LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Kentucky transportation officials were happy with how the beginning of the Interstate 65 closure went during the Monday morning commute but said they identified some areas that could be improved to help drivers.
Monday was the start of the two-month I-65 closure between Jefferson Street and Interstate 264.
"As we expected on the first day, traffic has moved pretty well — actually better than some people expected," said Matt Bullock, KYTC District 5 chief district engineer.
Bullock said one of the backups they saw Monday was in the I-65 to I-264 interchange, because drivers were used to how traffic originally flowed. This caused some drivers to make last-minute decisions or become trapped, forcing them to go eastbound and turn around at Poplar Level Road.
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Officials also recognized signage near Louisville's airport that could be confusing. Some striping on the west side of the airport's entrance ramp near Crittenden Drive that could as well be improved.
"We're going to get that cleaned up," Bullock said.
Before the closure, there was some temporary widening of ramps in areas that may normally be one lane and made them into two lanes. Bullock said striping needs to be redone or fixed in those areas to make things run more smoothly.
That work is planned to take place Monday night.
"There's a little bit of an ebb and flow, and, day-to-day, that may change," Bullock said. "We're going to be learning just like everyone else is — what's a heavier movement versus lighter movement — and if we need to make adjustments in some places, we will."
Officials are preparing for potentially heavier traffic Tuesday morning, because some people work remotely to start the week.
Frequent updates on traffic and construction can be found online.
"We're doing everything we can to communicate, to make sure people are aware of it, encouraging people to use their GPS app to find the quickest way given the closure," Mayor Craig Greenberg said. "We're just going to continue communicating, so I hope today and this morning are similar to what we see over the coming days, but we're being prepared."
KYTC shared a look at crews working around the clock on I-65. The closure is being done all at once to save "at least a year of additional restrictions and construction delays," officials said.
"We've been thinking about this and worried about this day for a good long while," Bullock said. "Day one, so far so good, but it's day one out of 60. We have a lot more work to do."
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