In an effort to enhance its sustainability practices, the city of Sterling Heights has initiated a comprehensive study with Wade Trim and Associates Inc. to help the City prepare for tomorrow’s electric vehicle accessible roadways.
The goal of the study is to determine where electric vehicle charging stations should be placed throughout the City, the infrastructure required to install them and potential funding sources for the citywide installation.
“Sterling Heights is a progressive city, and I’m excited we are on the leading edge of this future technology,” said Sterling Heights Mayor Michael Taylor. “We have over 60,000 people working in the City every day in many high-tech jobs related to defense and automotive. Plenty of residents and visitors already have electric vehicles, and we know that number is going to grow exponentially in coming years. We want to make sure the City is prepared with stations that are readily available along and near major roadways, public facilities and parks, which requires this thoughtful planning and adequate infrastructure.”
The study and subsequent plan will be completed this year and will help paint a clear picture of where the City is today with respect to electric vehicle accessibility and provide a master plan for future need based on current forecasts for electric vehicle charging station and infrastructure use.
“This plan will help us shape future public and private projects where electric vehicle infrastructure is fully integrated,” said City Manager Mark Vanderpool. “This effort also supports regional and state goals for improving the availability of charging stations as electric vehicles become more widespread.”
Grant funding of nearly $30,000 from Southeast Michigan Council of Governments and a roughly $6,000 city match will provide $35,000 to create this first-of-its-kind master plan for the city of Sterling Heights.