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Supercharger - Topeka, KS

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Looks like the supercharger march is on toward Topeka, now that Tesla has confirmed Limon, Goodland, Hays and Salina on its Coming Soon screen:

superchargerlandingpagemaps_comingsoon_06052014.jpg


I just finished checking the most promising hotel locations on the west side of Topeka near the freeway for any signs of surveying or construction - no evidence yet. Others have mentioned the advantages of a supercharger on the east side of town, to accommodate east-west or west-east travels coming across I-70 and those on turnpike driving between Wichita and Kansas City.

Let's use this thread to track the rumors and leads that ultimately culminate in a supercharger getting installed in Topeka. The race is on!
 
OK gang, time for a local to do some more sleuthing in the Topeka area. Last week when I was there, I checked 5 or 6 of the hotel parking lots along or near Wanamaker between 6th and 10th, including the Holiday Inn, without finding any signs of supercharger construction. I also checked the collection of fast food businesses and shops near the freeway exit at 29th and Fairlawn, and the freeway exits near downtown between 12th and 6th, all of which seemed like plausible options. There is another Holiday Inn out on Highway 24 that might be worth checking, but that's definitely a significant detour from the Interstate. Any other ideas?
 
OK gang, time for a local to do some more sleuthing in the Topeka area. Last week when I was there, I checked 5 or 6 of the hotel parking lots along or near Wanamaker between 6th and 10th, including the Holiday Inn, without finding any signs of supercharger construction. I also checked the collection of fast food businesses and shops near the freeway exit at 29th and Fairlawn, and the freeway exits near downtown between 12th and 6th, all of which seemed like plausible options. There is another Holiday Inn out on Highway 24 that might be worth checking, but that's definitely a significant detour from the Interstate. Any other ideas?

I think Topeka may take a while. Sure wish something was happening there already....
 
The Topeka Service Center on the Kansas Turnpike just east of Topeka still makes the most sense to me. If the goal is to eventually link Texas drivers into the system, I'm not sure of a better place. Westbound Texas drivers would come up 135 out of Wichita and use the Salina supercharger. But, east bound Texas drivers would use the Topeka supercharger. Why make them get off the Turnpike, drive into the city, and drive back to the Turnpike? The Service Center east of Topeka is immediately east of the I-70 470/335 interchange so there is no backtracking. Whether you are an east-west traveler or a north-south traveler, a supercharger at the Topeka Service Center allows you to charge without paying any tolls or stopping at any lights.
The Service Center has several fast food restaurants, a convenience store, gift shop, and restrooms. There is also a large grassy area on the east side of the parking lot that would accommodate a number of supercharging stalls nicely.
 
Wichita KS isn't scheduled until 2015 -- in the same timeframe, the route up I-44 from Oklahoma City will be available and will be more direct for us Texas folks heading to Northeast. But I'm still a bit mystified by the thinking behind the northbound SuperCharger routes out of Texas...
 
Wichita KS isn't scheduled until 2015 -- in the same timeframe, the route up I-44 from Oklahoma City will be available and will be more direct for us Texas folks heading to Northeast. But I'm still a bit mystified by the thinking behind the northbound SuperCharger routes out of Texas...

My guess would be that those in California don't really understand what driving in the Plain States is all about.

I once had an executive come over from France. He asked if he could drive to Calgary from Vancouver by leaving at ten and get there in time for lunch. He had no idea of the distances actually involved.
 
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The Topeka Service Center on the Kansas Turnpike just east of Topeka still makes the most sense to me. If the goal is to eventually link Texas drivers into the system, I'm not sure of a better place. Westbound Texas drivers would come up 135 out of Wichita and use the Salina supercharger. But, east bound Texas drivers would use the Topeka supercharger. Why make them get off the Turnpike, drive into the city, and drive back to the Turnpike? The Service Center east of Topeka is immediately east of the I-70 470/335 interchange so there is no backtracking. Whether you are an east-west traveler or a north-south traveler, a supercharger at the Topeka Service Center allows you to charge without paying any tolls or stopping at any lights.
The Service Center has several fast food restaurants, a convenience store, gift shop, and restrooms. There is also a large grassy area on the east side of the parking lot that would accommodate a number of supercharging stalls nicely.

I wasn't aware that you could visit these service centers without paying the toll and being on the turnpike system. If you can get on here without paying a toll, couldn't you also exit from here somehow and avoid paying the toll? I was assuming the Tesla supercharger would need to be outside of the toll road system to ensure easy access for local users.
 
I-70 from Topeka to Kansas City is the Kansas Turnpike, so no way around that. Having the supercharger at the service center would allow travelers to and from Kansas City, Wichita, Oklahoma City, and Dallas to avoid having to get off the turnpike and travel into Topeka.
I talked to the public relations department at the Kansas Turnpike Authority today and as of yet there has been no discussions with them about placing the supercharger at the service center, so who knows??
 
I wasn't aware that you could visit these service centers without paying the toll and being on the turnpike system. If you can get on here without paying a toll, couldn't you also exit from here somehow and avoid paying the toll? I was assuming the Tesla supercharger would need to be outside of the toll road system to ensure easy access for local users.

Super chargers are not intended for local users.
 
"From: Leo Martinez <@Topeka.org>
Sent: Wednesday, July 9, 2014 8:05 AM
Subject: RE: Permit Inquiry


Mr. <ME>,

At this time I have not received any information regarding a charging station for the Tesla Motors Supercharger. We would be honored and look forward working with them should they be interested choosing the City of Topeka as one of their location.
If I can be of further help please let me know.

Respectfully,

Leo Martinez"

---
I replied back that I would forward this info to Tesla for consideration. It would be hard to imagine that they don't have somewhere nearby already designated, but maybe they don't. Nice to see that they're very positive about the idea. Have any Supercharger sites been installed on actual city property or are they all commercial agreements?



 
I replied back that I would forward this info to Tesla for consideration. It would be hard to imagine that they don't have somewhere nearby already designated, but maybe they don't. Nice to see that they're very positive about the idea. Have any Supercharger sites been installed on actual city property or are they all commercial agreements?

I think that Wickenburg, AZ is at the Town Hall: Supercharger - Wickenburg, AZ

Too bad the permit is not in process already for Topeka!
 
They should put the Topeka SC at the Governors Mansion, it is right off I-70 at Fairlawn exit. Our pro fossil fuel governor Brownback could then appreciate EV transportation! (He is funded by the Koch Brothers)