STREET MURALS ELECTRIFY EV CURBSIDE CHARGING STATIONS
PORTLAND, OREGON
Portland Street Art Alliance (PSAA), the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) and Portland General Electric (PGE) have teamed up to bring two vibrant murals to new EV curbside charging stations in Portland! Designed by local artist Daren Todd, these energetic new pieces of street art were funded through PGE's Drive Change Fund, which since 2019 has awarded dozens of grants supporting electric vehicles, bikes, charging infrastructure, and education programs for community organizations across the region.
SOUTHEAST PORTLAND
The first street mural highlights a new curbside charging station in the heart of Buckman, on SE Ash St between 13th & 14th. Created in a bold and illustrative style, this welcoming street mural captures a perfectly PNW scene filled with outdoor activities and Oregon's natural beauty. Street murals are a great resource for creating a sense of place and local identity, and here, it's also spotlighting publicly accessible EV charging and the shift to electrified transportation.
““With this work, we wanted to help draw attention to publicly accessible EV charging sites and engage the community in conversations around transportation electrification. When nonprofits like PSAA partner with local municipalities, creative, community-centered ideas come to life!” ”
NORTHEAST PORTLAND
The second street mural adds a pleasing pop of color to NE Glisan Street. Also created by local artist Daren Todd, this charging station mural is conveniently located near Benson Polytechnic High School and multiple apartment complexes.
The mural wraps beautifully around the designated charging space and tells a neighborhood narrative, with friendly folks charging a variety of EVs at their shared station. Viewable from every angle, it offers people passing by on foot, bike, or in a vehicle a creative, colorful moment in their day. With so many nearby apartment buildings and businesses, we hope this station becomes a go-to spot, whether it's apartment residents finally getting easy access to charging, employees topping off during a lunch break, or neighbors charging up on their way home.
This location reflects the goal behind PBOT's EV Charging in the Public Right-of-Way policy, which is designed to bring convenient, reliable charging to Portlanders who can't charge at home, particularly renters and residents of multi-unit housing. Portland's approach to curbside charging has also drawn attention from other cities exploring similar programs, including Boston, San Francisco, and Pittsburgh.
““Portland General Electric is excited to award funds from DEQ’s Oregon Clean Fuels Program to support our partners in expanding cleaner transportation systems across the state. Transportation electrification plays an essential role in accelerating the clean energy transition. It is going to take all of us working together to achieve a cleaner and more equitable future for all Oregonians.” ”
EV EVENT & MURAL REVEAL
Our recent Energizing Art Mural Reveal and EV Ride & Drive Event was lit! Local community members joined representatives from Forth Mobility and the Portland Bureau of Transportation for an electrified afternoon in NE Portland.
Everyone was wowed by the work of artist Daren Todd, both during his live-painting session at the event and while viewing his colorful mural. Attendees test-drove e-bikes and EVs provided by our co-hosts, Forth, and learned more about transitioning to electric vehicles. Plenty of great conversations happened about EVs, the availability and accessibility of charging spaces around Portland, and how to charge a vehicle at a curbside pole charger.
““PBOT’s EV Charging in the Right-Of-Way policy aims to make affordable, convenient, reliable EV charging accessible for all Portlanders, especially those that currently live in multi-unit dwellings with no access to charging. PGE’s Level 2 curbside charger on NE 15th and Glisan will do just that, and PSAA’s stunning mural will communicate in the most Portland-y way possible that Kerns residents have a new amenity in the neighborhood.”
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One excited neighbor showed up right at the start of our reveal event with his father, eager to check out a nearby charging spot after facing real challenges finding one before. Other notable moments from the event included meaningful conversations with current and prospective EV owners, as well as casual drop-ins who became genuinely interested in e-bikes as an alternative form of transportation. Community members also noted the sustainability benefits of the Ford EV truck, since it shares parts with the standard F-150.
““We were thrilled to give community members the chance to get behind the wheel of an EV right alongside this vibrant new mural. Turning a standard charging station into an engaging destination makes the transition to electric transportation feel welcoming and exciting for every driver.” ”
Artist Daren Todd, along with members of PSAA, PBOT, and PGE
Thank you to PGE, PBOT, Forth, and Oregon DEQ, who helped make this event possible. And a huge shout-out to muralist Daren Todd, who did an amazing job on both curbside charging station street murals!
This project was made possible by Portland General Electric's Drive Change Fund via Oregon DEQ's Clean Fuels Program.
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