Two lanes of southbound I-65 closure to open ahead of schedule
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A two-mile portion of Interstate 65 southbound in Louisville is expected to reopen on Monday, June 29, officials say.
According to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, this portion of the interstate is scheduled to open two days ahead of schedule.
This will include I-65 southbound from University Boulevard to Watterson Expressway (Interstate Highway 264), transportation officials say. The road section is expected to reopen by 6 a.m. Monday.
Transportation officials say reopening the section will open four ramps – both on and off ramps at Crittenden Drive and the on ramps from Eastern Parkway and University Boulevard.
I-65 southbound between downtown Louisville (Jefferson Street) to University Boulevard remains closed as construction continues.
“It’s great to see that we’re not just meeting this key milestone but on track to beat it by at least a couple of days,” said Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Goodman. “We know how many drivers rely on I-65 every day, and crews are working hard to hit all deadlines.”
The full closure of I-65 that began June 1 has allowed contract crews to complete enough work at the Bradley Avenue bridge over I-65 to reopen southbound lanes to traffic, transportation officials say.
“Reopening this section of southbound I-65 and these four ramps will mean more commute choices for drivers in this area, and it should also give drivers confidence in our schedule to reopen the full five-mile section of I-65 to two lanes of traffic in both directions by Saturday, Aug. 1,” said Matt Bullock, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 5 chief district engineer. “That’s a deadline we feel very confident in this fourth week of the I-65 closure.”
Through traffic should still use the official signed detour to I-264 west (Georgia Davis Powers Expressway) and Interstate Highway 64. The detour route uses roadways with the most available capacity and creates the least traffic impacts. Travelers can access key Louisville destinations like downtown hospitals, the Expo Center and the Muhammad Ali International Airport.
How will this impact Fourth of July travel?
It’s less than two weeks away from the Independence Day holiday, and it is expected to be a busy travel weekend. It’s important for drivers to know they will likely encounter increased traffic on detour routes and local streets.
According to transportation officials, drivers are encouraged to continue to give themselves extra time to reach their destinations. It’s also important to make sure that any family and friends visiting Louisville for the holiday are aware of the continuing closure and plan ahead.
Construction on the I-65 Central Corridor will continue through the end of 2027.
WNKY News 40 will provide additional updates as they are released.
