For decades, the United States has been working to move past its dependence on fossil fuels. This article highlights the efforts made on the state level to help promote cleaner transportation and how Centralina Clean Fuels Coalition is furthering these initiatives in our region.

As electric vehicle (EV) ownership becomes more prevalent, access to affordable EV charging will be increasingly important. Through a 2018 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the Energy Production and Infrastructure Center (EPIC) at UNC Charlotte partnered with the City of Charlotte, Duke Energy and Centralina Clean Fuels Coalition (CCFC), a DOE program housed at Centralina Regional Council, to investigate solutions to this issue. The grant provided funding to develop a prototype technology designed to tap into existing streetlight infrastructure for curbside EV charging, lowering installation costs for curbside EV chargers compared to chargers that require the installation of new electrical infrastructure. EPIC collaborated with Duke Energy to develop a prototype for a pole-mounted EV charger, called PoleVolt, and deployed two pilot chargers in the City of Charlotte.

While transportation choices benefit the entire community, gendered differences emerge when considering issues such as poverty and earnings, how women are employed and caretaker roles for children and aging parents. This Women’s History Month, we’re highlighting why transportation is important to women and how planners can make it more effective and successful by featuring women in the process.

The global crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic has drastically altered the landscape of daily life, including how we choose to travel. Since early 2020, public behaviors and mindsets around transportation have drastically transformed. The pandemic has highlighted the importance of a reliable and resilient transportation network, and we have also seen the crucial role transportation plays in the supply chain and the distribution of essential goods and services.

Missed our recent Centralina Learns session? We recap highlights, what planners need to know about Transportation Demand Management, and how Centralina is working to expand transportation choices for the region we serve.

The Centralina Clean Fuels Coalition (CCFC) is the designated Clean Cities Coalition for the greater Charlotte region through the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). This year saw CCFC redouble our efforts through a variety of innovative, collaborative projects. As 2022 draws to a close, let’s look back at the top five successes for clean, equitable transportation across the region over the last year.

Transportation choice – the ability to select from a variety of transportation modes to meet one’s daily needs – is critical to ensuring a high quality of life, access to opportunities, and economic vitality. How can our region enhance connectivity and accessibility through expanded transportation choices without breaking the bank on infrastructure investments? Transportation Demand Management is one proven strategy.

In March 2022, Centralina awarded the Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) Electric Vehicle (EV) Bus Fleet the Clean Cities Award. The CLT EV Bus Fleet provides sustainable solutions to employees, tenants, passengers, the local community and region.

The greater Charlotte region is nearing three million residents and is expected to add over one million more by 2045. To meet growing transportation challenges, Centralina adopted CONNECT Beyond’s regional mobility plan in October 2021. We want to acknowledge the one-year milestone and recognize all the work being done in the region to implement and move forward the plan’s recommendations.