Nation’s first electric highway

Washington's electric vehicle infrastructure efforts are getting a boost from $1.32 million in Federal Recovery Act funding. Washington State's transportation and commerce departments are teaming up to implement the nation's first "electric highway," an initial network of public access electric vehicle (EV) recharging locations along Interstate 5. When completed, the project will be the first "border-to-border" charging network across a state and will have charging stations in place between Vancouver, B.C., and Portland, Ore.

In announcing the project Governor Chris Gregoire said, "Washington state is a leader in creating green jobs, adopting new clean technologies and we are poised to do it again with electric vehicles," said Gregoire. "Providing the nation's first true electrified highway (I-5) will benefit Washingtonians and show the rest of the country how we can use innovative partnerships to solve some of our most difficult challenges like climate change and our dependence on oil."
The electric highway will support plug-in electric vehicles such as the Nissan Leaf, Ford Focus, and Chevy Volt soon rolling off the assembly lines. The infrastructure will enable electric vehicle drivers to travel the length of the state along the 276 miles of I-5 between Washington's borders with Oregon and Canada. As many as 300,000 electric vehicles are anticipated on Washington roads during in the next 10 years.

"I-5, one of our busiest highways and the backbone of Western Washington's economy, is a natural place to showcase transportation electrification," said Paula Hammond, Washington Transportation Secretary. "This innovative project will keep people and business moving toward a clean transportation future."
"The I-5 project is an important step toward market adoption of electric vehicles in our region," said Commerce Director Rogers Weed. "The transition to clean energy will have a big impact on Washington's future economic growth. The electric highway offers significant new business opportunities, attracting automakers and clean technology industries that are looking to locate or expand in an EV-ready state."
Egils Milbergs, executive director Washington Economic Development Commission, remarked, "We are thrilled with the announcement of the electric I-5 highway. Building the infrastructure for electric vehicles is integral to the Commission's strategy for economic growth, job creation and sustainability. The I-5 electric highway jumpstarts the transition away from fossil fuels, will reduce range fear for electric cars and positions the Pacific Northwest as a leading innovator for a smart, clean, green transportation system."

For more information on the Electric Highways project, visit: http://wsdot.wa.gov/Partners/GreenHighways/electric_highways.htm