Dane County, Sun Prairie to Approve Electric Vehicles Pact
November 03, 2006
Joanne Haas, Office of the County Executive (608) 267-8823 or cell (608) 669-5606
County Executive
Sun Prairie would become Dane County’s second municipality to allow electric vehicles on neighborhood streets under a pending intergovernmental agreement to authorize the alternative transportation.
The agreement, in the final stages of approval at the county and city levels, authorizes the use of Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEVs) on roads co-managed by the city and county if certain conditions are met.
“These vehicles are smart and efficient for people who have short distances to travel for errands, work and appointments,” Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk said of the vehicles which are smaller than a conventional car. “These vehicles are also much better for our environment since there are no emissions.”
Mayor Joe Chase of Sun Prairie echoed Falk’s comments, adding Sun Prairie officials are pleased to be able to offer “an alternative energy-efficient vehicle” option for local travel. “We hope the electric vehicle will allow people a way to move more freely – and more economically – within our community,” Chase said.
The Sun Prairie-Dane County agreement calls for the city to pass an ordinance requiring the electric vehicles to be licensed. Any driver of the vehicles must hold a valid driver license from Wisconsin or another state.
The electric vehicles only would be allowed on roads with maximum speeds of 35 miles per hour or less.
State law enacted in April 2006 allows municipalities to permit use of the electric vehicles on roads under shared jurisdictions. Mount Horeb was Dane County’s first municipality to OK the electric vehicles in September.
According to information posted on the U.S. Department of Energy Web site, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recognized the NEVs as a form of transportation on June 17, 1998.
Thirty-seven states have passed legislation permitting the electric vehicles to be operated on roads with speed limits of not more than 35 miles per hour.
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