Signage - Plug-In Sites

Double Whammy: Broken Chargers and ICEd Spots in Baltimore

July 9, 2024 Lanny

Frustration at the Curbside in Baltimore City

Which is worse, a broken charger or arriving and finding it “ICEd“—blocked by a gas vehicle? I recently encountered a bit of both at a curbside charging spot on Washington Boulevard near Carroll Park in Baltimore City.

When I arrived there on a weekday afternoon, I discovered that out of the four available spots, two were blocked by ICE vehicles. To make matters worse, the two remaining spots had non-operational chargers. Of course, the spots by the functioning EVSE were the ones that were ICEd. Murphy’s law, I suppose.

It felt like a double whammy—broken stations compounded by inconsiderate parking. Such experiences can be a frustrating reality for EV drivers.

The EV Driver’s Dilemma: Out of Order or ICEd

This experience highlights a significant challenge for EV drivers: the accessibility and reliability of charging stations. When charging stations are out of order or blocked by ICE vehicles, the result is the same—you cannot charge your vehicle. While there might be debates over which scenario is worse, the frustration and inconvenience for EV drivers are undeniable. It’s a stark reminder of the gaps in the current infrastructure and the everyday obstacles faced by those who have made the switch to electric.

Public Spending and the Promise of Range Anxiety Relief

The situation is particularly disheartening considering the millions in public spending being approved by legislators and public utility commissions to fund the buildout of electric vehicle charging infrastructure. One of the primary justifications for this massive investment is to alleviate “range anxiety,” the fear that a vehicle has insufficient range to reach its destination, which remains a significant barrier to EV adoption according to surveys.

The Need for Improved Infrastructure and Enforcement

To truly alleviate perceived range anxiety and make EVs a viable option for everyone, it’s not just about installing more charging stations. Ensuring these stations are functional and accessible is equally critical. This means regular maintenance to keep chargers operational and stringent enforcement to prevent ICE vehicles from occupying EV charging spots.

Maryland Anti-ICEing Law Sign Requirements

May 26, 2022September 28, 2022 Lanny

The Maryland anti-ICEing law that passed this year will go into effect on October 1, 2022.

In order to be enforceable the charging space needs to be designated by a certain sign that, among other requirements, must meet design and placement standards established by the State Highway Administration.

Sign Specifications of Maryland Anti-ICEing Law

Specifically, the law states that a publicly accessible plug–in electric drive vehicle charging space as defined under Transportation Article § 21–1003.2, Annotated Code of Maryland shall be designated by a sign that:

Indicates that the charging space is only for electric vehicle charging;
Includes any day or time restrictions;
States the maximum fine that may be incurred for a violation; and
Is consistent with the design and placement specifications established in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways adopted by the State Highway Administration under § 25–104 of this article.

Guidance Needed to Inform Deployment of Signs

There are guidelines for parking signs at spaces reserved for persons with disabilities under the Maryland Accessibility Code for Buildings and Facilities as established by COMAR 09.12.53.12 PDF link.

For example, ADA parking signs must have the international symbol of access and the words “Reserved Parking”, and conform with the requirements for uniform traffic control devices under Transportation Article, §25-104. Those signs generally must be at least 7 feet above the ground if on a pole.

I hope that the Maryland State Highway Administration will provide similar guidance for signs for electric vehicle charging spaces that will satisfy the requirements of the Maryland anti-ICEing law.

I hope any guidance or standards developed by the state of Maryland will include a suggestion to include text to inform EV drivers that their vehicle must be connected to the charging equipment.

Montgomery County Installs EV Charging Wayfinding Signs

August 6, 2021September 28, 2022 Lanny

MCDOT EV charging wayfinding signs — image: MCDOT

Have you seen the blue signs on highways that direct travelers to electric vehicle charging stations? They have a symbol that looks like a gas pump but with a plug instead of a nozzle and the letters “EV” on it.

These wayfinding signs help alert EV drivers of “refueling” services just like the signs notifying drivers of gas and diesel stations at an upcoming exit. These alternative fueling station signs also help create public awareness of the existence of EV charging stations. This helps people feel more comfortable about purchasing a plug-in electric vehicle.

