City of Lincoln gets $640,000 to help install several EV charging stations

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – The City of Lincoln on Monday announced that it received a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation for several charging stations.

Lincoln will receive $640,000 to install 20 electric vehicle charging ports in areas that benefit low and moderate-income residents.

“By expanding public charging infrastructure, the city will remove barriers to EV ownership and ensure the benefits of clean transportation are accessible to all residents, while helping the City achieve its Climate Action Plan goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80% by 2050,” Kim Morrow, Lincoln’s chief sustainability officer, said in a press release.

Morrow said the goal of the project is to provide charging stations to 1,650 multifamily housing units within a 10-minute walking distance.

According to officials, the chargers will be installed in five selected neighborhoods that have more than 23,000 combined residents.

These neighborhoods have a racial and ethnic minority population of 31.5% and a poverty rate of 24%.

Each of the five sites will feature two charging stations, with two ports per station, for a total of 10 stations with 20 ports. These proposed sites include:

• Seng Park, 2000 N. 48th St.
• Van Dorn Park, 930 High St.
• Eiseley Branch Library, 1530 Superior St.
• Malone Center, 2032 U St.
• The planned Multimodal Transportation Center, 10th and G streets

The $800,000 project is funded by the $640,000 DOT grant and $160,000 from the City of Lincoln.

Morrow said the City of Lincoln plans to use 5% of the grant money for community engagement and education in the neighborhoods where the charging stations will be placed.

“Our outreach will focus on residents in nearby multifamily housing who stand to benefit the most from the use of the charging stations,” Morrow said. “The outreach will include education on EVs, including battery range, driving experience, cost savings, how to charge, and more.”