ArDOT awards nearly $15M for new EV charging stations

The Arkansas Department of Transportation (ArDOT) will provide $14.91 million to build 19 electric vehicle charging stations along Arkansas highways and interstates.

The money comes from the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act or Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. In February 2022, the U.S. Departments of Transportation and Energy released plans to use nearly $5 billion made available by the law to build a national electric vehicle charging network by 2030. Arkansas will receive up to $54.12 million over five years for its network.

The federal infrastructure law established the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program to help states build a network of 500,000 charging stations along alternative fuel corridors, primarily interstates. According to Arkansas’ charging infrastructure plan, it would need to build 15 charging stations to meet the minimum requirements for the NEVI program. It requires a public station every 50 miles along alternative fuel corridors. Arkansas has five existing charging stations that meet the NEVI program requirements and 34 stations that were identified as upgradable to meet the requirements.

ArDOT received 120 proposals in response to the 2023 request for proposals for the NEVI money. All but one of the proposed electric vehicle charging stations will be built along interstates. Most charging stations will be built at truck stops and convenience stores. However, some will be built at hotels and restaurants.

The only proposed station that won’t be located along an interstate will be at Jiffy Trip on U.S. Highway 412 in Siloam Springs. Impower Connection Inc. will be the developer and will receive $1.11 million for the project. The only other project that will receive more money is the station at the Southern Edge Truck Stop on Interstate 530 in Pine Bluff. Francis Energy Charging LLC is the developer and will receive $1.75 million for the project.

According to ArDOT, the money provided for the proposed projects will cover up to 80% of building costs. The developers will be responsible for the remainder. Link here to subscribe to email alerts for future requests for proposals for the NEVI money.

Following are the locations and grant amounts for the 2023 awarded proposals:

• Pilot Travel Center on Interstate 30 in Caddo Valley, $581,000
• Love’s Travel Stops on I-30 in Malvern, $753,000
• Casey’s on Interstate 40 in Morrilton, $987,000
• Cracker Barrel on I-40 in Alma, $479,000
• Petro Travel Center on I-40 in West Memphis, $943,000
• Cracker Barrel on I-40 in West Memphis, $516,000
• Cracker Barrel on I-40 in Conway, $516,000
• Circle K on I-40 in Lonoke, $498,000
• Flying J Travel Center on I-40 in Russellville, $668,000
• Love’s Travel Stops on I-40 in Hazen, $700,000
• Love’s Travel Stops on Interstate 49 in Alma, $753,000
• E-Z Mart on I-49 in Texarkana, $635,000
• Holiday Inn on Interstate 55 in Blytheville, $1.01 million
• Jordan’s Kwik Stop on I-55 in Osceola, $1.06 million
• Southern Edge Truck Stop on I-530 in Pine Bluff, $1.75 million
• Holiday Inn on I-530 in White Hall, $597,000
• Love’s Travel Stops on Interstate 555 in Jonesboro, $700,000
• Flash Market 17023 on I-555 in Trumann, $637,000
• Jiffy Trip on Highway 412 in Siloam Springs, $1.11 million.