A pole, a plan and a push for EV access in Marblehead

By Leigh Blander

Group of four people dressed for the cold standing near a light pole that is a potential site for an EV charging station — This utility pole on Franklin Street could be the site for one of Marblehead’s first on-street EV charging stations. Seen here, from left,
Sue Pace with Leidos, Marblehead Sustainability Coordinator Logan Casey and Light Department Energy Project Manager Michael Hull. CURRENT PHOTO / LEIGH BLANDER

On a blustery Friday morning, Marblehead Sustainability Coordinator Logan Casey stood bundled up near a utility pole outside 10 Franklin St. The pole is a possible location for one of the town’s first on-street electric vehicle charging stations.

Marblehead has been selected to participate in a state-funded initiative through the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center that helps communities expand access to EV charging. MassCEC is providing technical assistance at no cost to the town, including site analysis, community engagement and planning support for potential future curbside charging locations. The goal is to expand EV access for residents who don’t have off-street parking.

As part of the study, the town is encouraging residents to take a brief survey to help identify areas of need, preferred locations and other factors that should be considered for on-street chargers. The survey is available at form.jotform.com/252335664517157.

The energy consultant firm Leidos is leading the feasibility project in Marblehead.

“What we do is analyze the sites according to things like residential density, any environmental concerns and environmental justice communities,” said Leidos engineer Sue Pace. “We don’t actually rank the sites — which one is the best, which one is the worst — but we give the municipality all the information to decide. Community outreach has weight in the score.”

In addition to Franklin Street, the sites under consideration for on-street EV chargers include:

9 Gerry St. (near the police station)
274 Washington St.
26 Shepard St.
48 Birch St. (near Lafayette Street)
21 Brook Road (near Hobbs Playground)

The EV chargers would be attached to — or be near — utility poles at those locations.

Casey and other town leaders, along with Marblehead Light Department Energy Program Manager Michael Hull, are developing a plan for a public EV charging network. State funding is available for public EV chargers, according to Casey, and is not dependent on compliance with the MBTA Communities Act.

The town currently has three public EV charging areas: at the Light Department on Commercial Street, on Roundhouse Road and on Widger Road outside the Mary Alley Municipal Building.

Brookline and Cambridge have installed public curbside EV chargers. Marblehead is one of 25 communities working with MassCEC in the EV charger planning and feasibility stage.