Denver — Colorado U.S. Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper welcomed more than $11.7 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to accelerate the electrification of Fort Collins city vehicles. This funding was awarded through DOT’s Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) program, which was created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The senators sent a letter to DOT supporting Fort Collins’ application for this funding in August.
“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is the largest investment in America’s roads, bridges, and local infrastructure since President Eisenhower,” said Bennet. “This funding will help Fort Collins achieve its emissions reduction goals by the end of the decade, fuel our state’s transition to a clean energy economy, and reduce pollution for Northern Colorado.”
“This Bipartisan Infrastructure Law investment will supercharge Fort Collins’ EV charging infrastructure,” said Hickenlooper. “More reliable charging. Lower costs. Less emissions. That’s our BIL at work!”
“Colorado and our local communities are leading the nation when it comes to putting electric vehicles on the road. And today’s investment, made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, is propelling this progress forward,” said U.S. Representative Joe Neguse.
“The City of Fort Collins is very appreciative of our congressional delegation for securing money to help us transition to our clean energy future,” said Jeni Arndt, Mayor, City of Fort Collins.
The SMART grant program was created to help state and local governments develop and implement advanced technologies to improve the efficiency and safety of transportation infrastructure across the country. Fort Collins will use this investment to deploy electric vehicle charging infrastructure throughout the City, which will help create a more reliable and affordable electrical grid, and reduce emissions and operating costs.