LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — For many drivers who regularly travel between Kentucky and southern Indiana, the upcoming Interstate 65 closure is creating uncertainty, frustration and concern about what daily commutes will look like beginning Monday.
"I have no idea," said Victoria Clark. "I have no backup plan of where to go and how to get there."
Clark said she routinely crosses the Ohio River and usually relies on her phone's GPS to guide her. But technology only goes so far.
"Even with the GPS, the bridges don't tell you when they're shut down," she said.
Starting Monday, getting across the river will become significantly more challenging as drivers adjust to detours and alternative routes.
A drive along I-65 offered a glimpse of what commuters could soon be missing. Traffic moved smoothly on a trip from downtown Louisville to the airport, a welcome sight after months of congestion. But many expect that to change quickly.
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Jason Randall, who lives in New Albany, already anticipates a longer commute.
"It means I'm going to have to travel to New Albany and come around, swing around," Randall said. "It's going to be hampering, for sure, but it's probably going to be more tough on other people than me, and it's going to be going on for a while."
Randall also worries about the impact on businesses in downtown Jeffersonville, which depend heavily on visitors crossing the river.
"Our downtown district has the bars and eateries that bring a few people over," he said. "It'll be interesting to see what kind of economic impact it will have on our area."
A drive north on I-65 into Indiana during the late afternoon rush showed the kind of traffic many commuters are used to seeing — crowded lanes and emergency vehicles weaving through congestion near Hospital Curve.
For some drivers, the prospect of even more traffic is raising concerns about tempers behind the wheel.
"What's Monday going to be like? There's going to be chaos in the city. I guarantee you," said Donald Coker.
And he doesn't expect the disruption to end after the first day.
"Not just Monday, but Tuesday, Wednesday," he said. "I think there's going to be a lot of road ragers. Unfortunately, they're taking out their frustrations behind the wheel."
State transportation officials have spent months preparing for the closure. The state has hired a company to help manage traffic, developed alternative routes, held community meetings, and participated in numerous media interviews aimed at helping drivers prepare.
Yet some commuters said the message still hasn't reached everyone.
"No one has told me what kind of plan I need to be adapting to," Clark said.
Transportation officials are urging drivers to map out alternate routes before Monday and allow extra travel time. Whether those preparations will be enough remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: anyone crossing the river regularly will need a plan before the closure begins.
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