Tim Slusser says the city of Detroit has an end goal for its electric vehicle charging infrastructure plans.
“In the future, you won’t be any farther than 3 to 5 miles from a charging station no matter where you are in the city of Detroit,” Slusser, the city’s chief of mobility innovation, told the Free Press on Tuesday.
A new federal grant award to the city and region should help.
On Friday, the city of Detroit and the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments were awarded almost $15.2 million to boost EV charging in the region. This grant, along with a similar $23.4 million grant last year, are expected to help the city install more than 100 “high-speed” EV charging stations across 40 locations, according to the announcement Tuesday.
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The latest grant to Detroit and the region were part of a wider announcement from the Federal Highway Administration for 49 projects nationwide funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Currently, Detroit has around 300 public and private charging stations, close to 30 of which are DC fast charging, which are “as close to the gas station experience as you can get,” Slusser said, noting that’s simply not enough.
Those locations include places like recreation centers and even Meijer stores, Slusser said.
“We really wanted to address some remaining gaps in our EV infrastructure strategy as well as to tie those assets into some other transportation modalities,” Slusser said, referencing locations where drivers can park and access scooters, bike share or other transit options.
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More: GM partners with ChargePoint to expand ultrafast EV charging network
Outside the city, SMART bus park and ride and carpool lots will be areas of focus. The goal is to have higher speed chargers along major corridors and places where shorter charging times are important. Slower speed, Level 2 chargers that deliver approximately 25 miles of range per hour plugged in, would be located in areas where people might plan to leave their vehicle while they grab a bite to eat or see a show.
The intent is also to give a wide range of people access to EV charging, including those living in multifamily units, and to reduce vehicle emissions in the city.
More: Stellantis says it will provide EV charging units or $600 in credits for buyers
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Mayor Mike Duggan, in a news release, said “electric vehicles are the future of the auto industry and Detroit is going to support that shift by making sure we have a network of safe, convenient and easy-to-find high-speed charging stations for people to use.”
Slusser said specific locations should be available soon. The release noted that installation of the first stations are expected to take place in the spring, with all chargers installed over the next few years. The effort is being marketed as the Detroit Charge Ahead: Clean Commute Program.
Contact Eric D. Lawrence: elawrence@freepress.com. Become a subscriber. Submit a letter to the editor at freep.com/letters.
Several parents said they were unaware of any problems at the school
DETROIT – Videos and photos sent to the station show standing water and buckets inside Carleton Elementary School on Detroit’s east side, and an anonymous source says students were expected to attend class even as the water pooled in hallways.
The source also said the water smelled like sewage.
Several parents said Wednesday they were unaware of any problems at the school, though one said the building flooded last week and that students were given the day off.
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The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department said it received a complaint of water backing up at the school last Friday and determined the problem was private.
Crews were seen working at the school on Wednesday (March 11) afternoon.
The Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) was contacted for comment; the newsroom is awaiting a response.
The school’s principal said the district is working on building issues, but there was no flood on Wednesday.
Copyright 2026 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit – All rights reserved.
A 4Warn Weather Alert has been issued for Wednesday morning in Metro Detroit following overnight thunderstorms.
A Flood Watch is in effect for most of Southeast Michigan through 2 p.m. on March 11, prompting a 4Warn Weather Alert as rounds of rain and storms move across the region during the morning commute and through midday.
Full forecast –> Wild weather: Heavy rain leading to flood concerns in Metro Detroit
What is a 4Warn Weather Alert?
We issue a 4Warn Weather Alert when we’re expecting weather conditions that will be inconvenient to our viewers.
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Why did we issue an alert for Wednesday morning?
Early Wednesday morning, thunderstorms were rolling through Metro Detroit. While severe weather was a possibility overnight, most storms in Southeast Michigan remained below severe limits. Stronger storms developed across West Michigan earlier, and a Severe Thunderstorm Warning was issued for the Saginaw area.
