The National Transportation Systems Center

U.S. Department of Transportation

Office of Research and Technology

John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center

Advancing transportation innovation for the public good

US Dept. of Transportation Update:

Alternative Fuel Corridors Designations

& Other Clean Freight Corridor Activities

Michael ScarpinoSoutheast Diesel Collaborative 12th Annual Partners Meeting Freight Movement Panel

November 29, 2017

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Volpe, The National

Transportation Systems Center

Unique agency within U.S. DOT

100% fee-for-service

Operate our transportation system safer and more efficient, while increasing mobility and minimizing the impact on our environment.

All modes of transportation

All technologies and disciplines related to transportation

Interdisciplinary team of 600 federal staff, 400 onsite contractors

Agenda Alternative Fuel Corridors Program

Overview

Results of Initial/2016 Round

2017 Request for Nominations

Signage

Resources

Northeast & West Coast

Collaborative Efforts

Benefits of Alternative Fuel Vehicle Technologies

• National Energy Security

• Public Health

• Economic Growth/Competitiveness

• Affordability for Businesses and Consumers

• Reliability/Resiliency

Alternative Fuel Corridors:Benefits of National System

• Allow for Intercity, Regional, and National Travel on Clean Burning Fuels

Enabling all drivers to make longer trips and travel between cities (General Public & Business)

• Addresses Range Anxiety

Gives drivers “Range Confidence” that fueling is available along the highway

Overcome barrier to greater vehicle sales

• Integration with Transportation Planning Process Coordination with other Public/Private Investments

State Freight Plans

Long-range Transportation Plans

• Outreach/Awareness Accelerate public interest and awareness through

national highway signage branding

FAST Act Section 1413:Alternative Fuel Corridor Designation

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The Secretary is required to designate corridors to improve mobility of passenger and commercial vehicles that employ electric vehicle charging, hydrogen, propane, and natural gas fueling technologies across the U.S. within one year of enactment (Dec. 2016):

Identify near and long-term need for infrastructure;

At strategic locations along major national highways;

Solicit nominations from state and local officials;

Incorporate existing infrastructure (demand and location)

Stakeholder involvement (on a voluntary basis)

No funding authorized

Results of 1st Round 34 nomination packages received, with nominated corridors separated

into two designation categories:

Signage-ready – sufficient facilities on the corridor to warrant

highway signage (Corridor Travel Fueling-Ready)

Signage-pending – currently insufficient facilities on the

corridor to warrant highway signage (Corridor Travel Fueling-Partial/Pending)

Designations…. Include portions/segments of 55 Interstates and a few state

roads/highways Comprise 35 states plus D.C. Cover ~85,000 miles of the National Highway System

This initial phase focused on interstate highway designations (many state highways and roads were nominated)

Decisions based on DOE’s Alternative Fuel Station Locator database7

“Signage-Ready” Criteria for 2016 Initial Designations

EV

Includes DCFC and

Level 2

50 miles between stations

5 miles from

highway

Public stations only (no

Tesla)

CNG

150 miles between stations

5 miles from

highway

Public stations

only

Fast fill, 3,600 psi

LNG

200 miles between stations

5 miles from highway

Public stations

only

Hydrogen

100 miles between stations

5 miles from highway

Public stations only

Propane

150 miles between stations

5 miles from highway

Public stations only

Primary stations

only

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EV Corridor Map

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CNG Corridor Map

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Propane Corridor Map

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LNG Corridor Map

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Hydrogen Corridor Map

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2017 Request for Nominations

Defined in FHWA Request for Nominations (RFN) notice (released Sept. 22, 2017)

Distributed through FHWA Division Offices

Provides ability to nominate new corridors or add fuel types to existing corridors

Due date is November 30, 2017

Request for Nominations Posted AFC website at:

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Process

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/alternative_fuel_corridors/nominations/index.cfm

“Signage-Ready” Criteria for 2017 Nominations

EV

DCFC only

50 miles between stations

5 miles from

highway

Public stations only (no

Tesla)

CNG

150 miles between stations

5 miles from

highway

Public stations

only

Fast fill, 3,600 psi

LNG

200 miles between stations

5 miles from highway

Public stations

only

Hydrogen

100 miles between stations

5 miles from highway

Public stations only

Propane

150 miles between stations

5 miles from highway

Public stations only

Primary stations

only

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Highway Signage

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MUTCD Memorandum – Signing for Designated Corridors

Provides guidance to State DOTs

First Corridor signs installed on I-94 and I-26

Some questions remain on General Service & Specific Service exit signage

FHWA is developed additional guidance (FAQs)

I-94 (Minnesota)

I-26 (South Carolina)

First Corridor Signs Installed

Specific Service Highway Signage

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Need to engage with State DOT Traffic Engineers

Provides a planning exercise to prioritize future public and private funding/investment for future corridor station development by identifying gaps along the corridor and/or opportunities to extend the corridor.

Accelerate public interest and awareness through national highway signage branding.

Provides an opportunity to coordinate/collaborate with state and local officials who have Interstate highways that have been targeted for investment in the first 30-month cycle by Electrify America and other VW funds.

CMAQ funding priority may be given to designated corridors for EV and CNG – Section 1114 of the FAST Act.

