Wisconsin grant helps new Kwik Trip location — near planned Buc-ee’s

A $1.5 million state grant will help fund road work to service a new Kwik Trip distribution center in DeForest, where rival convenience store operator Buc-ee’s is seeking state funds remains in a dead end.

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation grant will help expand roads on the west side of the village and support 398 Kwik Trip-related jobs, according to the announcement.

This will be the second Kwik Trip distribution center in Wisconsin and will include a truck service center. Another distribution center is in La Crosse, where the company is located.

“These investments will not only benefit Dane County and surrounding communities, but will help create jobs, generate revenue that will strengthen our statewide economy and benefit communities across the state,” Gov. Tony Evers said in a statement Monday. .The grant comes from the WisDOT Transportation Economic Assistance Program. It provides funds to communities to support transportation improvements that help attract new employers or encourage existing employers to expand. “The Village of DeForest is grateful for our partnership with WisDOT in providing much-needed support for one of Wisconsin’s most beloved businesses, Kwik Trip,” said DeForest Village President Jane Cahill Wolfgram.

“The new Kwik Trip distribution center and employment campus will bring valuable jobs to the region and further economic development, which are among the key goals of the TEA grant program,” Wolfgram said in a statement.

Buc-ee’s plans are on hold until after the election

Meanwhile, the Journal Sentinel recently reported that Texas-based convenience store Buc-ee’s plans to expand in Wisconsin have been delayed until after the November election.

Buc-ee’s wants to build a 74,000-square-foot convenience store/gas station in DeForest, one of the largest of its kind in the world.

That plan includes a $15 million upgrade to the Interstate 39/90/94 interchange to prevent traffic from exiting the freeway.

Buc-ee’s said it would pay up to $8.1 million, leaving local officials to decide how to cover the nearly $7 million in costs.

Village officials are looking to see who will win local and state government seats, including the Dane County Executive and state Assembly and Senate seats in the Nov. 5 election.

“We anticipate that we will need some political help with the interchange project,” Village Administrator Bill Chung told the Journal Sentinel.

“I hate to make this an election issue, but we’re just waiting for someone to help us because we certainly can’t do it alone, and we know the consequences are far-reaching,” Chang said.

The entire Buc-ee project is valued at $50 million, Chang said. The store is expected to generate $1 million in sales tax revenue for the state annually and create 200 to 225 jobs, he said.

The DeForest Buc-ee’s will be the first Buc-ee’s in Wisconsin and the furthest north. The nearest places are located in Kentucky and Missouri.

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