Storey County directs staff to draft contract with Tesla to fast‑track Patrick interchange improvements

County commissioners on April 7 unanimously directed staff to develop a private infrastructure improvement contract with Tesla to extend the I‑80 Patrick westbound on‑ramp in a bid to relieve afternoon westbound congestion near the Truckee‑Reno Industrial (TRI) Center.

The board acted after presentations from County Manager Austin Osbborne and Tesla representatives Chris Riley and Brian Bulls, who described a plan that would lengthen the on‑ramp from roughly 473 feet to about 2,210 feet. Riley said engineering firm Kimley‑Horn’s modeling and a proposed build plan with Granite Construction show the longer ramp would allow cars and heavy trucks to accelerate more safely — “get to 65 miles an hour before the need to merge” — and offer measurable relief during the 3–7 p.m. westbound peak.

Why this matters: commissioners and regional businesses have identified the Patrick interchange as a recurring bottleneck that generates long backups on I‑80 and local roads. The proposed private‑public approach would aim to deliver near‑term improvements years ahead of the full I‑80 widening project and, according to Tesla staff, could be constructed in as little as 50 days with careful traffic control.

Tesla’s facilities director, Brian Bulls, said the company and participating firms view the project as a regional solution rather than a company‑only fix. “We have very good data that supports the Patrick interchange specifically…any improvements that we can make there now will benefit all employees,” Bulls said. County Manager Osbborne told the board the county and Tesla had been exploring options and that a reimbursement‑style contract would be developed so the county is protected and NDOT approvals are integrated.

The board’s motion, made by Commissioner Mitchell, directs county staff to draft a private infrastructure improvement project contract between Storey County and Tesla to facilitate Tesla’s extension of the I‑80 Patrick interchange westbound on‑ramp, to be funded entirely or partially by the county through structured cost reimbursement. The motion passed unanimously.

Key details recorded by presenters and staff: - Planned ramp length: increase from ~473 ft to ~2,210 ft to permit higher acceleration before merging. - Estimated in‑field construction: roughly 50 days (Granite Construction estimate), with traffic control measures and potential night work to minimize disruptions. - Project partners: Tesla, Granite Construction, Kimley‑Horn (traffic modeling), NDOT (permitting/encroachment), and the county. - Procurement/contracting: staff will prepare a draft contract (interlocal elements with NDOT expected) and return it to the board for consideration; Tesla proposed a reimbursement arrangement with protections for the county.

Next steps: staff will draft the contract, finalize NDOT coordination and permitting, and bring a draft agreement to the board for formal approval. The board vote was unanimous.