By Kyle Roberts
Ruston mayor Ronny Walker signed a memorandum of understanding on Friday at City Hall which outlines the responsibilities of the city, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development and the Federal Highway Administration will all need to complete in preparation for Buc-ee’s to begin building on the Tarbutton exchange across from Ruston Junior High.
“This document puts all of those final details together to make this project happen,” Walker said prior to signing. “This has been in the plans for over 14 months now. It’s a great day for Ruston and a great day for Lincoln Parish. It’s also a great day for North Louisiana because it’s going to contribute to regional economic development.
Walker was quick to praise new Louisiana governor Jeff Landry and new secretary of transportation Terrence “Joe” Donahue for making sure the progress is still ongoing for Buc-ee’s to come to Ruston.
“(Landry’s) administration has been very helpful in getting this done,” Walker said. “And Secretary Donahue has done an incredible job; just unbelievable.”
Walker said that the signing of the MOU does not formally set up a timeline, though he still expects groundbreaking to happen this year.
“All the engineering work has to be done first, and it’s being done as we speak,” Walker concluded. “I think everybody still believes groundbreaking in 2024 and opening in 2025. I have not heard anything differently from Buc-ee’s, so that’s what we believe.”
Specific language in the MOU include the goal of providing an efficient frontage road system to collect and consolidate vehicles by providing access to the Tarbutton and LA 149 interchanges and to continue the existing “One-Way” frontage rod system westbound and north of I-20 from the Tarbutton Road interchange to the LA 149 interchange in Grambling.
