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Oregon鈥檚 major transportation corridors are poised to soon become lined with electric vehicle charging stations.

The Oregon Department of Transportation will spend approximately $100 million on EV charging infrastructure over the next five years. About two-thirds of the money 鈥� around $62.4 million 鈥� will go toward construction of charging sites along interstates 5, 84 and 82 as well as U.S. highways 26, 101, 20 and 97. The remaining third 鈥� $36 million 鈥� will help build the network in places beyond those seven corridors; such places include 鈥渞ural and urban areas, underserved communities, and 鈥� apartment complexes,鈥� according to ODOT.

The major roadways were approved as 鈥淎lternative Fuel Corridors鈥� by the Federal Highway Administration. ODOT will nominate more corridors for federal approval over the next five years, the agency stated.

Each station will have at least four fast-chargers and be constructed to easily accommodate more if needed. Currently, ODOT is looking to provide charging infrastructure for light-duty EVs such as cars, SUVs and trucks because demand is high, and the technology is more mature.

The agency will partner with private companies that will then build the charging stations.

鈥淢oney doesn鈥檛 surmount all barriers,鈥� said Amanda Pietz, administrator for ODOT鈥檚 Policy, Data & Analysis Division. 鈥淩egulations and policies that benefit electrification play a role, too, and we rely on our partner agencies for help there.鈥�

ODOT plans to seek additional EV funds from the billions of dollars set aside in the federal infrastructure bill for competitive grants.