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Bids approved for 24 EV fast-chargers along Kentucky interstates and parkways

Stu Johnson

The Kentucky Transportation Department is in the midst of an electric vehicle fast-charging station installation program. It is a balancing act between the current need and potential future needs.

State Transportation Secretary Jim Gray said a few of the 32 first-phase fast-chargers are up along Kentucky’s interstate and parkway systems. He said 24 have been awarded bids. Gray said the goal is to establish a ‘manageable number’ of installations over the next few years.

“That are going to provide the confidence in the public that their vehicle will be able to be charged in a very reasonable time frame,” said Gray.

That can be as soon as about 30 minutes. Gray noted the subsequent phase of the project will mean positioning these chargers along other roads.

“The next phase will include major arteries outside of our parkways and our interstates and then it would be destination charges. So, for example, a city may ask for a petition for a destination charger inside an urban space an urban area,” said Gray.

Gray said decisions about where to place destination fast-chargers would be determined later on.

The plan is to have the first set in place by the middle of next year.

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Stu has been reporting for WEKU for more than 35 years. His primary beat is Lexington/Fayette government.
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