Two new electric vehicle (EV) charging stations have been installed at the Larry C. Hardy Parking Garage on Front Street.

The stations are located on the lower level and are free to use for charging. Standard parking rates apply. According to Traverse City Parking Services, the stations were added because "electric vehicle car sales have increased over 40 percent between 2015 and 2016."  TCPS has provided four EV charging stations, one on the ground level and three on the upper levels, at the Old Town Parking Garage since its opening in 2010.

“With the substantial increase in electric vehicles, it is a good time to incorporate EV charging stations at the Hardy Garage. We are excited to expand this offering to our customers,” says TCPS Deputy Director Mike Helferich.

The stations are also part of a TCPS effort to make facilities more environmentally friendly following Traverse City's committment in December to have 100 percent of municipal electricity come from renewable sources by 2020. Old Town's silver LEED-certified garage contains solar panels and green roofs, downtown pay stations are solar-powered, and the Hardy Garage was converted to LED lights, according to TCPS.