I-90 - Completing the West

[Skyhawk]

I summarized information from multiple threads regarding Tesla's high priority project to finish the route from Ritzville, WA to Rapid City, SD, in the following table.

I-90 Routing West from Rapid City to Ritzville (970 miles)
Emerging Plan as of December 5, 2014

SUPERCHARGER	DESTINATION	MILES	COMMENT	STATION STATUS
Rapid City, SD	Ritzville, WA	970	Gap to fill Oct 6
Rapid City			Bridge Anchor
Rapid City	Gillette	141		Complete
Gillette, WY	Sheridan	103		Pre-permit
Sheridan	Billings	131	Connecting I-25	Pre-permit
Billings, MT	Big Timber	81		Complete
Big Timber	Bozeman	61		Complete
Bozeman	Butte	85		Complete
Butte	Missoula	120	Connecting I-15	Complete
Missoula	Superior	59		Complete
Superior	Coeur d'Alene	107		Complete
Coeur d'Alene, ID	Ritzville	59	Connecting US-95	Pre-permit
Ritzville, WA			Bridge Anchor

Revised December 5 to note Superior as complete
Revised December 4 to note Butte as complete

Revised November 4 to note discovery of construction in Superior.

Revised November 2 to note arrival of Supercharger boxes at Butte Best Western.

Revised Oct 18 to:

1. Note Superior vs St Regis
2. Reduce complexity of table

Revised Oct 12 to include feedback from local observers:

1. Re-do of Rapid City to Billings segment
2. Corrected Station Status for Bozeman

Revised Oct 11 to include feedback:

1. Bozeman and Big Timber, should be done soon.
2. Missoula start of construction
3. Re-do of Rapid City to Billings segment
4. Options enable wintertime driving over mountain passes for Model 60 owners
5. Not all stations not needed to claim victory

 

[GRA]

Rapid City - Gillette is too far for a 60 in colder temps, or with a strong headwind. I'd suggest Moorcroft (112 miles; Jct. U.S. 14 and 16) would be a better fit. After that, Buffalo, Wy. (100 miles; Jct. I-25 and U.S. 16). After that you've got a couple of choices before Billings, either Ranchester (51 miles; Jct. U.S. 14) or Crow Agency (105 miles, but very little there). From Ranchester it's 116 to Billings, and also 131 miles to Cody, on the way to Yellowstone.

 

[bsbomber]

I just spoke with the front desk at Best Western Plus Grant Creek Inn, Missoula, Mt. The Supercharger is currently under construction and should be operational around Nov. 1st.
Anyone close to Missoula to take pics???

 

[K9s and Me]

This is really exciting. We were just looking at the supercharger map a few nights ago and hoping that the northern route would be coming soon. It really connects the PNW to the rest of the country.

 

[PhilBa]

Is Haugan, MT just speculation? I certainly think it's the missing link in the I90 plan but searching turned up nothing (other than complaints about a NEMA 14-50 there).

 

[Cottonwood]

Is Haugan, MT just speculation? I certainly think it's the missing link in the I90 plan but searching turned up nothing (other than complaints about a NEMA 14-50 there).

I think that it is just speculation. It would be nice to split "Planning" in the table into two categories; use "speculation" for guesses, and use "Planning" only for those sites that are in the Planning stage with the local government.

 

[Skyhawk]

Feedback updates

Thanks for the comments. I updated the initial entry to:

1. Account for start of construction in Missoula
2. Noted Speculation unless there is a known permit, then Planning
3. Re-do of Rapid City to Billings segment
4. I included only one option for each needed intermediate station

 

[Bighorn]

SC team worked hard to get a lease deal in Sheridan. I doubt they're giving up on that.

 

[Skyhawk]

Sheridan, WY

Is there evidence of permit application or public hearing or newspaper article to move the dial from Speculation to Planning for Sheridan?

 

[Bighorn]

Is there evidence of permit application or public hearing or newspaper article to move the dial from Speculation to Planning for Sheridan?

I haven't researched permits, but the owner of the property emailed me and confirmed their contract with Tesla. The contract was delayed by several months and actually mailed at the end of August. The general contractor in Big Timber was not aware of it going out to bid, though.

 

[Skyhawk]

Feedback update

Thanks for the comments. I updated the table to account for:

1. Reported agreement in Sheridan (Bighorn)
2. Crossing Montana trip report (Vger)

I think the Rapid City to Billings segment now works with the Cottonwood rule of thumb for ideal Supercharger spacing of ~133 miles.

Is there specific knowledge about any of the speculation sites?

• Moorcroft - small town, a SC here would allow the drive-by sight seeing options of Devils Tower or Mt Rushmore.
• Gillette – larger town alternate for Moorcroft
• Butte – junction of I-15 and I-90
• St. Regis – another small town, allows river valley transit to Glacier Park
• Haugen – alternate for St. Regis

The project to get I-90 connected seems to be looking very good, despite disappoint in Coeur d'Alene.

 

[Bighorn]

The supercharger team that I met with was scoping out Gillette and seemed to be seriously moving in that direction. 141 miles from there to Rapid City. Not much happening in Moorcroft and it's only 30 miles from Gillette.

 

[Cottonwood]

Is there specific knowledge about any of the speculation sites?

• Gillette – larger town alternate for Moorcroft
• Butte – junction of I-15 and I-90

The project to get I-90 connected seems to be looking very good, despite disappoint in Coeur d'Alene.

I have a reliable source that says Gillette and Butte are on the I-90 Supercharger list. If you wanted to add a new category called "strong rumor" or similar, Gillette and Butte would fit there.

 

[Cottonwood]

See Crossing the Montana Supercharger Desert; Any Generous HPC/HPWC owners along I-90? - Page 12

It looks like Superior, MT is conformed as the location between Missoula, MT and Coeur d'Alene, ID.

 

[GRA]

See Crossing the Montana Supercharger Desert; Any Generous HPC/HPWC owners along I-90? - Page 12

It looks like Superior, MT is conformed as the location between Missoula, MT and Coeur d'Alene, ID.

You've got to be kidding me! St. Regis is the obvious location for people coming from the west to Glacier. Does Tesla think that people just drive the interstates without trying to GO somewhere?!

 

[Cottonwood]

You've got to be kidding me! St. Regis is the obvious location for people coming from the west to Glacier. Does Tesla think that people just drive the interstates without trying to GO somewhere?!

I see the reasoning in St Regis and the 135 connection being a better choice than Superior: Coeur d'Alene, ID to Missoula, Mt - Google Maps

Send e-mail to Tesla with your opinion; maybe, it's not too late to change the decision.

 

[Pricee2]

GRA & Cottonwood you got it right. It should be St. Regis.

 

[Bighorn]

St Regis seemed like the logical choice to me as well.

 

[JohnMc]

I agree with the building consensus for St Regis to be a more desirable location. We made 2-3 trips each year for several years from Tacoma to visit my brother in Kalispell and the route thru St Regis was the best route. It would be nice not to be required to go 15 miles further to Superior then have to back track those 15 miles. Flathead lake is a fairly popular summer destination from this area.

 

[Bighorn]

When I brought this up with my wife, who is fairly familiar with MT geography, she thought the choice was related to St Regis being on the reservation and Superior off. I had had similar thoughts when I suggested Hardin over Crow Agency as a likely spot, but I wasn't as aware of the boundaries of the Flathead vs Crow reservations.