EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WFIE) – The future of Evansville is looking a little greener.
Officials announced Thursday morning that the city and the Welborn Baptist Foundation were awarded a $20 million Community Change Grant rom the U.S. EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights.
According to a press release, the grant will go towards helping Evansville transition to cleaner, lower-emission transportation systems.
City officials say this project will promote public transit shared rides, and physically active modes of travel.
That will be through new “mobility hubs” that will pop up across the city to provide convenience, accessibility, and ease of transition among both public and private transportation modes.
“This transformative grant from the EPA marks a pivotal step forward for Evansville in building a cleaner, more accessible, and sustainable future,” said Evansville Mayor Stephanie Terry. “By investing in innovative transportation systems and enhancing mobility across our community, we’re creating opportunities for all residents to thrive while addressing critical environmental challenges.”
Among the projects funded by the grant are:
- Developing 15 mobility hubs along existing METS public transit routes
- Expanding METS Micro Transit program to 16 EV / hybrid, ADA-accessible vans
- Improving 4.1 miles of city sidewalks for ADA accessibility, and for walking and biking
- Installing 62 publicly accessible EV charging stations at city facilities, public destinations and affordable housing units.
- Expanding the Upgrade bikeshare system to include 100 E-bikes, with 1,000 free annual memberships for city residents to utilize unlimited 30 min. rides.
- Installing solar panels on the METS administration building and bus terminal to further lower emissions of our public transit.
- Conducting a community-wide education and outreach campaign to increase utilization of cleaner transportation options and awareness of their impact on air quality.
- Conducting a free annual community event to promote EVs and other low emission vehicles.
Officials say crews will begin working on the project on March 17, 2025.
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