by Malcolm Butler
Yes, Buc-ee’s is still coming to Ruston.
The first edition of the highly-popular travel center in the state of Louisiana is still on schedule to be operational by the last quarter of 2025 or the first quarter of 2026 according to Ruston mayor Ronny Walker.
“I think December of 2025 is a real possibility, but it depends on what type of weather they get during that time,” said Walker on Wednesday.
Walker said all parties involved had their latest zoom call on Wednesday and that there are a few steps remaining before actual work begins.
“We should have plans in hand in September for all the road changes,” said Walker. “We hope to go to bid in October, and we hope we can award a bid for all of that work to start in November.”
The original announcement of the decision to build on Tarbutton Road and Interstate 20 came back in January of 2023. Since that time some of the progress has been slow, but Walker gives credit to new Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry and his staff for the recent increase in progress.
“As you have heard me say so many times, government works extremely slow,” said Walker. “I think the fact we had so many different entities involved — the state DOTD, the Federal Highway Administration, the City of Ruston, Buc-ee’s — there were a lot of moving pieces to it.
“I think the most amazing thing to me has been the change in the speed in which things have happened with our new Secretary of Transportation Joe Donahue. He has been a real asset to making this happen, and the governor has been involved. That has moved this whole process a long much much more smoothly.”
All historic indicators suggest that once construction begins on the project, it will take approximately 12 to 15 months to complete the work and for Buc-ee’s to be operational.
“The city and Buc-ee’s have agreed on all the specifics of construction within the development,” said Walker.
Walker said part of the plans for a very short part of the service road between Tarbutton Interchange and Grambling has been the major hold up.
“It can’t start until the Interchange Modification Report (IMRs) is done, and it won’t be done until the end of December,” said Walker. “The rest of it can start in November. It will probably take us nine months, but that is fine. We will be through with it next September. It’s (the other) little piece that won’t two months to build that can’t start until the entire service road to Grambling has been environmentally cleared.”
Walker also said Buc-ee’s still has to finalize the purchase of all land associated with the project, but that should be completed in the very near future.
“Both Beaver Aplin and Stan Beard have been incredible in working with us and understanding the delays and never giving up,” said Walker. “They believe and we believe that it is going to be one of their most incredible stores.”
Walker indicated that Buc-ee’s officials won’t begin discussions on what other businesses will be following the travel center to the location until everything is completed for construction to begin. However, he said he is confident and excited in the potential growth for that area of the parish.
