Monday, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced the opening of the first federally funded Electric Vehicle (EV) charging station on the Pennsylvania Turnpike built using funds from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program.
The new station is located at the Blue Mountain Service Plaza at Exit 202 westbound on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Another station at New Stanton, located at Exit 77 westbound, is slated to open next week, according to a news release from PennDOT.
“The Shapiro Administration’s goal is to use federal NEVI funds to build out an accessible and reliable EV charging network by meeting EV drivers where they are,” said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll. “The Pennsylvania Turnpike is one of the state’s busiest roads for long-distance travelers, especially over the holiday season, and opening the first NEVI-funded charging station on the Turnpike exemplifies that goal.”
“We are excited to continue offering more options for customers who want accessible, on-route EV charging,” said PA Turnpike CEO Mark Compton. “Beyond meeting customer demand, supporting electric vehicle adoption enhances infrastructure resilience, supports renewable energy goals and reduces vehicle emissions.”
The additions at Blue Mountain and New Stanton are part of the PA Turnpike’s systemwide EV charging initiative. Authorities say in partnership with Applegreen Electric, this program looks to add 80 new universal EV stations at all 17 service plazas by the end of 2027.
Beyond these new additions funded through the NEVI program, the PA Turnpike recently opened up new electric vehicle charging stations at North Somerset, South Somerset and Hickory Run service plazas through funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s Driving PA Forward program. All of these sites offer high-speed chargers, with a total of four charging ports per location, that support all EV types without the need for adapters, according to the release.
PennDOT says the next stage of NEVI funding, Corridor Connections, focuses on implementing EV charging stations along major roadways to strengthen long-distance travel outside of previously designated Alternative Fuel Corridors. These locations are expected to serve the communities and regions near the charging station locations. Projects funded from the Corridor Connections program will improve range confidence for drivers who are considering travel with an EV across and throughout the Commonwealth.
PennDOT released the Corridor Connections Funding Opportunity on Oct. 7. PennDOT will begin accepting proposals on Dec. 22, and close on Jan. 30, 2026, at 5 p.m. EST., officials say.
Visit the PennDOT website for more information including a map of eligible locations, webinar recording, and additional resources.