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LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Interstate 65 is back open through downtown Louisville, but the work is far from over.

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet officials updated state lawmakers in Frankfort Tuesday on the I-65 Central Corridor Project after a roughly 5-mile stretch of I-65 between downtown Louisville and Interstate 264 reopened last week, restoring two lanes of traffic in each direction after the almost eight-week closure.

Project officials said work on the first three bridges being replaced will continue through at least spring 2027.

The work on those bridges started when the shutdown began in June. It involves removing and adding three new elevated sections in the Old Louisville and Saint Joseph neighborhoods over:

  • Kentucky and Brook streets
  • An area where Hill Street, a rail line and Burnett Avenue converge
  • Bradley Avenue near the Kentucky Exposition Center 

Once that work is complete, crews will then move to six more overpasses in the Hospital Curve area — near Liberty Street, Floyd Street, Muhammad Ali Boulevard, Jacob Street, Chestnut Street, and Muhammad Ali Boulevard at Brook Street.

I-65 Closure | Traffic Map | Latest Coverage | Real-Time Alerts 

How traffic will be maintained during that next phase hasn't yet been decided, but that means drivers will continue to deal with lane closures in restrictions in the meantime.

"The approach for those and how they're being worked on to maintain traffic is still being worked out this very day, but we are going to have that very soon worked out with our contractor," said Matt Bullock with KYTC.

Once those plans are finalized, the timeline for the project will become more clear, the department said. Original plans called for another full shutdown of the interstate, but Gov. Andy Beshear said the state does not plan to do that.

Without a full closure, however, crews cannot work around the clock, so the construction timelines are further drawn out.

For now, the following ramp closures remain in effect: 

  • June 2026 to late 2026
    • Preston Street ramp to I-65 North
    • Floyd Street/Magnolia Street and Preston Street ramp to I-65 South
    • Arthur Street ramp from I-65 South (Exit 134)
  • June 2026 to August 2027
    • 1st Street/Liberty Street ramp to I-65 South
  • June 2026 to October 2027
    • Brook Street ramp from I-65 North
    • St. Catherine Street ramp to I-65 North
    • Preston Highway ramp to I-264 East
    • Preston Highway ramp to I-264 North
    • Fair/Expo Center Main Gate exit from I-264 East

And these are the surface street closures related to the project:

  • September 2025 to March 2027
    • Brook Street from St. Catherine Street to Caldwell Street
    • Burnett Avenue from Floyd Street to Preston Street
    • Hill Street from Floyd Street to Preston Street
    • Kentucky Street from 1st Street to Floyd Street
  • Permanently closing in July 2026
    • The alley between Broadway and Jacob Street under I-65
  • Permanently closing in August 2026
    • Jacob Street from 1st Street o Brook Street
  • August 2026
    • Broadway from 1st Street to Brook Street
  • August 2026 to October 2027
    • Brook Street from Chestnut Street to Muhammad Ali Boulevard
    • Muhammad Ali Boulevard from 1st Street to I-65
  • September 2026
    • Chestnut Street from 1st Street to Brook Street
  • September 2026 to October 2026
    • Gray Street from 1st Street to Brook Street

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