In December 2003, the City of Inglewood adopted a Siz Year Alternative Fuel Plan. The Plan identified 143 of the city's 513 fleet vehicles for replacement with alternative-fuel vehicles. As of May 2007, 45 alternative fuel vehicles have been purchased, bringing the total owned and operated by the city to 60. The alternative fuel vehicles include compressed natural gas (CNG), propane, electric, and hybrid-electric vehicles. The City plans to purchase 80 additional vehicles over the next three years. To accomodate the use of greater numbers of CNG vehicles, including those owned and operated by entities in addition to the City of Inglewood, the existing CNG station was upgraded and expanded. The MSRC helped offset the cost of this upgrade and expansion project.
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The refueling station improvements included a new deeper and wider entryway by moving the gates back from the street and utilizing two gates to control direction. These improvements allow vehicles to enter and exit the refueling station at the same time. To accomodate station users in addition to City vehicles, a universal card reader was installed on the CNG dispensers. Additional lighting, security cameras, and bollards were installed to accomodate non-city vehicle access to the station. Finally, signage directing users to the station was installed along surface streets and at nearby intersections.
The City of Inglewood conducted an assessment of their current CNG refueling requirements and concluded that the existing station was inadequate to accomodate the City's growing CNG vehicle fleet as well as other fleets that have committed to use the refueling station. The City's CNG station is located on the lower level of the City Service Center. In the prior configuration, the fast-fill CNG dispenser was located on an island with time-fill dispensers located in the parking lot area. Prior to implementation of the upgrade and expansion project, only one vehicle at any time could enter or exit through the entrance to the service center area where the refueling station was located. The entrance was only 20-feet wide and was restricted from expansion by a one-way rolling gate set close to the adjoining street. The street itself is narrow, further restricting ingress and egress to the CNG station by large or heavy-duty CNG vehicles. The entrance was also not controlled for direction. The upgrade and expansion project implemented by the City sought to alleviate these operational shortcommings.
According to the City of Inglewood, the project was very successful in eliminating access restrictions at the station. This has allowed the City to purchase ten (10) additional CNG vehicles with another seven (7) on order. Also, the El Camino Fire Academy and Marvin Engineering Company now utilize Inglewood's station as their primary CNG refueling station.
The station accomodation upgrades have been fully implemented. A public restroom initially included as a project element was withdrawn and will be constructed at a future time independent of the MSRC contract.