Dane County is advancing a community-focused electric vehicle charging initiative to expand access to affordable public charging throughout the region. Funded through the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Program, the project is focused on developing publicly accessible charging stations at non-County-owned locations identified through a competitive site host application process.
KL Engineering is providing planning, engineering, and environmental compliance services to support project development. Working closely with Dane County, participating site hosts, utility providers, and project partners, the team has evaluated more than 100 candidate locations throughout the County to identify sites that best support the program’s goals of increasing charging access in underserved urban areas, rural communities, and multimodal transportation hubs.
The evaluation process includes desktop screening, field investigations, electrical capacity assessments, ADA accessibility reviews, and feasibility analyses. Sites are assessed based on available electrical infrastructure, public accessibility, construction complexity, long-term operational viability, and overall user experience. Through this process, 70 sites have been selected to advance into concept design.
As part of the federally funded program, KL Engineering is also supporting National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance in accordance with FHWA requirements. Environmental reviews include evaluations of potential impacts to historic and cultural resources, environmental constraints, and other federal compliance considerations necessary to advance the project toward implementation.
The program presents a unique challenge due to the number of stakeholders involved and the diverse needs of participating site hosts, utility providers, regulatory agencies, and the public. Project decisions must balance federal funding requirements, NEPA compliance, ADA accessibility, electrical infrastructure constraints, site host preferences, construction feasibility, and long-term operational considerations—often with competing priorities. Through collaboration and thoughtful planning, the program is helping create a network of affordable public charging opportunities that will improve transportation access, expand charging access for residents without home charging options, and support community-wide electrification efforts throughout Dane County.
