Cook County Launches First EV Charging Site at Cicero Public Library Through ARPA-Funded Program
CICERO, IL — Today, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle announced the completion of the first electric vehicle (EV) charging installation through Cook County’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)–funded EV Charging Infrastructure Program. Located at the Cicero Public Library at 5225 W Cermak Road, the new station marks the start of a countywide effort to bring EV charging to suburban and historically disinvested communities where access has been limited and demand is growing.
Funded through ARPA, the program is designed to close gaps in EV charging infrastructure, expand transportation options for residents and support cleaner air in communities disproportionately impacted by pollution and the COVID-19 pandemic. The Cicero Public Library site is the first completed installation, with additional locations currently under development across suburban Cook County.
“This program ensures that more residents—regardless of where they live—can access EV charging and consider electric vehicles as an option.” said President Preckwinkle. “As we approach Earth Day, Cook County is proud to launch this first site in Cicero and to continue building the infrastructure residents need to reduce emissions, improve air quality and participate in a cleaner transportation future.”
The initiative is a joint effort between the Cook County Bureau of Asset Management (BAM), and the Department of Environment and Sustainability (DES). DES has led community outreach, partnership development, and coordination of intergovernmental agreements, while BAM has overseen procurement, construction, and installation—drawing on its experience implementing EV infrastructure at County-owned facilities.
Through this program, Cook County provides a turnkey solution for participating communities, covering the full cost of EV charging station hardware, design, construction, installation, and five years of networking and warranty services. Upon completion, ownership of each charging station is transferred to the host site.
The program prioritized communities with limited or no existing public EV chargers, higher shares of renters and multifamily housing, and areas where residents face barriers to at-home charging due to lack of garages or off-street parking. These factors often align with communities that stand to benefit most from improved air quality and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. To identify these locations, Cook County used a data-driven approach incorporating metrics such as median household income, existing charger availability, EV ownership rates, housing characteristics, and community input gathered through outreach and surveys, with the goal of reducing “charging deserts” and expanding EV access where it is needed most.