The District Department of Transportation has allocated $500,000 to help Washington, D.C. residents purchase their own electric bikes.

The window to apply for an electric bike voucher opens on April 1 and will be open until April 15, DDOT said on its website.

This first window is for preferred applicants only — D.C. residents over the age of 18 who are enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Medicaid or the D.C. Healthcare Alliance will be eligible.

Approved applicants will receive up to $2,000. The maximum value voucher would pay for an electric cargo bike, per the DDOT website. 

For regular electric bikes, the city is offering a $1,500 voucher for preferred applicants, with smaller vouchers also available for annual maintenance, disability-related components and a bike lock.

“Our goal is to encourage e-bike usage by making them more affordable for District residents,” interim DDOT Director Sharon Kershbaum said in a release. “Not only can this provide a viable option for transportation and assist with traffic congestion and air quality within the city, but it can also provide an opportunity for those that might otherwise not have the means.” 

If there are still vouchers available after April 15, the city will have a second application window for any D.C. resident. 

For standard applicants, the cargo bike voucher is for $1,000 and the regular electric bike voucher is for $750. These applicants will also be able to apply for smaller disability component and bike lock vouchers, but will not be able to get an annual maintenance voucher.

The D.C. council member who introduced the incentive program predicts demand will outstrip voucher supply.

“We’re going to see far more demand than we can meet, and that’s a good thing. It shows our city’s leaders there’s a strong desire for people to have this as an option alongside Metro and bus, walking, rolling, and driving,” Ward 6 D.C. Councilmember Charles Allen said in a statement.

• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.