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County Executive's Office

Dane County, Mount Horeb to Approve First Electric Vehicles Pact

September 08, 2006
Joanne Haas, Office of the County Executive (608) 267-8823 or cell (608) 669-5606
County Executive

Electric vehicles would join Mount Horeb’s motoring public under a pending intergovernmental agreement that would make the village the first in Dane County to OK the alternative transportation. The agreement, in the final stages of approval at the county and village levels, authorizes the use of Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEVs) on roads co-managed by the village and county if certain conditions are met. “These vehicles are an environmentally sound and cost-smart option for people who travel short distances for errands,” Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk said. “Not only are these much smaller than a conventional car, they have no emissions and do not harm our air quality.” Larry Bierke, administrator of the Village of Mount Horeb, called the vehicles an “intelligent alternative for the cost-conscious” population. “We are working very hard to lead the way in energy-friendly options,” Bierke said. “This plays a vital role in our community in providing an alternative for future drivers of Mount Horeb. “And we’re hoping other communities in Dane County follow our lead,” he said. Among its provisions, the agreement calls for the village to pass an ordinance requiring the electric vehicles to be licensed. Any driver of the vehicles must hold a valid driver license from Wisconsin or another state. The electric vehicles only would be allowed on roads with maximum speeds of 35 miles per hour or less. State law enacted in April 2006 allows municipalities to permit use of the electric vehicles on roads under shared jurisdictions. According to information posted on the U.S. Department of Energy Web site, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recognized the NEVs as a form of transportation on June 17, 1998. Thirty-seven states have passed legislation permitting the electric vehicles to be operated on roads with speed limits of not more than 35 miles per hour. # # #
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