Meanwhile, parts of the Thumb and Mid-Michigan are dealing with freezing rain and icy conditions, while Northern Michigan is under Ice Storm Warnings, including Alpena.
The biggest concern in Southeast Michigan Wednesday morning is heavy rainfall.
Several rounds of rain could produce localized flooding, especially in areas that typically collect water, such as low-lying neighborhoods, underpasses and roads with poor drainage.
A Flood Watch is in effect for most of Southeast Michigan through 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (WDIV)
Flood safety tips
Drivers should be cautious of standing water on roadways. Even shallow water can hide hazards or stall vehicles Here is an important rule during flood events: Turn around, don’t drown.
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Just a foot of moving water can sweep a vehicle away. Drivers should never attempt to cross flooded roadways and should seek alternate routes if water covers the road.
Just a foot of moving water can sweep a vehicle away. Drivers should never attempt to cross flooded roadways and should seek alternate routes if water covers the road. (WDIV)
Heavy rain can also lead to basement flooding in some homes. Residents are encouraged to check sump pumps, clear nearby drains if possible and monitor lower levels of their homes for water intrusion during prolonged rainfall.
Copyright 2026 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit – All rights reserved.
The free agency tampering period has begun for the NFL, and the Detroit Lions are among the active teams acquiring players as they try to get back to the playoffs after they did not meet their own standard for last season.
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On Monday, it was revealed that 2025 Lions backup quarterback Kyle Allen was heading to Buffalo, leaving another hole in the roster to fill. Nearly 24 hours later, that hole has been filled, as veteran quarterbackTeddy Bridgewater is heading back to Motown.
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Bridgewater spent the 2023 season with Detroit, in what initially was going to be his final season in the league.
However, after coaching Miami Northwestern Senior High School to a state championship in Florida during the 2024 season, he announced he was planning to unretire, and Detroit picked him up for their push towards the top seed in the NFC.
Bridgewater then resigned as head coach at Miami Northwestern and signed with Tampa Bay to backup Baker Mayfield last season.
He appeared in four games last season, throwing 15 passes for the Buccaneers, which were his first NFL pass attempts since 2022.
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Bridgewater is a safe option at backup quarterback in Detroit, as the former Rookie of the Year has had a steady career since entering the league with Minnesota out of Louisville in 2014.
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Bridgewater returns to back up Jared Goff under new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, as this is a situation where Detroit stuck with a player they knew. For Petzing, this is not the first time coaching Teddy Bridgewater, as he was an offensive assistant with Minnesota when they drafted Bridgewater in 2014.
A leg injury derailed his career after a Pro Bowl season in 2015, but he has started 37 games since the injury as a journeyman. Bridgewater left Minnesota and Drew Petzing and would overlap with Dan Campbell when the quarterback played for New Orleans in 2018 and 2019. In addition to Minnesota, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, and Detroit, Bridgewater has also played for Carolina, Denver, and Miami.
Detroit stuck with a safe and familiar option in Bridgewater, as a majority of their offense, alongside most of their offensive staff, have worked with the quarterback before. If Bridgewater is turned to in any situation, there will be full confidence in the Louisville product to make the right play.
NFL Draft Implications
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This puts Detroit in a unique position when looking ahead towards the NFL Draft, as a popular mock draft pick for Detroit was taking a quarterback, with Cole Payton, Luke Altmyer, and Taylen Green all being among the names mentioned.
Bridgewater is an excellent mentor alongside Goff, but having three quarterbacks on the Lions roster after injury-riddled campaigns in the last two seasons may not be the wisest allocation of a roster spot.
For the time being, Detroit has their backup quarterback for the season, and there is not a better option than Bridgewater when it comes to familiarity and adaptability. While the former Pro Bowl quarterback has yet to throw a pass in Detroit, he has the familiairity and trust of the coaching staff to be a backup entering a pivotal year.
