DOTD willing to look at Buc-ee’s road options

Louisiana’s Department of Transportation and Development is apparently now willing to look at options for the configuration of the new frontage road and access points required by Buc-ee’s as part of the travel center’s coming to Ruston.

That change of heart could get the long-awaited project moving.

“I feel 100% better,” Mayor Ronny Walker said Monday.

Walker, along with representatives of the Lincoln Parish Police Jury and a long-range study group that calls itself Empower Lincoln 20, met Friday in Baton Rouge with newly appointed DOTD Secretary Joe Donahue and other transportation officials.

“We had a really, really good deep dive into all of it,” Walker said.

The project had been stymied for months because previous DOTD higher- ups wouldn’t budge from how they thought the road should be designed. But with the change of department leadership under Gov. Jeff Landry, the posture has softened.

“Before, they were stuck on ‘this is the way it’s got to be and that’s it,’” Walker said.

The city and DOTD are still negotiating on the final design.

Buc’ees plans to build on acreage located on the north side of I-20 adjacent to Tarbutton Road.

The city will construct a new two-way traffic frontage road on the westbound side of the interstate for customers to access the travel center. DOTD must approve the configuration of the road and necessary interchange modifications.

The frontage road will be done in two phases: the first phase will be from Buc-ee’s to the frontage road, and the second phase from the Tarbutton exit to Grambling. Phase I must be done for Buc-ee’s to open.

Traffic studies that are also part of the pending new alignment are also still in the works.

But despite the delays, Walker said Buc-ee’s is still on track to open in 2025. Buc-ee’s announced its decision to come in Ruston in January 2023.

It’s is getting a lucrative tax incentive package to come here.

The travel center will be exempt from paying property taxes normally due to the Lincoln Parish School Board for 20 years and from paying sales tax normally due the parish and sheriff’s office for the same 20 years.

The store won’t pay any city sales or property tax for the first 20 years it’s in business. It will also get a cut rate on electricity for the same period, as well as be exempt from any local fees connected to construction of the planned 53,000-square-foot-plus building.

Aldermen have also created an economic development district and approved an additional 2% sales tax to be levied in the district, also for 20 years.