AASHTO Journal - New Curbside EV Charger Pilot for Washington, D.C.

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT), along with the District Department of Energy and Environment, recently launched a new Neighborhood Curbside Electric Vehicle Charging Station Pilot Program – an initiative designed to expand access to public EV charging in residential neighborhoods across Washington, D.C.

[Above photo by DDOT]

The agency said this pilot program 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 public rights-of-way across the District of Columbia.

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, DDOT noted.

That company will install, operate, and maintain 16 curbside chargers serving two adjacent parking spaces in eight locations across Washington, D.C. – one location in each of D.C.’s eight wards – over the coming months.

However, as they will be single-port Level-2 chargers, DDOT said users will be required to use their own charging cable to repower their EVs.

But the agency also noted that D.C. residents can request a free cable via the “It’s Electric” mobile application. Once users make a cable request via the app, it will be delivered by mail within one to three business days, the agency said.

“[We are] 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 Sharon Kershbaum, DDOT’s director, in a statement. “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.”