Yes, I know. Buc-ee’s is coming. I have mixed feelings about this. Please, please, please hear me out.
On the one hand, I like Buc-ee’s. I’m not bashing Buc-ee’s. On the other? I know what happened here. There’s a very specific reason that Friedens Church Road (the main road leading to I-81) is the way it is. It’s the 4-lane road that goes from left to right in the image. If you grew up near here (long enough ago, that is) you may also know what happened here. More in a sec…
If you’ve traveled up and down 81 near this exit (240 if you didn’t know), you may have just zipped right by it without a second thought. There’s not much here – at least, there wasn’t much here. I’m about to sound like that old guy who reminisces about days gone by, but most, if not all, of the developments you see in this image didn’t exist when I was growing up here back in the 70’s, 80’s and even into the 90’s. For those of you waiting for it – “farmland as far as the eye could see.” There. Happy?
I grew up less than 4 miles to the west of this location in a town that literally had one stop light. Geez, I sound old. Well…. I’ve seen the area grow. Enough said. Sure the infrastructure has grown along with it, to a certain degree. Back to the road. You see that little road at the bottom of the image with the small bridge that abruptly stops right before the big gas station in the middle of the image? That’s the road I remember. That’s the little, barely two-lane road, that I drove to get to and from I-81 in high school. That’s the little curvy country road with lots of blind spots where the accident happened.
I’m not getting into any kind of details here – that’s not what this is. Just know this, the infrastructure may have changed to accommodate all the expansions, but new and bigger expansions are about to make their mark and this area will be forever changed because of it. In good ways and in not so good ways. The area will definitely see a growth in job opportunities, tourism, etc. That’s great for the area. It’s also going to see its fair share of traffic congestion and everything that goes along with it. I’m glad I don’t live nearby anymore, but I’m now concerned about my 83-year old mother who still lives less than 4 miles from this location.
I want to believe that it’ll settle down at some point, but have you been to Buc-ee’s? IYKYK. So, if you’re one of those folks who can’t wait for this location to officially open, please be careful. Be patient.
Oh, and hey, pick up some sea salted caramel beaver nuggets (it’s the blue bag) – my personal favorite!
Cedarmeade Studios 