This project is funded through a federal grant from the US Department of Transportation. Milwaukee’s Environmental Collaboration Office applied for and was awarded nearly $15 million for the project, with an additional $3 million in local match funds to be provided by a private sector partner. Milwaukee is supporting the rapid growth of electric vehicles in Wisconsin and across the country. This initiative ensures our city keeps pace with evolving transportation trends, supports cleaner air, domestic manufacturing, local jobs, and gives more residents access to affordable, reliable charging.

These are public stations meant to serve Milwaukee residents, workers, and visitors—especially those who don’t have access to private home chargers. Renters, apartment dwellers, and residents of older homes stand to benefit the most.

In total, the project aims to install chargers at a total of 53 separate locations, each capable of charging four vehicles at a time. The City of Milwaukee’s Environmental Collaboration Office, in consultation with elected officials and administrative staff, selected the first 10-15 sites on publicly owned land, including libraries and Milwaukee County Parks. For the remainder of the sites we’re asking the community for input. Residents can suggest charger locations at engage.milwaukee.gov/EV. The city is looking for sites that are convenient, visible, and accessible to all neighborhoods. The city has not yet received clear guidance from Federal Highway Administration on whether charging stations can be located in paid-entry lots or parking structures, the initial sites are located in free parking areas.

The 13 initial sites the City is currently evaluating include:

  • Bay View Library
  • Center St Library
  • MLK Library
  • Villard Library
  • Good Hope Library
  • East Library or the public lot at 1915 E North Ave
  • Mitchell Street Library
  • Zablocki Library
  • Washington Park (Urban Ecology Center lot)
  • Mitchell Park Domes
  • Lincoln Park
  • Zoofari conference center
  • Veterans Park

Yes. Milwaukee has a small number of EV charging stations compared to other major cities. See PlugShare.com.

The chargers will work with a wide range of electric vehicles, including most standard models on the market today. They are not limited to specific brands or luxury cars. The city is awaiting potential updates to federal guidance, but most stations will feature 240V Level 2 chargers.

Milwaukee received a $15 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation through the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Discretionary Grant Program. The City is currently doing planning and engineering and expects the US DOT to release the construction funds once engineering and environmental reviews are complete.

Not as common as in other cities. A robust public charging network will encourage more local auto dealers to stock electric vehicles and the public to consider them as an attractive option. Wisconsin has nearly 25,000 registered electric vehicles as of 2024, including over 11,800 electric cars and more than 15,100 electric trucks. Milwaukee County's numbers are rising quickly as more people make the switch.

This initiative is about expanding options for consumers, making it easier to select a vehicle with lower pollution. As more affordable EVs enter the market and used EVs become available, public charging helps ensure all Milwaukeeans can benefit from this transition, regardless of income or housing type.

Cleaner air, quieter streets, and healthier neighborhoods. Reducing vehicle emissions improves public health especially in areas disproportionately affected by pollution and higher rates of asthma.

Yes. These stations will be compliant with State law for EV charging, and users will pay a fee to use the stations similar to how drivers of gasoline vehicles pay for fuel.

The City of Milwaukee plans to issue a public request for proposals later this year to select a private sector partner to design, build, finance, operate, and maintain the stations. The City will select a qualified provider based on a host of factors including price, capacity to deliver, experience, and other factors.

You can visit engage.milwaukee.gov/EV to share your input, sign up for updates, and follow the city’s progress on the EV charging rollout. You can also subscribe to ECO’s newsletter.

NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) requires the City to review the potential environmental impacts of installing EV charging stations before construction begins. It ensures the project is safe, environmentally responsible, and designed with community input.

Because the project uses federal funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s CFI Program, it must follow all NEPA requirements, including environmental review and public engagement.

NEPA analyzes things like:

  • Traffic flow and safety
  • Impacts to nearby homes and businesses
  • Noise, lighting, and visibility
  • Stormwater and soil conditions
  • Impacts on natural resources
  • ADA accessibility
  • This helps ensure chargers are installed responsibly and safely.

The environmental impact is expected to be minimal, because most chargers will be placed on existing paved or developed areas like parking lots, libraries, and community centers. NEPA confirms this through a standard review process.

Community feedback helps the City:

  • Finalize which sites move forward
  • Identify safety or access concerns
  • Improve charger placement and design
  • Address neighborhood-specific questions
  • Public input is part of the official NEPA documentation.

If NEPA finds that a site has potential issues, like accessibility challenges, utility constraints, or impacts to nearby residents the site may be modified or replaced with a different location.

NEPA requires Environmental Justice (EJ) considerations.
The City prioritizes underserved neighborhoods by:

  • Reviewing equity and demographic data
  • Ensuring public engagement in EJ communities

NEPA-related updates, site maps, public meeting materials, and quarterly newsletters will be made available on this webpage as they are finalized.

The NEPA review is part of the Preliminary Engineering Phase (2025) and must be completed before construction can begin. The City will share updates as each site clears the NEPA process.

NEPA is the federal environmental review process. Public engagement is how the City gathers community feedback. Your input helps shape NEPA by identifying real-life conditions at each site.

Yes. NEPA requires government-to-government consultation with Tribal Nations. The City will contact Tribal representatives directly as part of the environmental review.

All EV charging sites must meet ADA standards. NEPA ensures that design and construction do not create accessibility barriers for people with disabilities.

Depending on the site and level of review, the City may release:

  • Draft site plans
  • Site environmental assessments
  • NEPA checklists or compliance findings
  • Public meeting recordings and presentation slides
  • Summary of public input and how it influenced decisions

Yes! Use the interactive map on this page to drop a pin, leave comments, and vote on proposed locations. Public input directly informs which sites move forward.

NEPA evaluates these issues. If the public identifies neighborhood-specific concerns, the City and engineering team will adjust design or select a more suitable location.

Site selection considers:

  • Public input
  • Utility access
  • Safety and visibility
  • Equity considerations
  • Environmental factors (reviewed under NEPA)
  • Federal program requirements: If a site is not selected, the City will explain why in the final summary.

Construction begins after the NEPA review is completed and the Public-Private Partnership (P3) vendor is selected. The City will provide timelines once confirmed.