Lawrence Secures Grant to Study EV Charging Infrastructure

City of Lawrence Secures Grant to Study EV Charging Infrastructure Locations and Placement

Mayor Steven Collier and his administrative team are pleased to announce the City of Lawrence received a matching grant to the Lawrence Redevelopment Commission, made possible by the Indianapolis Metropolitan Technical Assistance Program. 

This grant will facilitate an anticipated combined total investment of approximately $90,000 from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Planning Organization and the City of Lawrence Redevelopment Commission. 

A steering committee has been formed to guide this work. It consists of key leaders from City of Lawrence, Redevelopment Commission, MSDLT school system, and private sector businesses. 

Together, they will evaluate the following study scope, consisting of:

• Technical planning and analysis for the development and placement of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations (EVCS)
• A decision-making guide for city officials
• Recommendations on governance and interdepartmental relationships to support future development of EVCS
• EVCS equipment types and costs
• Financial considerations with an expected return on investment
• User and site assessments – public and private sector
• Site development and installation methodology
• Provisioning for ongoing maintenance and service
• Public outreach – consisting of promoted public information and input sessions

The study objective is to provide Lawrence officials with a planning document that provides guidance through the deployment of emerging technology.

From an economic development perspective, the City of Lawrence is strategically located to serve as a critical EV charging location to support the Federal Highway Transportation Plan’s identified EV charging requirements. 

Additionally, with the City of Lawrence’s booming residential growth, high density residential areas such as within Fort Ben, numerous residential developments, and the large number of vehicles supporting DFAS and local industry, robust EV charging infrastructure will be critical to support local business operations and residential development in the near future and beyond.

The Lochmueller Group will lead this study on behalf of the City of Lawrence Redevelopment Commission. The study is anticipated to be complete and presented to the public by late fall 2023.