I found this article about city planning for electric vehicle charging stations in Salem, OR by Timm Collins at the Salem Statesman-Journal. Here's an excerpt:
With gas prices heading toward $4 per gallon, the city of Salem is forging partnerships to deliver a network for electric cars.
City officials are finalizing details of a contract with ECOtality North America for installation and maintenance of 14 new electric vehicle charging stations at six locations in Salem — part of a plan to add 2,000 locations in Oregon before 2013.
Drivers will be able to use the charging stations free during an introductory period; eventually, part of the revenue will go back to the city.
Salem could have 14 new electric vehicle charging stations in downtown and West Salem this year. The six locations for the stations are indicated by red squares on the map. Six chargers currently exist at two locations.
Current sites
-PGE, 4525 Kale St. NE , four chargers
-Oregon Department of Energy, 625 Marion St NE, two chargers
Future sites
-West Salem Library, 395 Glen Creek Road NW, two chargers
-Chemeketa Parkade, four chargers
-Marion Parkade two chargers
-Riverfront Park, two chargers
-Salem Public Library, 585 Liberty St. SE, two chargers
-Salem Conference Center, 200 Commercial Street SE, two chargers
Details still are being ironed out.
"It is too early to say exactly when the new stations will be ready for use because the city is still waiting for ECOtality to review the final agreement," said Robert Chandler from the Salem Public Works department.
Chandler speculated that some of the locations could be ready as early as next month.
Read the full article at Salem Statesman-Journal
I look forward to many more news stories about these chargers being installed, and hope that they prove an economic boon to the companies that install them and host them.
