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\nA five-mile stretch of Interstate 65 in Louisville is scheduled to close for about two months this summer so crews can speed up replacement of three bridges, according to state transportation officials.<\/p>\n
\nA five-mile stretch of Interstate 65 in Louisville is scheduled to close for about two months this summer so crews can speed up replacement of three bridges, according to state transportation officials.<\/p>\n
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet said the closure begins Monday, June 1, between the Watterson Expressway (I-264) and downtown Louisville (Jefferson Street). The interstate is expected to reopen Saturday, August 1, with two lanes of traffic in each direction.<\/p>\n
Officials said the closure is intended to allow crews to accelerate work on bridges over Kentucky Street\/Brook Street, Hill Street\/CSX Railroad\/Burnett Avenue, and Bradley Avenue near the fairgrounds, which they say are at the end of their service life. Work during the closure is expected to include demolition and rebuilding portions of the decks and superstructures.<\/p>\n
The transportation officials said a two-mile section of southbound I-65 from University Boulevard to I-264 is expected to reopen to two lanes by Wednesday, July 1. If that happens as planned, it would also reopen the Crittenden Drive on- and off-ramps and the on-ramps from Eastern Parkway and University Boulevard to southbound I-65.<\/p>\n
The transportation officials said crews have been assembling and prefabricating materials ahead of the closure, with staging areas near Crittenden Drive, Preston and Burnett streets, and Preston and College streets. The agency said steel beams for the first three bridges\u2014some up to 140 feet long and weighing up to 50,000 pounds\u2014are being stored at those sites. Also at the site are large cranes that will help move those materials.<\/p>\n
Mindy Peterson, the I-65 Central Corridor spokesperson, said crews have been constructing bridge foundations since last September and that substructure work is more than 95% complete.<\/p>\n
During the closure, through traffic will be detoured to I-264 on the west side of Louisville, and some ramps to and from I-264 are being temporarily widened to help handle additional traffic.<\/p>\n
Drivers heading into downtown Louisville will still be able to use the Jefferson Street exit from southbound I-65, and access will also be available via I-64, according to officials. Traffic leaving downtown will be directed to the ramp from East Liberty Street to northbound I-65, with I-64 ramps also available.<\/p>\n
Once the interstate is closed on June 1, crews will first get to work on some of the final demolition projects. Peterson said work will be 24\/7 and the first few weeks will be noisy for locals. The constant work is needed to keep up with the two month timeline.<\/p>\n
Peterson said those residents in the area should reach out to the project team, who will pass along concerns to the contractor.<\/p>\n
The I-65 Central Corridor project is expected to continue through late 2027 with additional street and ramp closures anticipated as work continues. A total of nine bridges along the corridor are planned for replacement or rehabilitation, according to the transportation cabinet.<\/p>\n