The Magnolia State’s first Buc-ee’s is still a while from opening, but there is now some tangible work underway to offer some hope for fans of Beaver Nuggets, pulled-pork sandwiches, and spotless restrooms.

Announced in 2021, the Mississippi store will be one of the largest in the chain. At nearly 70,000 square feet, it’s going to be a good 15,000 square feet larger than the nearest Buc-ee’s, located in Loxley. For comparison, the average size of an Academy Sports + Outdoors store is also 70,000 square feet.

The Mississippi Department of Transportation announced work on the Menge Avenue Exit from I-10 started this week.

As part of that work, the bridge over the freeway will be closed for about 13 months. Exits will stay open, but there won’t be any traffic allowed to cross the overpass. Workers will remove the old bridge and replace it with one able to transport five lanes.

Construction for the exit revamp is expected to cost about $15 million.

The projected opening for Buc-ee’s is December 2024, but that could change.