Montgomery County Maryland Department of Transportation (MCDOT) is initiating a program to install EV charging wayfinding signs in Bethesda, Silver Spring and Wheaton. MCDOT plans 42 wayfinding signs in and around public parking facilities that currently have EV charging stations. See: Montgomery County Adds EV Charging to Five More Garages

Standardized Signs Based on Federal MUTCD Standards

The goal is to assist EV owners to locate charging stations and to make the public aware of the County’s charging infrastructure. The signs are based on the D9-11b standard general services sign. These are approved by the Federal Highway Administration in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD).

MCDOT Director Chris Conklin says, “Letting the public know that these charging stations are available is important to encourage the use of electric vehicles.” Montgomery County has committed to a zero-emissions goal by 2035.

20 Level 2 Charging Stations in MCDOT Parking Facilities

There are 20 public Level 2 charging stations in parking facilities supported by MCDOT Division of Parking Management. These charging stations in Bethesda, Silver Spring, and Wheaton cost $0.13 per kWh. There is a four-hour limit for the charging spaces which are designated for electric vehicle charging only. See: Montgomery County Updates EV Charging Signs

Visit the MCDOT Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program page for more information and a map of their electric vehicle charging stations.

New Signs at Howard Community College in Columbia, MD

March 1, 2021September 28, 2022 Lanny

Enforceable Signs for County Anti-ICEing Ordinance

Charging stations at Howard Community College in Columbia, Maryland now have new signs. The BGE EVsmart stations that opened in January originally had green and white signs with “electric vehicle parking only” and a logo depicting a car with a plug. Those signs were not enforceable under the Howard County anti-ICEing ordinance.

The local EV community advocated for an anti-ICEing ordinance and Howard County passed legislation in 2014. See: Video of Public Comments on Howard Co. Bill CB36-2014. The ordinance requires official signs that meet federal and state standards to designate a charging space before police can enforce the prohibition.

Official Signs Comply with Federal and State Standards for Parking Signs

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) issued a Policy Statement on June 17, 2013 to address regulatory sign standards for electric vehicle charging and parking facilities. Howard County has chosen to use the “NO PARKING EXCEPT WHILE CHARGING” (R7-113) signs at the utility-operated charging stations located on county-owned property.

Standardized signs are are a good idea even in places that don’t yet have an anti-ICEing law. They are the best way to communicate that spaces in front of EV charging stations are not parking spots, they are for electric vehicles while being recharged.

Standardized Signs to Deter ICEing in Howard County

October 19, 2020September 28, 2022 Lanny

Promotes Uniformity Among Signs at EV Charging Stations

Spaces in front of EV charging stations are not parking spots, they are for electric vehicles while being refueled. Official signs that meet federal and state standards are the best way to communicate this message.

At the dawn of the automobile age, directional road signs were mostly an endeavor by private groups such as the AAA and other automobile clubs. Signs were used by these groups for promotion and branding as much as they were for directions and information. This led to a hodgepodge of directional signage along the roadways. In the 1920s, government began to develop signage standards. The familiar octagonal stop sign, for instance, grew out of those efforts.

Today, we are seeing a similar trend in signs placed at electric vehicle charging stations. Charging station operators often have distinct and different signs. Some seem designed with a priority for branding and style over clarity and uniformity. This leads to ambiguous messaging and more blocked charging stations.

MUTCD No parking except while charging sign

Federal Standards for Parking Signs

Standards for size, shape, color, etc. for signs placed on roadways and parking lots are defined in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) issued by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). By law, all traffic control devices must conform to these standards.

The FHWA issued a Policy Statement on June 17, 2013 to address regulatory sign standards for electric vehicle charging and parking facilities. The document contains recommended signs with word legends to convey parking restrictions at EV charging stations. Howard County chose to use the R7-113 example provided by the FHWA to post at 31 utility-operated charging stations located at five county-owned sites. These “no parking except while charging” regulatory signs replaced green and white signs with “electric vehicle parking only” and a logo depicting a car with a plug.

No, You Can’t Charge Here – Taxi, Uber, Lyft Drivers Banned

February 3, 2020February 4, 2020 Lanny

Hyattsville EV charging — Signs at Hyattsville City Municipal Center EV Charger

Commercial Vehicles Not Welcome at Some Maryland Public Charging Stations

Government encourages us to eliminate the burning of fossil fuels by driving electric vehicles. Some cities and states support these efforts by installing EV charging equipment on public property. What happens when government decides to prohibit commercial electric vehicles from using public charging stations?

