LOUISVILLE, KY. (WDRB) -- Just when you thought you'd reached the peak of your frustration, more orange cones, lane closures, and possible delays are popping up on local streets.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has unveiled another new project that will affect traffic in Louisville -- so why so many projects all at the same time?
Andrea Clifford with the Transportation Cabinet says, "We're actually widening 264, the Watterson Expressway from two lanes to three lanes in each direction, and that's between U.S. 42 and the interstate."
Transportation workers such as Bobby Cox are preparing the scene. He explained he was, "Putting reflectors on the guard rails and the ends of the bridges." The work starts this week.
Clifford acknowledges, "I guess the question from drivers is, 'Why?' And more importantly, 'Why now,' with already so much construction going on. Well, the project plans have come together and it's ready to go to construction and we have the funding available now to do it."
She continued, "As we've seen over the last year or two with the economy, if we don't do it when it's available we may not have that money in a year or two."
In addition to widening the Watterson, teams will extend the on ramp from 264 East to 71 north and create a deceleration lane at the interchange heading in the opposite direction.
The nearly $4 million project is designed to ease traffic congestion for drivers heading downtown and out to Cincinnati. Construction is expected to last until December 15th.
"There could be some shoulder closures during the day," Clifford says, "but it's really not going to affect that morning and afternoon commute because lane closures are limited to nine in the evening until five the following morning."
Nonetheless, it adds more to a traffic nightmare in and around Louisville.
The Watterson project coincides with a shutdown on I-65 south coming this weekend between the I-264 and Hospital Curve.
Traffic on parts of the Kennedy remains at one lane, hitting new delays day by day. Transportation leaders asked drivers for patience, but that's even running short for some of their workers.
"It's rough, it's really rough, "Clifford says.
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