U.S. 422, I-78/I-81 eligible for subsidized electric vehicle charging infrastructure

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation announced that Round 1 of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Grant program will soon open in the commonwealth.

The application period will run from Feb. 24 until 5 p.m. on April 6.

As part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the state’s transportation authority will distribute $171.5 million in federal funding for electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

Approximately $56 million of the $61.9 million in funding for the first two years of the program is expected to be available for applicants. The remainder will be used for labor and workforce training, planning, outreach, and program management, per federal guidelines.

Applicants will need to fund their projects upfront, as the grants operate on a reimbursement basis, and a minimum 20% match will be required of all funded projects.

PennDOT said that it expects most applicants will be public-sector entities, incorporated nonprofits, and other firms registered to do business in Pennsylvania.

The transportation authority said that Round 1 will be focused on building out charging infrastructure along interstates, or the “Alternative Fuel Corridors” identified by the Federal Highway Administration. Also included in this list is US-422, which spans Lebanon County.

Eligibility information, scoring criteria, and other process details are available on PennDOT’s website.