Charging stations for electric cars coming to downtown ramps (New York: how much, taxi)

[videobruce]

Long overdue and good news. of course there are some out there that wouldn't have a problem if coal was used instead.

From the Buffalo News;

By Deidre Williams Tue, May 9, 2017

Charging stations for electric cars are coming to downtown.

Parking officials want to install 16 charging stations in the eight downtown city-owned parking ramps: Main Place, Mohawk, Adam, One Seneca, Turner, Augspurger, Fernbach and Gallagher. Each will have two stations, Parking Commissioner Kevin Helfer said. "This is obviously the wave of the future. It’s environmentally friendly," Helfer said.

The Parking Department conducted an informal review of the number of electric cars that use the ramps. "There are about 20 to 30 on any given day," Helfer said. The initial plan is for drivers to continue paying the $7 daily rate for the ramp or enter on their monthly passes, which about 80 percent of the customers at the eight ramps have, he said. For now, motorists will not have to pay extra to use the charging station, but that may change, Helfer said.

"How many people are using it every day? How long is the average charge? How much electricity are we consuming? What is our cost?" Helfer said of potential factors that could lead to an extra fee. "Once we have that data, then we’ll probably modify the program around it. It’ll be a policy decision, but we wanted to make sure through our data analysis that we get maximum utilization out of the spots."

Planners do not have a firm date right now for when the charging stations will be up and running, said Samuel F. Iraci Jr., executive director of Buffalo Civic Auto Ramps, which manages the eight ramps for the city. But officials are hoping to have everything up and running by the summer, or September at the latest, Helfer said. The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus already has free charging stations on Ellicott Street, Helfer said. Someone pulls up to the parking meter, pays for the parking space and charges their car, as well. "They’re paying for the parking spot – similar to here. You’re paying for a parking spot, too," he said of the city’s ramps.

At the Buffalo Niagara International Airport, people also can charge their electric vehicles for free with parking. Three charging stations are available in the daily/hourly parking garage. Kohl’s department store on Delaware Avenue in North Buffalo has a free charging station in its parking lot. "Get a charge while you shop," reads a sign at the parking spot where the station is located.

The estimated cost of the City of Buffalo’s project is $195,201, Helfer said. A grant from the state Department of Environmental Conservation’s Zero Emission Vehicle & Infrastructure Rebate Program would cover $162,688 of the projected cost. The Common Council this week authorized the Parking Department to execute a contract with the DEC to get the funding. The remaining $32,533 for the project will be paid by the city out of the parking enterprise fund, Helfer said. The fund finances ramp improvements, using parking revenues to pay off the debt.

The Parking Department now will request proposals for the charging equipment, software and installation of the charging stations. But if the bids come in too high, the city will contract with the New York Power Authority, which has purchased electric vehicle charging stations and software in bulk at a reduced priced, Helfer said. BCAR staffers will handle ongoing maintenance of the charging stations. There will be marketing and signage to let people know the charging stations are available, Helfer said. "Anything that we can do to reduce the carbon footprint is good for the city," Helfer said. "I think it is logical that the more locations that have charging stations, the more likely it is that electric cars will be in demand."

[VA Yankee]

We have them but the tax payers are footing the bill to charge someone's car, there should be a subscription service where the vehicle owner pays to plug in downtown if they need it.

[genoobie]

The cost of the electricity isn't the problem. It's the grid infrastructure that would be required to handle the extra load that would exist if a substantial number of people fueled their transportation with electricity. I'm going to guess we'll see an increase in National Grid or NYSEG's rates...the PSC will rubber stamp this increase like they do everytime. So much for "competition" and deregulation in the electricity marketplace. Free-market suckers...

[JH6]

Several friends of mine have the nissan leaf car.

It works well for a commuter car and they are deeply discounted. Her's was $8000 a couple years old.

The big problem with them is usage of the electric heat reduces range seriously.

[videobruce]

Originally Posted by VA Yankee

We have them but the tax payers are footing the bill to charge someone's car, there should be a subscription service where the vehicle owner pays to plug in downtown if they need it.

How is that nay different then taxpayers footing the bloated, hugely expensive Interstate Highway System when many don't even use it??
At least one is environmentally friendly, the other isn't.

I won't even waste my time commenting on that 'can't see the forest for the trees' post after the above quote.

[VA Yankee]

Originally Posted by videobruce

How is that nay different then taxpayers footing the bloated, hugely expensive Interstate Highway System when many don't even use it??
At least one is environmentally friendly, the other isn't.

I won't even waste my time commenting on that 'can't see the forest for the trees' post after the above quote.

How about you grow up and stop ranting like a 5 year old who isn't getting their way. You are stuck up a tree and don't want to accept the role that tree plays in the bigger scheme of things

You don't like interstates that's fine but there primary inception was to provide a way to move military equipment in a national emergency. President Eisenhower saw their effectiveness in Germany during WWII and was well aware of the challenges of moving across this country. Forgive your city planners for not have the foresight to see the collapse of industry in Buffalo and the migration of half the population to other locations for work. We all have things that our taxes are applied to that we don't feel are worth it, deal with it...

[videobruce]

Originally Posted by VA Yankee

How about you grow up and stop ranting like a 5 year old who isn't getting their way. You are stuck up a tree and don't want to accept the role that tree plays in the bigger scheme of things

You must be confusing me with a self centered Republican who constantly whines about paying taxes to anything that doesn't directly benefit themselves.

Anything in moderation is usually fine. It's when it's in the extreme which the IHS is is when there is a problem in more than one way.
City planners designed their cities a hundred years (give or take) before this country went highway crazy. No one could foresee that especially in the extreme.
.

We all have things that our taxes are applied to that we don't feel are worth it, deal with it...

That is really ironic. You just contradicted yourself with your complaint about taxpayers paying for something that you don't feel is worth it.

[VA Yankee]

Originally Posted by videobruce

You must be confusing me with a self centered Republican who constantly whines about paying taxes to anything that doesn't directly benefit themselves.

Anything in moderation is usually fine. It's when it's in the extreme which the IHS is is when there is a problem in more than one way.
City planners designed their cities a hundred years (give or take) before this country went highway crazy. No one could foresee that especially in the extreme.
.
That is really ironic. You just contradicted yourself with your complaint about taxpayers paying for something that you don't feel is worth it.

Get off the political shtick it's your Democratic officials who are taxing & bleeding the state dry and driving business away. Cities (regardless of location) have need to evolve to remain relevant many did and many did not making the infrastructure that they used to support seem ridicules. Even rail travel was much more extensive then exists today with small rail lines accessing every corner of the state but times changed and most have gone by the wayside.

Your the only one who can express that they don't like where their tax dollars go? Its not a contradiction if I view other tax paid items as a waste and don't agree with your view.

[videobruce]

Same old whine, complaining about paying taxes. Really old, especially when you turn a positive into a negative. And more so when you don't even live in this state!

[VA Yankee]

You really have a filter on how you read posts, the only whining is you because others don't want to join your band wagon in support of what "you" view as a good thing. I'm sure if there was a proposal to provide so many free gallons of gas to residents you would be leading the charge to stop this waste of your tax dollars. Residency is not a requirement on these boards, let me know when you are named moderator.

Go look for the popcorn trail so you can get beyond just the tree....