SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. — Monday was a big day for Sevier County after the world's largest gas station opened its doors to the public.
For some, the Buc-ee's opening off Interstate 40 Exit 407 was long-awaited. For others that routinely commute in that area, it was a day they were dreading.
Buc-ee's is known for its quickly expanding chain of massive gas stations that attract thousands upon thousands of travelers, which includes both the Buc-ee's diehards and the new customers who are curious to see what the hype is about. It is being dubbed the world's largest gas station, but it won't hold that title for long once Buc-ee's opens another location under construction in Texas that will be slightly larger.
The company has now established itself at the gateway to one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country.
Gov. Bill Lee, Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty, and other lawmakers attended the official ribbon cutting on a Monday morning filled with fanfare. However, not everyone was as excited by the store's arrival.
Exit 407 is expected to see around 15,000 new car trips every day once Buc-ee's travelers start pouring in, according to a recent traffic study commissioned by Kituwah LLC. The interchange handled about 23,000 trips on a normal day before the opening.
With the opening, the study anticipated more frequent "failures" to manage traffic, possibly leading to backups and slowdowns on I-40 at the exit during particularly busy travel days.
"The intersection at 407 'fails' design standards currently under peak traffic events," said Matthew Cross in an email, the CEO of OE Experiences. "Once Buc-ee's opens, the intersection will fail much more frequently — even under average traffic conditions."
On top of Buc-ee's, the surrounding area is being transformed into an entertainment district known as the 407: Gateway to Adventure complex. Businesses at that intersection and people who commute there frequently said they are anticipating traffic to get cumbersome on a regular basis.
David Edwards, who lives in Kodak, said the ambitious project does not fit the area.
"I'm not against nightlife or any of that, but I absolutely don't believe so," he said. "We've just digested that the Buc-ee's is coming with the traffic and we were just getting used to all of that, and it just seems like too much in one time."
The issue has people calling for the creation of a new exit on I-40 to spread out local and tourism traffic: Exit 408. However, Tennessee leaders such as Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally said a project of that scale might take decades to finish with current funding and project commitments.
In the meantime, the Tennessee Department of Transportation is asking drivers to pack their patience and be especially cautious when passing through Exit 407. It provided an animation for drivers to follow to get to the new gas station.