Virginia · Location Watch
Buc-ee’s Stafford County, Virginia: The DC Area’s First Buc-ee’s, Explained
After two-plus years of hearings, petitions, and one seven-hour meeting that ran past midnight, Stafford County finally said yes. Here’s exactly where the project stands, what still has to happen, and when you might actually be able to drive there
how long until opening, as of the
May 2026 vote
Is Buc-ee’s Coming to Stafford County?
Yes — it just cleared its biggest obstacle. On May 19, 2026, the Stafford County Board of Supervisors voted 5-2 to approve the rezoning and conditional-use permit for a Buc-ee’s travel center at the corner of Austin Ridge Drive and Courthouse Road, right off I-95 Exit 140. It’s the site Northern Virginia has been arguing about for more than two years, and it would become the first Buc-ee’s serving the DC metro area.
That said, “approved” doesn’t mean “under construction.” There’s still a federal and state road review to get through before anyone breaks ground, which is why Board Chairman Deuntay Diggs told local reporters to expect roughly three to four more years before opening — putting a realistic window around 2029 to 2030.
Pro Tip: Local outlets sometimes run this story as “Buc-ee’s approved in Stafford!” without mentioning the OSAR review still ahead. Approval is real progress, but it’s a zoning win, not a groundbreaking.
Why It Took So Long — and What’s Still Left
The Stafford proposal has been one of the most contested Buc-ee’s projects in the country. A traffic impact analysis projected the store would generate almost 21,000 daily vehicle trips, and the site sits directly across from the Embrey Mill Town Center, a large residential community. More than 40 people spoke at the March 2026 Planning Commission hearing alone, and a Change.org petition against the project drew over 2,000 signatures. County planning staff themselves recommended denial, citing unresolved traffic and fuel-canopy lighting concerns, before the Planning Commission narrowly voted 4-3 to recommend approval anyway.
Before construction can start, the project still needs an Operational and Safety Analysis Report (OSAR) for the Exit 140 interchange — a review involving both the Federal Highway Administration and VDOT that supervisors were told could take up to 18 months. During the approval hearing, Buc-ee’s attorney committed the company to paying for any additional road improvements the OSAR process requires.
The Path So Far
Feb. 28, 2024
Buc-ee’s files initial paperwork with Stafford County to open its second Virginia store along I-95.
Mid-2024
More than 2,000 residents sign a petition opposing the project; county staff send follow-up questions, sending the application back for resubmission.
March 26, 2026
Planning Commission votes 4-3 to recommend approval, overriding a staff recommendation to deny, after more than 40 public speakers.
May 19–20, 2026
Board of Supervisors approves the project 5-2 after a public hearing that ran into the early morning hours.
Next — OSAR Review
A federal/state safety and operations review of the Exit 140 interchange, expected to take up to 18 months, has to clear before construction can begin.
Pro Tip: Want to track this yourself instead of waiting on news coverage? Stafford County keeps every project document — site plans, hearing packets, the OSAR filings — on its own “Buc-ee’s of Stafford” planning department page. It’s the most reliable source once the story quiets down between news cycles.
What the Finished Store Will Include
The approved plan calls for a 74,000-square-foot travel center with 120 fuel pumps and more than 800 parking spaces, built on roughly 35 to 38 acres. Supporters cited close to $2 million in projected annual tax revenue and about 200 new jobs, with starting pay in the $16–$19 per hour range plus health benefits and 401(k) participation. Once open, it’ll carry the standard Buc-ee’s lineup — made-to-order brisket, kolaches, Beaver Nuggets, house-made fudge — and sit right across from the Embrey Mill Town Center, making it easy to spot from I-95.
Where to Get Buc-ee’s in Virginia While You Wait
Stafford will eventually be the closest Buc-ee’s to DC, but it’s not close to open yet. Here’s what’s actually available in Virginia right now.
Mount Crawford (Rockingham County)
Virginia’s first Buc-ee’s, opened June 26, 2025 off I-81 near Harrisonburg. Governor Youngkin attended the ribbon-cutting. 74,000 sq ft, 120 pumps, open 24/7.
New Kent County
Off I-64 Exit 211. Targeting December 2031, tied to a separate VDOT interchange rebuild. The most delayed project in Buc-ee’s current pipeline.
Pro Tip: Live in Northern Virginia or DC and don’t want to wait years? Mount Crawford is about 90 minutes to two hours out via I-66 and I-81, depending on where you’re starting — a legitimate weekend day-trip while Stafford works through its road review.
Frequently Asked Question’s
The Bottom Line
Stafford County said yes, and that’s a genuinely big deal after two-plus years of fights over traffic and zoning. But the road ahead is literal: an 18-month federal and state interchange review has to clear before Buc-ee’s can even start building. Realistically, expect 2029 to 2030 for a grand opening. Until then, Mount Crawford remains Virginia’s only open Buc-ee’s, with New Kent County still years further behind.
Related: Buc-ee’s is also coming to nearby New Kent, Virginia — track every other project on our upcoming locations tracker.