Construction gear is about to roll into Oak Creek. Residents near the I‑94 and W. Elm Road interchange can expect to see crews show up in mid‑July as preliminary work kicks off for Wisconsin’s first Buc‑ee’s travel center. According to city staff, the early phase will focus on site grading and utility hookups before the project shifts into a full building schedule. The 29‑acre site at the southwest corner of the interchange is set to overhaul a stretch of south Oak Creek that has been zoned for development for years.
A city news release highlighted by FOX6 Milwaukee says the first round of work will center on grading and utility preparation, with “minor earth work” planned the week of July 13 and fuller site activity ramping up in August. Residents are likely to spot heavy equipment and utility crews near the interchange as contractors clear and stake the land. FOX6 notes the details came directly from the City of Oak Creek’s communications staff.
Project details and footprint
City planning documents outline a roughly 74,000‑square‑foot travel center on about 29.6 acres, with approximately 120 fueling positions plus a sizable retail and food hall area, according to City of Oak Creek. Common Council materials identify the three parcels that make up the site and note that Buc‑ee’s is seeking to operate 24/7. Those same city materials estimate more than 175 full‑time employees once the doors finally open.
Legal fight and local reaction
Neighbors opposed to the rezoning took the city to court in an effort to stop the development, but a Milwaukee County judge tossed the lawsuit last year, CBS 58 reported. Local coverage, including a WISN feature, has followed both sides of the debate: supporters pointing to jobs and tax revenue on one hand, and opponents warning of traffic, environmental concerns and public‑safety issues on the other. City officials say permit conditions and traffic plans will dictate how construction proceeds and how the site is accessed during the build‑out.
Timeline and what’s next
Earlier accounts had floated 2027 as a target, but more recent reporting shows the schedule shifting as approvals and site work are coordinated. Milwaukee Business Journal reported that site preparation will begin this summer even as the overall timeline adjusts. FOX6 Milwaukee notes Buc‑ee’s has signaled an early‑2028 opening in materials shared with the city, and city staff told reporters to expect “minor earth work” the week of July 13 followed by a fully active construction zone in August. Crews will also have to coordinate utility connections and traffic controls before any vertical construction gets underway.
Drivers along I‑94 and Elm should brace for occasional slowdowns and bursts of construction traffic through the rest of the summer as crews mobilize. The project will be phased, with preparatory grading and utility work first, and more visible vertical construction to follow once permitting and site infrastructure are squared away. City officials say they will continue updating planning documents as the work moves ahead. For now, neighbors can expect stakes in the ground, trucks on site and plenty of earth‑moving equipment starting in mid‑July as Oak Creek readies one of its biggest retail build‑outs in years.
