Road work at Menge Avenue on I-10 for Buc-ee’s begins July 5

The first step toward getting a Buc-ee’s Travel Center in Mississippi gets underway Wednesday when MDOT begins work on the Menge Avenue interchange on I-10.

To get ready for an expected increase in traffic at that exchange, the bridge over I-10 at Menge will be replaced and the entrance and exit ramps and Firetower Road will be widened.

The project is funded by the Harrison County Board of Supervisors and Buc-ee’s and is expected to take about 18 months.

While the work is in progress, the overpass will close to traffic beginning the week of July 12 and is expected stay closed about 13 months.

“Thanks to local visionaries and private investment, the Menge Avenue interchange will soon undergo a major expansion, attracting more motorists and driving economic growth,” said Commissioner Tom King, Southern Transportation District. “We’re proud to work with our partners on this project to ensure the design and construction of this interchange meets state and federal standards that keep the traveling public safe.”

The Mississippi Department of Transportation has approved the interchange plan and issued a permit for construction.

Neel Shaffer and Michael Baker International will serve as Construction Engineering and Inspection consultants to ensure the project meets MDOT standards and specifications for roadway and bridge construction. The contractor for the project is T.L. Wallace of Columbia.