Plans to bring mega-popular supermarket Buc-ee’s from Texas to Wisconsin have been put on hold until after the November election, officials say.
Buc-ee’s first announced last year that it might encroach on Kwik Trip’s territory as it began finalizing plans to build one of the world’s largest convenience stores and gas stations in DeForest — a village of about 10,000 residents in northern Dane County, north of Madison.
The 70,000-square-foot store is expected to attract between 4,000 and 8,000 vehicles per day, boosting local and state economies, according to DeForest Village Administrator Bill Chang. However, that means a dramatic increase in traffic, which studies have shown DeForest’s current infrastructure is not equipped to handle, Chang said.
As a result, Buc-ee’s proposed plan includes a $15 million upgrade to the Interstate 39/90/94 interchange. Without it, the supermarket will likely cause traffic to spill onto the highway, he said.
Buc-ee plans to cover 47% of the exchange project’s costs, Chang said, leaving local officials to figure out the rest. In June, he told the Journal Sentinel that the village was brainstorming ways to pay the bill, such as a tax improvement district.
Now Chang says the village is waiting to see who wins multiple seats in local and state government in the Nov. 5 election: the Dane County Executive, State Assembly District 42 and State Senate District 14.
“We expect that we will need some political assistance with the exchange project…,” Chang said. “I hate to make this an election issue, but we are really just waiting to see who will help us, because we absolutely cannot do it ourselves, and we know the consequences will be far-reaching.”
He said he thinks most candidates are in favor of the project.
“It’s just a matter of who will stand up for us and work with us in discussions with the (state Department of Transportation) and the county.” he said.
In June, the Journal Sentinel reported that Stan Beard, Buc-ee’s real estate director, wrote in a memo that the proposal is consistent with the company’s agreements in other states “where existing transportation infrastructure is not adequate for the needs of a Buc -ee.” .”
“The scenario obviously requires that ‘others’ participate in the remaining 46.33% of the costs,” Beard’s memo reads. “I have no doubt that the economic impact of this Buc-ee project will deliver a significant return on this investment for years to come. We have too many examples of success to think otherwise.”
The Buc-ee memo shows that a traffic analysis by engineering firm Kimley-Horn showed that in 2034, 53.67% of the total traffic volume at the intersection would come from the supermarket.
Buc-ee’s will bring more than 200 jobs and major tax revenue to Wisconsin
Buc-ee’s owns the DeForest land and plans to build a 71,000-square-foot store with 120 gas pumps and 20 electric vehicle charging stations. This competes with the brand’s largest store, a 74,707-square-foot store in Sevierville, Tennessee.
The DeForest Buc-ee’s will be the first Buc-ee’s in Wisconsin and by far the northernmost. The closest locations are in Kentucky and Missouri.
The entire Buc-ee project is estimated to cost $50 million, Chang said. The store is expected to generate $25 million in gross taxable sales per year, including $1 million per year in sales tax revenue for the state. The store will create between 200 and 225 jobs, he said.
In DeForest, many people are excited about the possibility of Buc-ee coming to town, Chang said. However, others are concerned about the traffic this could cause. Residents will have the opportunity to provide input on the project later in the process.
Journal Sentinel reporter David Clarey contributed to this report.
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This article originally appeared in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Progress on Wisconsin’s first Buc-ee’s has been delayed until after the November election
