Work continues along the designated I-65 detour route to ease traffic congestion in advance of the I-65 Central Corridor project’s temporary interstate closure this summer.
Starting on Feb. 10, crews began work to widen and restripe interstate ramps to increase capacity and improve merge operations that will improve traffic flow along the designated detour route. This work is expected to be completed by the end of March. All construction schedules are weather dependent.
Additional traffic changes scheduled this week include:
Tuesday, Feb. 17
- The single right lane of I-65 South from Phillips Lane to Durrett Lane from mile point 131.2 to 130.3 will be closed from 7 p.m. until 6 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 18.
- The ramp from I-264 East and I-264 West to I-65 South will be closed from 9 p.m. until 6 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 18.
Wednesday, Feb. 18
- The ramp from I-65 North to I-264 East will be closed from 9 p.m. until 6 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 19.
Lane and ramp closures previously announced for Feb. 22-24 remain on schedule.
All construction dates are subject to change based upon weather conditions. Additional lane restrictions and ramp closures are anticipated and will be released as details are finalized.
Announced last year, five miles of Interstate 65 between Jefferson Street and Interstate 264 (Watterson Expressway) will be closed June through July 2026, to replace three aging bridges as part of the two-year Central Corridor project to improve safety and travel along I-65 in Louisville.
During this two-month closure, I-65 traffic will be detoured using I-264 (Watterson Expressway) and Interstate 64, while on-ramps at Jefferson Street and Liberty Street/Muhammad Ali Boulevard will remain open. Temporary work taking place now will prepare the designated detour route for increased traffic volumes during the summer temporary closure. These improvements are intended to enhance traffic flow, improve safety and reduce delays for motorists using the detour.
The I-65 Central Corridor Project is one of several state highway improvements in the Louisville Metro area aimed at making roads and bridges better to improve travel, increase commerce and connections for future growth. This project is focused on replacing multiple bridges along the corridor between Interstate 264 (Watterson Expressway) and downtown Louisville. While construction on the Central Corridor project will continue over the next two years, the planned two-month closure of I-65 this summer will allow crews to complete a portion of the work more efficiently, reducing the overall construction timeline while improving long-term safety and reliability along the corridor. Construction will continue into mid-2027 and through 2028 as additional bridges are added to the project.
Motorists are encouraged to plan ahead, follow posted signage and allow additional travel time while traffic mitigation work is underway.
The schedule for this work is subject to change due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances.