Two-mile section of southbound Interstate 65 to reopen to two lanes of traffic by Monday
Team Kentucky is making significant progress on improvements to Interstate Highway 65 in Louisville, with a two-mile section of southbound Interstate 65 scheduled to reopen to traffic by Monday, June 29 — two days ahead of schedule. The milestone reflects continued progress on the project to replace three key bridges along the corridor.
Southbound I-65 from University Boulevard to the Watterson Expressway (Interstate Highway 264) is expected to reopen to two lanes of traffic by 6 a.m. on Monday, in advance of the morning commute. Reopening this section of southbound I-65 will reopen four ramps: both on- and off-ramps at Crittenden Drive and the on-ramps from Eastern Parkway and University Boulevard. Southbound I-65 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 we’re 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.
“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.
Progress to Date
I-65 closed between the Watterson Expressway (I-264) and downtown Louisville (Jefferson Street) on Monday, June 1. Crews have been working around the clock since then to accelerate work to replace three critical bridges. Demolition work ended last week, and crews started setting beams to support the decks of the new bridges. They are also setting precast deck panels, the base of the future roadway.
I-65 bridges over Kentucky Street/Brook Street, Hill Street/CSX Railroad/Burnett Avenue, and Bradley Avenue near the fairgrounds are at the end of their service life and are being replaced. Crews are making significant progress during the closure, demolishing and rebuilding part of the new deck and superstructure of each bridge. Accelerated work during the closure is saving at least a year of additional restrictions and delays on I-65.
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.
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.
Project Overview
Construction on the I-65 Central Corridor will continue through the end of 2027. Local street closures and ramp closures will also be needed to complete the work on the corridor after I-65 reopens to traffic. Here’s a complete list of street closures and ramp closures expected in 2026 to accommodate construction. Information on each closure will be shared closer to date.
A total of nine bridges on the I-65 corridor are being replaced or rehabilitated as part of the project. The first three bridges are those most in need of repair. Construction on the first three new bridges is expected to be complete in March 2027. The additional six bridges are the I-65 bridges over Liberty Street, Floyd Street, Chestnut Street, Jacob Street/Broadway/Gray Street, Muhammad Ali Boulevard/Brook Street, and the Muhammad Ali Boulevard on-ramp. The approach and schedule for those improvements are being finalized and will be shared soon. Substantial completion of the project is expected in late 2027.
Staying Informed
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.
