Why Rapid City Video
Location Map
Commercial Real Estate Search
Commercial Real Estate Snapshot
Workforce/Labor
Labor Survey
Housing
Education, Training, & Schools
Incentives
Transportation

Transportation

Rapid City is easily accessible.

Whether you are traveling to work, traveling the highways, or traveling the world, it doesn’t get much better than this. Our workforce enjoys an average commute time of only 13.8 minutes and Rapid City is located at the intersection of several national and state highways. With virtually no traffic congestion, Interstate 90, which connects Seattle to Boston, runs through the northern tier of the city and provides 5 hour drive times to Billings, MT and Sioux Falls, SD. Highways 16, 44 and 79 also converge here providing excellent access to the many recreation opportunities within the Black Hills and a north-south highway connection between Canada and Mexico. Interstate and intrastate motor freight is provided by more than 30 transport companies. We are also actively involved in the Ports-to-Plains Alliance, working to make north-south transportation and commerce even stronger in the years ahead.

Highway Transportation

Rapid City lies at the intersection of Interstate 90 and Highways 16 and 44 and South Dakota Highway 79. Highway 79 is being expanded to a four-lane highway with plans to ultimately connect with a similar project being undertaken in Nebraska. Interstate and intrastate motor freight is provided by more than 30 transport companies. Rapid City is a net importer of truck service. As a consequence, we have attractive backhaul opportunities for the export of goods from the Black Hills.

Air Transportation

The Rapid City Regional Airport is the primary commercial service airport for our trade area and is located 10 minutes east of Downtown Rapid City on Hwy 44. With exceptional air service for business and leisure travelers on Allegiant, American, Delta, and United airlines, we have direct flights to 7 major U.S. cities: Chicago, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Phoenix/Mesa, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Denver, Salt Lake City and Las Vegas. This hub connectivity offers convenient access to most domestic and international destinations.

This exceptional service is complemented by several passenger conveniences such as parking within 50 yards of the ticket counters, free Wi-Fi throughout the concourse, full service restaurant and lounge, a gift shop and news stand, six national rental car agencies, and short lines at the security checkpoint. As a frequent flyer in Rapid City, you'll enjoy the ability to leave your home 90 minutes before departure and make your flight without the hassles and congestion experienced at “big city” airports - and you'll return to your front porch just as quickly following your trip. Air travel does not get any better than that.

Plus, we are investing $20M in our airport in 2011-2012. This terminal renovation and expansion project will transform the airport and greatly improve the traveling experience. To see an executive summary of the airport master plan, click here.

One of the other advantages of air service in Rapid City is the fare structure. All of the airlines price this market as a “leisure” destination and therefore ticket prices have been less than airports of similar size in the upper Midwest and Rocky Mountains.

Rapid City Regional Airport – “Big City” service with “Small City” convenience. It’s your easy way in and out.

Corporate/Private Aircraft:

Rapid City Regional Airport is home to several businesses that can support your non-airline aviation needs.

Westjet Air Center is our full service fixed base operation at the airport providing air charter, aircraft management, maintenance, aircraft sales and fuel for based and transient aircraft.
VisionAir provides aircraft charter and air ambulance services for the region.
Waypoint Aviation provides flight training and FAA testing services at the airport.
Tri-States Avionics installations, maintains, and sells aircraft avionics and instruments.
Rapid Fuel operates an aircraft self-service fueling island on the general aviation ramp.
L&D Aero Services, Inc. provides both major and minor aircraft maintenance and repair.

Available Land:

The airport has several building sites available for hangar development and is in the process of preparing additional areas for development to include commercial and industrial sites for aviation related businesses.

For additional information regarding our airport, please contact the airport administration office at 605-394-4195 or visit the airport’s website here.

Public Transportation

Rapid City public transportation is provided by RapidRide. RapidRide is a public bus system that offers service from 6:35 a.m. until 6:05 p.m. during the workweek.

LINK: Rapid Transit System

Rail Transportation

Rapid City and the Black Hills are served by the Dakota Minnesota & Eastern Railroad. The DM&E provides rail service to the east, south and west.

Canadian Pacific (CP) officially gained control of the DM&E on October 30, 2008, after a year-long federal regulatory process. The acquisition concluded a competitive process to find the best approach to advance the DM&E's Powder River Basin (PRB) project. This expansion would be the most ambitious development of new rail in the United States in many years and the DM&E lines would become a major carrier of low sulfur coal to eastern markets. The expansion plans would also include an upgrade of their entire existing rail network. The new and improved rail system would provide additional transportation options for the shipment of commodities and finished products to and from western South Dakota.

To date, the CP has not decided if it will build the PRB project.

To see some of the industries in Rapid City served by the DM&E, click here.