next car,” said Amber Perry, Pepco's region president. “Through our electric vehicle incentive programs, we’re helping add more publicly available Level 2 chargers across the District, giving people more options to charge up while they go about their day. We’re looking forward to seeing how this pilot serves the community and to working together on even more convenient locations in the future.”

“These curbside chargers are a meaningful step in expanding vehicle electrification in DC. DDOT is delivering innovative transportation infrastructure that demonstrates what cities should do to create sustainable, livable neighborhoods,” said Judy Chang, Project Director for It’s Electric.

These single-port Level-2 chargers require that users bring their own charging cable. District residents can request a free cable by visiting the It’s Electric app (https://www.itselectric.us/for-drivers). Once users make the request to It’s Electric, the cable will be delivered by mail within one (1) to three (3) business days.

“We are excited to partner with DDOT, and It's Electric to bring convenient charging to our neighborhood,” said Bill Mefford, Executive Director at The Festival Center. “The Festival Center is a hub for mission-driven groups, and we are thrilled to extend our commitment to our community all the way to the curb. It's Electric's business model allows us as the property owner to share in the revenue, which we then can re-invest in our other initiatives.”

This pilot represents a milestone in the Bowser Administration’s efforts to expand access to publicly accessible EV charging infrastructure and create opportunities for District residents to switch to zero-emission vehicles. For more information on the pilot and its progress, please visit https://sustainability.ddot.dc.gov/pages/pilotprojects.  

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The District Department of Transportation's mission is to equitably deliver a safe, sustainable, and reliable multimodal transportation network for all residents and visitors of the District of Columbia.  

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