With New York and the federal government partnering to fund 325 new electric-vehicle charging stations statewide, Dana Rubinstein asks if this investment will be enough to persuade East Coasters to start buying EVs in droves.
If the northeast region's relative lack of interest in electric cars can be attributed to the dreaded "rage anxiety" caused by a lack of charging stations (California currently has 1,200, or a thousand more than New York), than the plan recently announced by Governor Andrew Cuomo could make electric-car ownership in New York "less frightening," writes Rubinstein.
Admittedly, the $4.4 million cost of the project isn't "a particularly large public commitment." But, argues Rubinstein, "it does represent the sort of infrastructure investment that's going to be necessary to popularize electric cars, or at least make them more commercially feasible for manufacturers and, in turn, cheaper for consumers."
"The more chargers you put out there, the more comfortable people are with driving their vehicles longer range," said Colin Read, vice-president for a company that is deploying more than 12,000 chargers nationwide.
"But, he also said, 'In reality we need cars on the road to justify putting chargers out there.'"
FULL STORY: With state-funded charging stations, Cuomo gives electric cars a modest push toward critical mass

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

King County Supportive Housing Program Offers Hope for Unhoused Residents
The county is taking a ‘Housing First’ approach that prioritizes getting people into housing, then offering wraparound supportive services.

Researchers Use AI to Get Clearer Picture of US Housing
Analysts are using artificial intelligence to supercharge their research by allowing them to comb through data faster. Though these AI tools can be error prone, they save time and housing researchers are optimistic about the future.

Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive
Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
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Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie