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I-70 - Completing MidWest bridge

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I summarized the information I know about, along with some speculation, regarding Tesla's high priority project to finish the route from Kansas to West Virginia, in the following table. I will update as the stations come on-line.

I-70 Routing East from Salina to Triadelphia (964 miles)
Emerging Plan as of Nov 11, 2014
SUPERCHARGERDESTINATIONMILESCOMMENTSTATION
STATUS
Salina KSTriadelphia WV964Gap to fill - Oct 5th
Salina KSTopeka109Bridge AnchorComplete
TopekaIndependence73Live - Oct 17thComplete
Independence MOColumbia118Connecting I-35Pre-permit
ColumbiaN St Louis area111Unknown locationPre-permit
N St LouisEffingham110Connecting I-55Spectulation for
Saint Charles
EffinghamIndianapolis142Connecting I-57Pre-permit
Indianapolis INDayton104Connecting I-65, 74Complete 10/31
DaytonGrove City78Connecting I-75Complete 11/11
Grove CityCambridge120Connecting I-71Permitted
CambridgeTriadelphia166Connecting I-77Nice to have
Triadelphia WV
59Bridge AnchorComplete










Updated Nov 11 to indicate that Dayton is on line and tentative identification of St Louis site.

Updated Oct 31 to indicate that Indianapolis is on line and Grove City is permitted.

Updated Oct 20 to:

  1. Note that Topeka is on line
  2. Identify Independence narrowing location area
  3. Revising Columbia and Effingham from Speculation to Pre-permit
  4. Revising Cambridge from Speculation to Nice to have
 
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Just curious, but do you have any official/unofficial confirmation/rumor about Effingham, or is that part of your speculation? I've always assumed they would eventually realize that makes a great location with the intersection of I-57 and I-70, but it's never showed up on any of their maps, and I've yet to hear anything solid (or at all, for that matter).

Terre Haute, IN also appears on Tesla's 2014 map, but I would hope Effingham would be higher priority. Hopefully that's one of those cases where the map is just a loose approximation.
 
I have been waiting for a change of status to update the table. It will be in the format of the I-90 (West) entry and will not reflect planning unless there is a local informed consensus. It took a could of tries to get WY correct. When Topeka, Dayton or Indianapolis come on line I will upgrade the table.
 
While Tesla's build out of the superchargers is actually amazing, since no Gov funding is being used. I'm hoping for more of the 2014 map to be finished than will be likely. I'm planning a trip from Tucson to Indianapolis in Dec. I'm hoping I don't have to use the northern route on my trip. Let's hope they get Columbia and Effingham to come on line to make it in my S85- If they don't start them soon, though looks like I'll be heading through the northern country- or taking really long to charge a couple of times east of Kansas City--- I'm already skeptical of using the Flagstaff-Blanding cutoff, it's a close call in an S85 from Flagstaff. but that would be the more direct route. Ev trip planner says go via Farmington straight to Grand junction. Not happing in Dec. just too risky for bad weather on US550 . As for Topeka to Indy, Not very excited about RV charging along the way-there is one HPWC in St Louis so I could overnight there.

On the return trip, trying to go to Houston area for a few days, that will challenge me too- Going from Indy to Houston will be tough, Texas Island is still very much in place. Probably will go back through Topeka KS, and then down to OKC,( HPWC overnight) and Dallas(Tesla store) before connecting to the TX superchargers. Hate the thought of taking 3 or 4 days to get from Indianapolis to Galveston, should be an easy 2 day trip. But if I have to use RV outlets then it will take lots of extra time. May just park the Tesla in Indy, Fly to Houston and back, then drive back from Indy....Still 60 days away so it might work out.
 
I have been waiting for a change of status to update the table. It will be in the format of the I-90 (West) entry and will not reflect planning unless there is a local informed consensus. It took a could of tries to get WY correct. When Topeka, Dayton or Indianapolis come on line I will upgrade the table.

A reliable source says that the KC area Supercharger will be in Independence, MO, and Effingham, IL is on the list.
 
Woohoo! Thanks Cottonwood! And thanks Skyhawk, for creating this list, and also for clarifying which locations were speculated.

You're welcome!

Also, at 141 miles between Grove City and Tridelphia, I don't think that Cambridge will happen as an intermediate location until Tesla starts doing serious in-fill for extra capacity. 141 miles with little net elevation change, although higher than my recommended 133 miles, is not much over the 133 recommendation and seems very reasonable for the first phase of connections.
 
Feedback update

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

  1. Note that Topeka is on line
  2. Identify Independence narrowing location area
  3. Revising Columbia and Effingham from Speculation to Pre-permit
  4. Revising Cambridge from Speculation to Nice to have

The project to get I-70 connected is looking very good and the Eastern side of the segment continues to progress very well. Thanks Tesla.

The biggest remaining question is locating the station target in the St. Louis area. It would be interesting to see your comments.

I agree with Cottonwood regarding Cambridge, hence then change to “Nice to have” designation. When I lived in Cleveland, I was always transiting North or South when I crossed the I-70/I-77 junction, with flavors my viewpoint.
 
St Louis (I went to grad school there) is a major hub of multiple Interstate routes. While favouring I-70 through traffic would speak to a northern placement near I-270, getting a location close to downtown would favour inclusion of I-44, I-64, I-55. It is a tough call. There should probably be more than one in the greater StL area to account for this, similar to the situation in Chicago.
 
St Louis (I went to grad school there) is a major hub of multiple Interstate routes. While favouring I-70 through traffic would speak to a northern placement near I-270, getting a location close to downtown would favour inclusion of I-44, I-64, I-55. It is a tough call. There should probably be more than one in the greater StL area to account for this, similar to the situation in Chicago.

I agree, approaching from the I-44 side to the Southwest I arrive in downtown on electron "fumes" from my home in Nixa. Having a supercharger on the North side of STL, while better than nothing, would be of little benefit to me. OTOH, on the Southwest side of the city I could drive much more confidently knowing I'd be able to top up on the way out of town and on the way into town to leave a buffer in case of traffic or detour. One on the North/STL East side would be good and one on the lower I-44 side too.
 
The problem with a location that is that close to 70, 44, and 55 is that it would have to be right in the heart of downtown. Depending on the time of day, traffic or safety end up as real issues, or you're way off the highway.
If they only care about east-west along 70, everyone takes 270 north of the city. It's not actually more miles and saves a ton of time.

I'm surprised there isn't more done for 55 though. That would force the issue for multiple chargers as you suggest, the second being farther south or west possibly.

BTW, not that it means much, but when I picked my car up at the end of September, the people at the store said they expected the STL charger to be open in December, but they didn't know where.
 
Progress noted on Page 1 table

Table updated to reflect Dayton as complete. It is going to be a horserace to see if I-90 from Ritzville to Rapid City or the Mid-west bridge for I-70 gets done first.


I am happy to read of progress on the I-70 link across Missouri and Illinois. Thank you basf_audio for the updates. He challenged us to help with further investigation. Let’s do some checking, there may a permit, or Tesla shipping containers and even construction activity at one or more of these sites to be found.


Independence already under construction. Should be finished up in a few weeks.


Saint Charles - already under construction - not as far along as Independence.


Columbia - permits have been approved for the new location - already under construction (just started).


"All three" should be finished by mid-late January. But the point being Independence, then Saint Charles, then Columbia being finished. Columbia would have been first if the previously mentioned "gone silent" location had moved ahead as originally planned.” See post #195, page 20 in “Watching for I-70 Superchargers from Denver to St. Louis” thread.


Pictures and posts welcome on each site’s thread.
 
Will this be how we 'complete the Midwest Bridge' come January? :frown:

StChas.MO>Naptown.IN=183+173mi.jpg

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Will this be how we 'complete the Midwest Bridge' come January? :frown:

Let's hope not. Other than Cottonwood's confirmation that Effingham is "on the list", we don't know anything about it yet. However, I grew up there, and will be visiting next weekend. I'll try to look around a bit and also see if my electrician friend has heard anything.

Also, there's a dot on Tesla's 2014 map in the Terre Haute area. No word on whether that'll be supplanted by Effingham or not, but at least it indicates their intention to have something between St Louis and Indy by the end of the year. Of course, intention and results have not always lined up perfectly in the past, but it's something.
 
Let's hope not. Other than Cottonwood's confirmation that Effingham is "on the list", we don't know anything about it yet. However, I grew up there, and will be visiting next weekend. I'll try to look around a bit and also see if my electrician friend has heard anything.

Also, there's a dot on Tesla's 2014 map in the Terre Haute area. No word on whether that'll be supplanted by Effingham or not, but at least it indicates their intention to have something between St Louis and Indy by the end of the year. Of course, intention and results have not always lined up perfectly in the past, but it's something.

My reliable source assures me that Effingham and Springfield, IL are on the real "coming soon..." list.

Has anyone been able to confirm "birdie" info that construction has started at Independence, Columbia, and St Charles, MO?