OAK GROVE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – Nearly a year and a half after Buc-ee’s announced they will be building a new location in Oak Grove, there still has not been a date set to break ground while plans to expand the nearby roadway slowly move ahead.

When the announcement first came in September of 2024, a project coordinator with Buc-ee’s shared that they would start building as soon as they had approvals from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. She initially anticipated the groundbreaking would occur before the end of 2025, with local officials saying that construction may start that summer. In June of 2025, Oak Grove Mayor Jackie Oliver said it had been pushed to early 2026, with recent information from the Christian County Judge Executive implies an even later date.

“I’m hoping this spring we can get that ground broken and we will get moving on that,” said Judge Jerry Gilliam during a state of the county address on Jan. 6. He also shared that ambitious road plans for the area of Exit 89 are causing the delays.

Construction of new bridge, road plans

During the Dec. 16 Oak Grove City Council meeting, Mayor Oliver said the state road department is planning to build an entirely new bridge by Exit 89 as part of their road upgrades to accommodate an influx of traffic.

“They’re going to actually build a second bridge…the bridge that’s currently there will be heading northbound. They are going to build a brand-new bridge that comes southbound,” said Oliver. At the time, she shared that the project has been put out for bid, and Judge Gilliam separately confirmed that a contract has recently been awarded for construction.

This project will create four lanes of traffic along with the previously announced three roundabouts that will lead up to the travel center which includes one at the east and westbound entrance ramps.

“It does seem as if everything is moving, it’s just so many parts to it it’s taking a little bit of time,” said Oliver. At first, Buc-ee’s has had its eye a little bit down the road at Exit 1 in Clarksville, Tennessee. They had been pursuing a 120-pump gas station and a 77,000-square foot building that fell through when the company couldn’t come to terms with the Tennessee Department of Transportation on site plans.

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