Wisconsin's First Buc-ee's Set To Break Ground This Week

OAK CREEK, WI — Wisconsin's first Buc-ee's is inching closer to reality, with construction officially set to begin this week in Oak Creek.

Crews will begin groundwork at the southwest corner of Interstate 94 and West Elm Road, including grading and preparation for utility installation.

City staff expect active construction through August.

City Administrator Andrew Vickers said in the release that Buc-ee's has indicated an early 2028 public opening, though he noted "a chance that the construction timeline could speed up a bit," according to reporting from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

The Oak Creek travel center will be the chain's first in Wisconsin, spanning approximately 73,370 square feet with a fueling plaza of 120 gas pumps, including 20 electric vehicle charging stations.

The Journal Sentinel reported that the development is expected to create approximately 175 full-time jobs and that Buc-ee's purchased the site for $7.5 million in September 2025, the same month the project received final approval from Oak Creek's Plan Commission.

An earlier city release, issued ahead of that Plan Commission vote, noted the review followed a Wisconsin Department of Transportation traffic study that required Buc-ee's to help fund nearby roadway upgrades.

A lawsuit filed by residents challenging the city's zoning changes for the site was dismissed last August.

Buc-ee's, known nationwide for its size, food selection, and heavily marketed clean restrooms, is also planning a second Wisconsin location in DeForest, north of Madison, the Journal Sentinel reported.

Additional construction updates are expected as work progresses, the city said.