Hyattsville and Takoma Park, Maryland are environmentally friendly towns that enthusiastically support EV charging. The Hyattsville, MD Police Department is the first in the US to use a Chevy Bolt EV patrol car. Takoma Park attracted national attention when a former gas station dumped the pumps and installed Fast Chargers.

Perhaps due to the pioneering nature of these two towns, they are also first to experience challenges that go with providing the public with free EV charging.

For-Hire Cars Prohibited at Grant Funded Chargers in Hyattsville

Two DC Fast Chargers at Hyattsville City Municipal Center opened in August, 2018. The chargers are funded in part by a grant from the Maryland Energy Administration. The MEA grant program has helped fund many other fast chargers in Maryland from Ocean City to Hagerstown.

The guidelines for the Maryland Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Program require that DC Fast Chargers funded by the program be publicly accessible. The guidelines don’t clarify if the term “publicly accessible” applies to making the chargers available to commercial vehicles.

The City of Hyattsville partnered with the grantee to provide a site for the two 50 kW chargers in the parking lot in front of the City Municipal Center.

According to the Manager of Code and Parking Compliance for the City of Hyattsville, the city’s position is that the chargers are not intended for use by commercial vehicles and the City Administrator directed that signs be posted that prohibit any “for-hire” vehicles from parking or charging there.

Electrify America Posts Enforceable Signs in Columbia, MD

September 26, 2019July 25, 2020 Lanny

Signage is a Model for Maryland EV Chargers

Electrify America is building one of their largest and highest powered charging stations in the parking lot of Walmart in Columbia, Maryland. There are 10 DC Fast Charging dispensers, five are labeled 320 kW.

When construction started to wind down and signs were installed, I was disappointed to see only “branding” signs with, “EV charging only” printed in small, thin letters on the far ends of the charging area. I took to Twitter and asked @ElectrifyAm for signs that conformed to the MUTCD standards so that the police could enforce Howard County’s anti-ICEing ordinance.

Montgomery County Updates EV Charging Signs

August 27, 2017August 27, 2017 Lanny

Montgomery County Department of Transportation, Division of Parking (MCDOT), which manages the operation and enforcement of Electric Vehicle charging stations in all County owned and operated public parking facilities, has changed the signs at their EV charging stations to clearly state that the spots are for charging. The new signs are in response to customer feedback that electric vehicles were parking in the spaces and not actually plugging in and charging.

The previous signs stated, “No Parking Except Electric Vehicles” which may not have communicated clearly enough for some that the spots are intended for using the charging station and not just for parking an EV. Read More …

Signs Posted at Columbia Association EV Charging Stations

July 29, 2016July 29, 2016 Lanny

pluginsites_CA_MUTCD_1

Three Year Effort Pays OffOn March 4, 2013 I contacted the Columbia Association, a non-profit community organization that had recently used a U.S. Dept. of Energy grant and their own funds to install five EV charging stations at four of their facilities in Howard County, Maryland. I thanked them as an EV driver and suggested they post “no parking except for electric vehicle charging” signs at the charging stations since there were often gas vehicles parked in front of them.

CA-CRV01

Other EV drivers also contacted them about the ICEing problem. The response we got was that they had designed blue signs that said, “Electric Vehicle Charging Station.” They added that they were not willing to post signs that restricted parking to electric vehicles only, in part, because there were no enforceable regulations similar to those for handicapped spaces. Read More …

Regulatory Signs for EV Charging and Parking Facilities

July 27, 2016July 25, 2020 Lanny

A Policy Statement issued June 17, 2013 by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration addresses regulatory sign standards for electric vehicle charging and parking facilities. [Link to webpage]

This Policy is intended to provide guidance based on the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways (MUTCD) for uniformity among regulatory signs used for on-street electric vehicle charging and parking sites.

This Policy can be shared with local officials and property owners that wish to have signs that conform to MUTCD specifications that are required in some jurisdictions in order for the police to enforce anti-ICEing laws. (legislation reference)

PDF of sign examples

Source: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Policy Memorandum.

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