Big Story: Arizona Greenlights Nearly Three Dozen New Fast EV Chargers
Key Takeaways:
Arizona is bidding out 34 fast-charging stations (31 new sites) across interstates and key U.S./state routes.
NEVI will fund up to 80% of the costs, and stations will be privately owned/operated with at least four 150-kW DC fast chargers per site.
Corridors are planned roughly every 50 miles and within 1 mile of highways. Sites will include both NACS (Tesla) and CCS plugs.
First interstate round starts construction by late 2025; the new bid wave is expected to begin in 2027 and take 1 year.
Arizona is accelerating its highway charging buildout with a second phase that expands beyond the interstates to key US and state routes. The bid package covers corridors on Interstate 10 and Interstate 40, along with US 60, US 89, US 93, and US 160, plus state routes 64, 68, 80, 87, 90, 95, 260, and 347. This round includes 31 brand new locations and three sites from the first phase that were not previously awarded. The program positions stations where drivers need them most and aligns with federal guidance on spacing, siting, and uptime.
Arizonaʼs plan leans on a public-private model. Sites will be privately owned and operated, while federal dollars can fund up to eighty percent of eligible costs, and private developers bring the remainder. The state does not plan to use state construction funds for these sites. Each location must provide at least four DC fast charging ports rated at a minimum of 150 kilowatts per port, generally spaced about fifty miles apart and situated within one mile of highway access.
Connector standards are set to reduce friction for drivers. Starting in 2025, Arizona will require both CCS and NACS connectors at each fast charging site.
This approach accommodates todayʼs mixed fleet and anticipates near-term shift in vehicle charging ports. The state also specifies performance targets intended to bring a typical vehicle from low charge to road-ready in roughly thirty minutes.
The timeline is structured to keep momentum. Construction on the 18 interstate sites awarded in 2024 is expected to begin by the end of 2025. For the new 34- site package, proposals are due on January 16, 2026, construction is slated to start in 2027, and the build is expected to take about one year. In total, Arizona is eligible for up to 76.5 million dollars in NEVI funding and plans to stand up as many as 74 fast charging locations statewide across phases.
Quick Hit News:
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bypassing democratic oversight, others cited the systemʼs role in solving crimes and recovering stolen vehicles. Read →
The Massachusetts Executive Office of Aging and Independence has launched the Enhancing Digital Literacy for Older Adults Playbook to improve digital skills among seniors. Funded by the American Rescue Plan Act, the toolkit
offers strategies, case studies, and multilingual resources to help local organizations bridge access and literacy gaps. It emphasizes community partnerships and tailored approaches to support adult learners facing barriers to internet use. Read →
Johns Hopkins researchers have developed SafeTraffic Copilot, an AI tool that uses large language models to predict car accidents based on variables like traffic light timing, weather, and driver behavior. Trained on over 66,000 crash descriptions, the system offers confidence scores to help policymakers assess risk and make data-informed decisions. The model aims to reduce fatalities and can adapt to different cultural driving patterns, expanding its potential for global traffic safety applications. Read →
For the Commute:
Community Engagement in Public Safety with Emily Morgenstern (Muskegon County at Work)
Emily Morgenstern, Community Coordinator for Muskegon Police, joins host DJ Hilson to explore how civic engagement is reshaping local law enforcement. A lifelong Muskegon resident, Morgenstern shares her journey from the Chamber of Commerce to public service, highlighting programs like Citizens Police Workshops, youth “pop-upˮ events, and National Night Out. She emphasizes trust-building, recruitment challenges, and the role of grants in sustaining community-first policing. The episode offers a candid look at how dialogue and collaboration strengthen public safety across Muskegon.
Resources & Events:
📅Wisconsin Digital Government Summit 2025 (Madison, WI - December 4, 2025)
Celebrating its 25th year, this summit brings together state, local, and tribal government leaders to tackle pressing challenges in cybersecurity, AI, and digital transformation. Sessions will explore practical AI use cases, data governance, ADA compliance, and cyber incident response. Paralympian and veteran John Register will deliver a keynote on resilience and leadership through adversity.
📅New York City Technology Forum 2025 (Brooklyn, NY - December 8-9, 2025)
Government leaders and technologists will gather to explore AI, cybersecurity, and digital transformation across New York Cityʼs public agencies. The forum features sessions on legacy system modernization, data sharing, and digital equity, with keynote speaker Jessica O. Matthews inspiring attendees to innovate through adversity.
Insight of the Week:
A new roadmap from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) signals a major push for commercial fusion energy in the U.S. under its “Build–Innovate–Growˮ strategy. Developed with input from over 600 scientists and engineers, the plan targets six critical technology areas, including structural materials, plasma-facing components, and fuel cycles, to deliver a fusion pilot plant by the mid-2030s. The roadmap also emphasizes public-private partnerships to accelerate commercialization, streamline regulation, and expand U.S. leadership in clean- energy innovation.
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