PA Turnpike Going Green, Adding Electric Fueling Stations
PITTSBURGH (NewsRadio 1020 KDKA) -- Manager of Media and Public Relations for the Pennsylvania Turnpike Carl DeFebo says the Turnpike is going green.
DeFebo says that officials are opening up four electric vehicle charging stations this summer.
He says eventually they will have charging stations at all 17 service plazas on the turnpike.
"It is actually a partnership with the Department of Environmental protection," DeFabo said.
He told NewsRadio 1020 KDKA where the initial four stations are going to be.
"We are going to have one at Oakmont, we're going to have one at New Stanton which is in Westmoreland County and a couple in the eastern half of the state," DeFabo said.
Those also include Bowmansville and King of Prussia.
DeFebo admits that there isn't a high demand but thinks, "it might be one of those build it and they will come type phenomena."
Other things the turnpike is doing to "go green" is planting shrubs and tree along the roads, storm water basin's and wetlands.
"One of the things we do when we mitigate wetlands, we are actually doing that from a heavy planting of native Pennsylvania materials to recreate these natural wetlands," DeFabo said.
He thinks that's why everything looks so natural along the turnpike.
They also have landscape architects and contractors that, "really put a lot of thought into what gets planted."
The turnpike has additionally utilized wind power and DeFabo says that the Oakmont service plaza was one of the first public access E-85 pumps in the state.
DeFebo says that in relation to the turnpike, "we were among the first users of bio-diesel fuel in our pick-up trucks and dump trucks."
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