The years-long wait — consisting of notable road construction projects, multi-million-dollar investments and heavy anticipation from die-hard fans — will come to an end Monday.

In the early morning hours, the Texas-based convenience chain Buc-ee's will debut its first Mississippi store in Harrison County, about a 75 minute drive from downtown New Orleans. At 74,000 square feet, the location will be one of the largest in the nation, offering Gulf Coast residents and travelers heaps of gas pumps, beaver-themed merchandise, fresh foods — and, most likely, an increase in traffic.

The Menge Avenue exit off I-10, where the store is located, has a daily average traffic count of 53,000 vehicles, but the Mississippi Department of Transportation spokesperson Anna Ehrgott expects this number to q

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