Quinn announces plan for electric car charging stations along Route 66

Gov. Pat Quinn has announced a $1 million investment to establish a network of charging stations for electric vehicles along Route 66 in Illinois.

The Illinois Route 66 Electric Corridor will involve the construction of one or more charging stations in Plainfield, Dwight, Pontiac, Normal, Lincoln, Springfield, Carlinville and Edwardsville, according to a statement from Quinn’s office.

The stations will allow electric vehicle drivers to travel between St. Louis, Missouri, and Chicago, according to the statement. They will also be easily accessible from historic Route 66, allowing drivers to retrace the original path.

“We are building a 21st century infrastructure across Illinois and we need to make sure that it is sustainable for future generations,” Quinn said in the statement.

Each of the stations will include one fast charging station that could charge a vehicle in 15 to 20 minutes, the governor’s office said. Installation will begin this month and is expected to be complete by the summer of 2015.