The City of Joliet and the Heritage Corridor Convention and Visitors Bureau (HCCVB) have finalized plans for the installation of six electric charging stations at the Old Joliet Prison and the Route 66 Park at the Broadway Street Greenway.
Per the agreement approved Tuesday, the costs to install the electric charging stations are eligible to be paid by a grant, if it does not exceed $117,000. The City of Joliet will be financially responsible for any amount that exceeds the grant.
The city sought grant funding from the HCCVB to install Level 2 charging stations and transportation through the Illinois Tourism Bureau grant. These stations, according to information provided at Tuesday’s meeting, will allow users to “linger and enjoy” the amenities available along Route 66, which is a destination for historical significance, and spur tourism and economic development for the Joliet area. Motorists and tourists are expected in 2026 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of historic Route 66.
While the Broadway Greenway Park sits along Route 66, the Old Joliet Prison, which is the former Joliet Correction Center, is off the highway but is a popular destination for tourists.
Last month, the city council removed the memorandum of understanding between Joliet and HCCVB from the agenda. Last August, the city installed an electric charging station with two ports at the Ottawa Street parking deck in downtown. It was financed through a federal grant.
Part of the doubt coming from council members last month was whether there are enough electric vehicle car users in Joliet to warrant six more charging stations. Council members at previous meetings also have said that maintaining these charging stations will cost the City of Joliet money, regardless of whether state or federal funding is used to install it. Councilman Larry Hug was the only member of the city council to vote against the project Tuesday.
The number of people who owned electric cars in Joliet in 2021 was 222, up from 25 in 2018. That number represents just less than 1 percent of Joliet’s population who own electric cars.
The average price of the top 10 electric vehicles in the United States is about $53,758, with an average of $48,430 for low end of the model. Tesla, one of the most popular models, sells electric cars that range in costs from $40,000 for new to $76,600 depending on the model.
In the middle of 2023, the average price of an electric car was about $12,000 more than the average cost of a gas vehicle.
Growth of electric vehicle ownership by Will County residents has nearly doubled in the past 12 months, according to the Illinois Secretary of State’s office.
Most of the electric vehicle registration is concentrated in the northern part of the county, including Naperville, Plainfield, Frankfort and Homer Glen, the study found.
As of Dec. 15, of last year, there are 6,215 electric vehicles registered in Will County, according to the secretary of state’s office. Last December, there were 3,632 electric vehicles.
In 2017, Will County residents owned 398 electric vehicles.