Want to avoid I-10 traffic near MS Coast Buc-ee’s property? Here are alternate routes.
By Justin Mitchell and
Mary Perez
If you travel Interstate 10 daily, chances are you’ve gotten stuck in a traffic jam near the site of Mississippi’s first Buc-ee’s travel center.
Some days, the congestion at the Menge Avenue exit (24) backs up for miles past the County Farm Road exit (28) in Long Beach and approaches the Canal Road exit (31) in Gulfport. The backlog can last for hours at intermittent parts of the day, depending on the construction schedule.
The Mississippi Department of Transportation says work will continue at the exit for about a year as an overpass bridge is demolished, a new overpass is built and roads are widened to make way for Buc-ee’s.
If you’re looking for other ways to get around the westbound gridlock as you make your way across the Mississippi Coast, here are some alternate routes that could save you time on days when traffic is bad.
If your final destination is north of Interstate 10, including Kiln, DeLisle and Diamondhead, you could take the County Farm Road exit north and turn left on Wolf River Road. Continue until you reach Cable Bridge Road. From there, going north on Vidalia Road can take you into the Dedeaux community of Hancock County near Kiln. If you go south on Vidalia, it will take you to DeLisle. From there, you could take Kiln-DeLisle road to the back of Diamondhead or all the way to Highway 603.
If your final destination is south of Interstate 10, take the County Farm Road exit south and swing a right on Red Creek Road. Follow that until you reach Espy Avenue, and that will take you to the beach. You can use Highway 90 to get to the western part of Pass Christian, Bay St. Louis and Waveland.
Traffic is regularly congested on Interstate 10 as road work continues at the Menge Avenue exit to make way for Buc-ee’s travel center. Mississippi Department of Transportation
Bridge demolition to close lanes of I-10
All westbound lanes of I-10 at the Menge Ave. exit will be closed from 9 p.m. on Aug, 7 to 5 a.m. on Aug. 8 as crews work to demolish the overpass bridge.
Instead of a detour miles out of the way during the closures, all traffic will be directed onto the exit ramp at the exit and immediately back onto the interstate at the entrance ramp, said Kelly Castleberry, Mississippi Department of Transportation district engineer for the Sixth District.
A date will be announced to close easbound I-10 overnight to complete the bridge demolition. A similar off-and-on detour is planned.
You can check for the latest traffic updates on MDOT’s website.
This story was originally published August 1, 2023 at 1:02 PM.
Justin Mitchell is the Sun Herald senior news editor and works on McClatchy’s audience engagement and development team. He also reports on LGBTQ issues in the Deep South, particularly focusing on Mississippi.
