LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is adjusting its tactics and delaying other scheduled road work after new construction closures triggered major gridlock in downtown Louisville.
Muhammad Ali Boulevard is closed indefinitely between Floyd and Brook streets as part of the Interstate 65 Central Corridor project. The nearby section of Brook Street under I-65 is also closed. Both are expected to remain closed for the duration of the project.
The initial rollout Tuesday left drivers trapped in nearby hospital parking garages for an hour and caused backups stretching up to a mile, prompting construction crews to call Louisville Metro Police for help.
When asked about the severe congestion, a spokesperson for KYTC said the cabinet is "actively monitoring traffic conditions."
In the meantime, transportation officials made operational adjustments to improve traffic flow during peak travel times.
Those changes include:
- Signage and message boards were repositioned to alert drivers of closures sooner.
- Traffic control personnel are on-site and ready to direct traffic if backups become severe.
- Crews are continuing to adjust traffic signal timing.
Those changes appeared to offer some relief Wednesday, though drivers still encountered notable delays.
"We tried to take a different route to get to where we needed to go," commuter Jamie Wise said. "And I think it was just as congested."
The closures are also affecting pedestrians and transit riders. Andrea Stevenson, a physical therapy patient at Frazier Rehabilitation Hospital, now has to walk an extra six blocks to catch her bus home because of the detours.
"It was terrible," Stevenson said.
Wise agreed.
"You have to have some suffering before you can have the good outcome, I guess," Wise said.
To prevent further compounding the issue, KYTC pushed back another scheduled downtown road closure.
Broadway under I-65 between Brook and 1st streets was supposed to close Wednesday while crews begin demolishing an old overpass. KYTC initially said the closure would be postponed until later this week at the earliest, but officials now say it has been delayed indefinitely while they monitor traffic conditions.
Once Broadway does close, it is expected to remain shut down until mid-October.
I-65 Closure | Traffic Map | Latest Coverage | Real-Time AlertsÂ
This all comes about nearly a month after two lanes in each direction of I-65 reopened three days ahead of schedule between downtown Louisville and Interstate 264 after a nearly eight-week shutdown.Â
Several ramps remain closed, including the Preston Street ramp, ramps at Floyd and Magnolia streets on I-65 South, and the Arthur Street ramp at Exit 134.
Project officials said three bridges are still being repaired, with additional overpasses awaiting plans for replacement or rehabilitation. Gov. Andy Beshear said the state does not plan another full shutdown of I-65 for the remaining work, though a final completion date has not been announced.
Future overpass work is expected near Liberty Street, Floyd Street, Muhammad Ali Boulevard, Jacob Street, Chestnut Street, and Muhammad Ali Boulevard at Brook Street, officials said.
Officials are still encouraging through-traffic — especially truck drivers without Louisville destinations — to use posted detours to reduce congestion in the work zone. During the closure, some truck detours led to the "can opener" underpass that has a history of trucks striking the bridge.
The following ramp closures remain in effect:Â
- 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 to 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
For more information on the project, click here.
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