A massive $20 million commercial development is coming to one of the busiest intersections in the Coastal Bend, connecting Corpus Christi to the touristy island escape of Port Aransas.
Speedy Stop, the Victoria-based convenience store chain with about two dozen stores scattered across South, Central and East Texas, has begun construction where Texas State Highway 361 meets Park Road 22 on North Padre Island.
The project involves building a $15 million Speedy Stop gas station and convenience store, a $4 million carwash called Speedy Wash, and a $1 million liquor store called Speedy Liquor 100, according to filings with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR). Construction was delayed for about a year, according to KIII 3NEWS, but is now expected to be completed by the end of May 2027, TDLR records show.
A $20 million Speedy Stop gas station, liquor store and car wash is being built at the intersection of Texas 361 and Park Road 22 on North Padre Island. It is one of the busiest intersections along the sole highway that connects Corpus Christi to Port Aransas. (Laurie Lyng/Courtesy Laurie Lyng/LL Imagery)
The convenience store will span about 17,500 square feet, while Speedy Liquor will cover 5,300 square feet, TDLR records show. Meanwhile, the 4,800-square-foot Speedy Wash will feature a conveyor-track-style automatic car wash tunnel.
The construction site lies at 14614 S. Padre Island Dr., Corpus Christi, TX 78418, at the southeast corner of the congested intersection. It’s also the beginning of a 15-mile stretch of highway that serves as the only land-based route connecting Port Aransas to the rest of the Coastal Bend. That narrow, two-lane stretch of Highway 361, which has no center divider or median to separate drivers from oncoming traffic, has recently drawn renewed scrutiny from both locals and state highway officials after two crashes over the course of a week led to the deaths of three people and injured three more.
Both the Texas Department of Transportation and the city of Corpus Christi have long-term plans for the busy corridor. TxDOT is planning to turn the roadway into a divided highway with raised medians, expansive shoulders and dedicated turning lanes. Meanwhile, Corpus Christi has included the intersection-and much of North Padre Island surrounding the two highways – in its long-term mobility plan, the “Plan CC Comprehensive Plan.”
The city’s plan calls for improving vehicular, pedestrian, cyclist and golf cart safety on the island’s highways and side streets. That includes installing sidewalks along the Highway 361/Park Road 22 intersection, and potentially replacing the nearby JFK Causeway bridge. But both TxDOT’s and the city’s improvement plans are still years away.
This article originally published at New $20M development takes shape on congested Texas coastal highway.