Louisville businesses, neighbors bracing for impact of I-65 closure this summer
We're less than 50 days away from one of the biggest interstate closures in the history of Louisville, and both residents and business owners are bracing for the effects.
The I-65 corridor project will replace three overpasses on I-65 between the Watterson Expressway and the Kennedy Bridge. The overpasses include Kentucky and Brook streets, Hill Street, a CSX rail line and Burnett Avenue, and Bradley Avenue.
It requires I-65 to be shut down completely, in both directions, from June 1 until Aug. 1. However, I-65 from the Watterson to the University Boulevard exit will reopen on July 1. That should reopen four ramps: Crittenden Drive on and off ramps and the on ramps from Eastern Parkway and University Boulevard.
Mindy Peterson, the spokesperson for the project, said the replacement of the overpasses is necessary to fix more than 70-year-old infrastructure. Work has been underway to replace parts of the underpasses since September.
"They're replacing the substructure, the foundations of the bridges. So we have our steel piles, we have our concrete piers. When you look under the bridge here at Brook and Kentucky, you will see some elements that are brand new, that have already been piers have been poured, and a lot of things have already been replaced. There are some elements that they are still in the process of replacing, but doing all of that work now really allows them to focus in during that two-month closure to work on those bridge decks," Peterson said.
Work underneath the three overpasses is around 80% complete. While Jeff Huber, who lives on Brooks Street, said he's glad work is coming along, he said it's been a pain to deal with.
"There are multiple work crews [that park on Brook], so we have very limited parking. They take up the entire street, usually parking for all the trucks and everything," Huber said. "The noise has been pretty unreal. And the traffic on 65, every afternoon, it slows down to basically a stop."
It'll only get worse before it gets better, with Peterson adding there will be additional lane closures after the major closure of I-65.
"This project continues until late 2027. So when we reopen on Aug. 1, we get I-65 back in both directions, but that will be limited to two lanes of traffic in each direction. And so that's going to be the what the long term configuration on I-65 until we get through this work and this project," Peterson said.
Business owners in the area, like Renny Signh, who owns Fast Track convenience store and gas station on St. Catherine Street, said he's concerned about business dipping while the interstate is shut down.
"Like 50% of my business comes from the highway. So if they shut down, then I'm going to hurt a lot," Singh said.
Detours for the project include taking I-264 around to west Louisville, if you need to bypass downtown. Otherwise, there is no official detour through downtown Louisville.
Peterson suggests drivers use apps like Waze to find the fastest route to their destination.
Signh hopes some of those detours will draw more customers to his business.
Peterson said now is the time for people to prepare and support local businesses like Signh's.
