A major travel center project that drew considerable interest when announced last fall has stalled in Meridian, caught between the ambitions of a national retailer and the traffic management concerns of local and state transportation officials. Buc-ee’s, the Texas-based convenience store and travel stop chain, had eyed a location at the Meridian Road and Interstate 84 interchange, but the proposal has been shelved pending resolution of significant traffic issues that officials say the developer has not adequately addressed.
The Plan and the Pushback
Buc-ee’s announced its interest in locating a travel center in the Treasure Valley in September 2025. The planned facility would occupy property owned by Hawkins Companies at one of Ada County’s busiest transportation intersections. Projections suggested the center would draw approximately 19,000 vehicles daily, a volume that triggered immediate concerns from both the Idaho Department of Transportation and the City of Meridian.
Public officials from ITD and Meridian held multiple meetings with Buc-ee’s engineers to discuss the traffic implications of such a high-volume destination. The conversations revealed a fundamental disagreement over whether the company’s traffic models reflected realistic conditions at the interchange.
Brian McClure, Meridian’s Long-Range Planning Supervisor, was particularly critical of the analysis. He characterized the traffic modeling as deeply flawed, stating that the projections were problematic enough to raise questions about the thoroughness of the work. ITD also evaluated a traffic study proposed by Buc-ee’s but determined it would not be feasible to implement.
The Flyover Solution and Unresolved Questions
In response to the traffic concerns, Buc-ee’s proposed a “flyover” structure on the interchange—essentially an elevated roadway intended to manage traffic flow and separate project-generated vehicles from existing interstate traffic. While conceptually one approach to addressing capacity constraints, the proposal raised unresolved engineering and jurisdictional questions. Concerns about whether the structure could physically fit at the location and questions about ownership and maintenance responsibility of such an addition to the interstate system remained unanswered.
As discussions stalled, ITD has not received further communication from Buc-ee’s regarding the project since the state raised its concerns. The company has not submitted a formal application for development approval in Meridian, effectively pausing the proposal at the pre-application stage.
Company Insists It’s Coming to Idaho
Despite the Meridian setback, Buc-ee’s has not abandoned its Idaho ambitions. Mark Cleverley, Chief Leasing Officer for Ahlquist, the Boise developer working with the chain on the Treasure Valley opportunity, stated that the company remains committed to establishing a presence in the region. Cleverley indicated that Buc-ee’s is evaluating alternative sites as it navigates the traffic and infrastructure challenges that have derailed the original Meridian Road proposal.
The company’s regional interest intensified during the summer of 2025, though those early conversations preceded the September announcement of the Meridian location. More recently, Buc-ee’s announced plans to develop a location in Utah, a signal that the chain continues to pursue expansion in the Mountain West region even as its Idaho project remains uncertain.
What Comes Next
The Meridian proposal remains stalled unless and until Buc-ee’s addresses the traffic modeling concerns raised by ITD and the City of Meridian and proposes engineering solutions that both state and local officials deem workable. For now, the company appears to be exploring other locations in the Treasure Valley, though no formal applications have been submitted elsewhere.
The development interest reflects broader trends in Ada County’s retail and commercial growth. Recent projects like the Village at Meridian’s expansion adding national retailers and a second Costco location opening in Meridian demonstrate strong demand for major commercial destinations in the county. Whether Buc-ee’s will ultimately find a location that satisfies both the company’s operational needs and local traffic management concerns remains an open question.