Benefits to Designating Corridors

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Other Alt Fuel Corridor Resources

A set of Frequently Asked Questions has been developed and posted on the AFC web site. Covers both the designation process and signage related

questions

Alternative Fuels “Toolkit” – Tools for state and local agencies to help accelerate alternative fuel vehicle and infrastructure deployment: http://altfueltoolkit.org/

Development & Implementation of 5 Regional/State Alternative Fuel Convening’s in 2018/2019

Northeast Clean Freight Corridors Workgroup/Northeast Diesel Collaborative

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http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/alternative_fuel_corridors/

Frequently Asked Questions

Interactive GIS maps for each fuel

List of State DOT signage contacts

MUTCD Memorandum – Signing for Designated Alternative Fuel Corridors

“Sign Up” for Alternative Fuel Corridors Updates

AFC Website

Northeast Clean Freight Corridors Workgroup

EV CNG Hydrogen

Pictures Above:FHWA Designated AFV Corridors

Promote effective coordination across Northeastern states

to plan for and develop clean freight corridors to advance

high-efficiency, low-emission alternative transportation

technologies across all modes.

2017 NECFC Strategy

Leverage learnings from 2016 Roadmap discussions and Troy Meeting to set priorities for 2017 Roadmap.

Identify new partners to bring into the discussion.

Raise pubic awareness. Identify opportunities to receive buy-in. Engage our public & private champions, who are they, how can they help?

Position VW funds for Clean Corridors and other NEDC goals by coordinating with state beneficiaries.

Create Funding Timeline and begin engaging partners to develop project partnerships and be ready for submission.

2017 NECFC Strategy continued… Present technologies that are best suited for specific

transportation niches – Ex: Ideal environments for electrification: warehouses, ports, urban centers, etc.

Define & identify “Hot Spots” – understand freight movement/needs through these communities, who are key players, ideal projects/techs, & resources needed.

Filling in the Infrastructure Gap – Continue promoting FHWA Alt. Fuel Corridor Designations. How do we bridge the infrastructure gap along/between corridors to enable advanced techs.

2017 NEDC Partners Meeting in September- to learn and exchange strategies for advancing the future of clean transportation and goods movement in the Northeast.

Northeast Clean Freight Corridors Workgroup Roadmap

1# WG Kick OffFebruary 18, 2016Importance of Clean Freight Corridor Coordination

2# Funding Clean CorridorsMarch 29, 2016Incentivizing Partnerships for Clean Freight Corridors

3# Regional Freight FlowsApril 28, 2016Understanding Freight Flows, Bottlenecks and Areas of Priority

4# Defining Clean CorridorsMay 26, 2016Clean Corridor Definitions for State/Regional Freight Plans

6# Part II – Alt. Fuel Corridor ApplicationsJuly 28, 2016#1413 RFI Review and Existing and Needed Alt. Fuel Infrastructure

8# U.S. DOE Clean Cities Tasks for Clean Corridors MeetingMid-October, 2016Clean Cities Coordinators discuss their leadership and vision for Clean Corridors

5# Designating Clean CorridorsJune 23, 2016Review Designation #1413 Application Process/Support Regional/NE States Nomination

7# Hosts Discuss Value of Clean Corridors and PartnershipsSeptember 29, 2016Meeting Hosts share goals and expected outcomes.

9# Clean Corridors: Where We Stand, 2017 Roadmap & Partner UpdatesMay 25, 2017

10# Gaseous and Liquid Alternative Fuel Technologies and InfrastructureJune 22, 2017

11# Electric-Powered Trucks, Idle Reduction Technology & InfrastructureJuly 27, 2017

12# Priority Locations & Facility Types for Truck and Intermodal Idle Reduction and Alternative Fueling August 24, 2017

Regional Partnership to promote development of

alternative fuel & idle-free corridors for freight

carriers.

2016

2017

M/HD Alternative Fuel Corridors

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West Coast M/HD Alternative Fuel Corridors

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- Interstate collaboration

is needed to develop

west coast corridors for

M/HD AFV fueling

similar the one shown

here for LD ZEVs. This

would help address:

- Air quality

- Climate change

- Fuel supply diversity

- Sustainable freight,

transit, public works

& pupil transport

- Local job creation

and economic

development

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WCC M/HD Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Corridor Coalition

• Convene a stakeholder coalition focused on infrastructure

deployment.

• Coordinate workgroups to develop a multi-state infrastructure

plan.

• Synthesize stakeholder input into a plan document.

• Use the plan as the basis for joint applications to US DOT’s

competitive funding programs.

• Obtain federal funding assistance to help implement

infrastructure in California, Oregon and Washington (i.e.,

natural gas, propane, electric vehicle charging and hydrogen

for public and private M/HD fleets).

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for your time !!

DOT’s Volpe Center

https://www.volpe.dot.gov/

FHWA Alternative Fuel Corridors:

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/alternative_fuel_corridors/

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/alternative_fuel_corridors/nominations/

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/alternative_fuel_corridors/resources/faq/

https://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/resources/policy/alt_fuel_corridors/index.htm

DOE/NREL Alternative Fueling Station Locator:

https://www.afdc.energy.gov/locator/stations/

Mike Scarpino

U.S. Department of Transportation

Volpe Center

617-494-3373

michael.scarpino@dot.gov