Transportation has both positive and negative effects on a given community. Moab is known for its opportunities for road and mountain biking, and many amazing bike shops, tour companies and guides have emerged over the years. Tourism has also brought carloads of visitors. According to the Utah Department of Transportation, approximately 13,000 vehicles cross the intersection of Highway 191 and Center Street each day. Americans’ use of cars and trucks has increased to such an extent that the transportation sector is now the country’s single largest source of carbon dioxide emissions.

Today, very real solutions exist for Moab residents seeking to reduce environmental impacts of transportation, including elective vehicles (EV) and using bicycles as an alternative to cars and trucks. In addition to lowering emissions, utilizing alternative transportation cuts fuel expenditures, extends vehicle life, reduces reliance on foreign oil, creates US jobs and improves our health.

Plug–in electric vehicles can help substantially improve air quality because they have zero (or very little) tailpipe emissions, unlike conventional vehicles. Electricity costs for vehicles usually runs about $1.10 per charge.

There are three types of chargers for EVs. Level 1 chargers use simple household 220 volt outlet (like the ones use for clothes dryers) and meet over 80% of EV owners’ needs. Level I charging takes extended time and usually occurs overnight. Level 2 chargers can provide 10-20 miles of additional range per hour. DC Fast Chargers can charge a vehicle in 20 minutes.

Through a grant program, the City of Moab has purchased and installed ten Level 2 charging stations throughout the community. They are located at Moab Spring Ranch, Adventure Inn, City Hall, ACT Campground and the Moab Golf Course. The new chargers service all types of EV including the Nissan LEAF, Mitsubishi iMiEV, Chevrolet Volt, Cadillac ELR, Ford Fusion Energy, Ford C-Max Energi, BMW i3 and Tesla. The charging station at Adventure Inn uses excess electricity from their solar panels so cars charged there are actually running off of the sun!
Other EV charging stations in Moab include the DC Fast Chargers for Tesla at Canyonlands Best Western Inn and the Level 1 charger at Crump-Reese Auto available for its customers. Plug Share (https://www.plugshare.com/) is an EV app that helps drivers find charging stations.

If you are interested in purchasing an EV, there is a federal rebate of $8,000. The City of Moab is researching a group buy program that could bring the price down by several additional thousand dollars.

The City of Moab has also continued its efforts to promote bicycle communiting. A bike repair station was installed at Swanny Park with the help of Bike Fiend who assembled it. Moab is also moving up in the rankings for the national bike challenge. Sign up at www.Lovetoride.net. The City of Moab will have monthly prize drawings for anyone who registers at least three miles per month! Two bike companies, Poison Spider and Bike Fiend, joined the new Green to Gold Business Program:
Moab has been a pioneer in promoting an active, environmentally-friendly, outdoor lifestyle, and this spirit is also evident in its support of clean transportation alternatives. For more sustainability info, contact City of Moab Sustainability Director Rosemarie Russo at rrusso@moabcity.org