If your trucking takes you through Louisville, Kentucky on Interstate 65, be prepared for a change in routes as work begins to replace or repair nine bridges in the city.
A five-mile section of I-65 is scheduled to close between the Watterson Expressway (I-264) and downtown Louisville (Jefferson Street) on Monday, June 1. It’s expected to reopen to traffic on Saturday, Aug. 1.
During the closure, the I-65 bridges over Kentucky Street/Brook Street, Hill Street/CSX Railroad/Burnett Avenue, and Bradley Avenue near the fairgrounds will be replaced. All were built in the late 1950s as part of the original construction of the interstate.
A two-mile section of southbound I-65 is expected to reopen to two lanes of traffic by Wednesday, July 1. It stretches from University Boulevard to the Watterson Expressway (I-264). Reopening this section of roadway will reopen four ramps: Crittenden Drive on and off ramps and the on ramps from Eastern Parkway and University Boulevard.
I-65 is expected to reopen to two lanes of traffic in each direction on Saturday, August 1.
Crews are doing as much work as possible in advance of closing the interstate. Since last September, they’ve been constructing the substructures (foundations) of the three new bridges. This work below the deck of the bridges is about 80% complete.
Crews have also been relocating utilities, prefabricating bridge deck panels and steel girders, moving supplies on site, and staging equipment.
Getting Around During the Closure
During the closure, through traffic will be detoured to I-264 (Georgia Davis Powers Expressway) on the west side of Louisville. The signed detour route is the shortest distance, utilizes roadways with the most available capacity, and creates the least traffic impacts. Some ramps to and from I-264 (Watterson Expressway) are being temporarily widened to help accommodate additional traffic during the closure.
The detour is the signed alternate interstate route taking through traffic around the closure to minimize impacts to local traffic. Local detours are not signed because of the many different beginning and end points. KYTC has a partnership with Waze providing the latest closure information to guide drivers along the most efficient route at the time of travel.
Traffic accessing downtown Louisville will use the Jefferson Street exit from southbound I-65. Traffic will also be able to access downtown Louisville via I-64. Traffic leaving downtown will use the ramp from East Liberty Street to access northbound I-65., and the I-64 ramps will also be an option for drivers (Third Street and Ninth Street ramps).
Project information and updates can be found at I65CentralCorridor.com. While on the site, users can sign up to have project and traffic updates delivered to their inboxes or by text to their phones.
Project updates are shared on KYTC District 5 (D5) Facebook and X pages.
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