LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — There are just 18 days until a full closure of Interstate 65 in Louisville, and Louisville Metro Police as well as residents are preparing.
The I-65 Central Corridor closure starts June 1, and will affect a lot of streets in Old Louisville as three bridges over Kentucky Street, Hill Street and Bradley Avenue will be replaced.
For Jasmine Cundiff and her husband, they have lived in the shadow of I-65 for 11 years and are preparing for more traffic as the five-mile closure and detours begin.Â
"There is going to be two huge crane like literally right over the top of our house," Cundiff said. "Numerous cars have been hit right here. So it will be interesting to see where they cut it off and to see how much space we have, basically."
On Wednesday, LMPD addressed some of resident concerns when it comes to more than 100,000 vehicles looking for alternate routes. LMPD Deputy Chief Emily McKinley asks for people's patience during the closure.
Drivers will need to take the planned detour of Interstate 64 to Interstate 264 and then reconnect to Interstate 65 beginning on June 1, 2026. (Photo courtesy of KYTC)
"We want people to know to be patient, to plan ahead, there is going to be traffic, it's going to take you a little extra time to maybe get downtown," McKinley said.
Derrick Pedolsky, President of the Limerick Neighborhood Association, said his concern is if the old streets can keep up with all the new traffic and is asking LMPD to not only help drivers with concerns but also neighbors.
"The corridors along I-65 on both sides of the street are going to inundated," Pedolsky said. "It's kind of a wait and see situation — you want to have good faith in the infrastructure being provided, but I think it is probably going to be an ongoing process."
The planned detour takes drivers around the city on Interstate 264, the Georgia Davis Powers Expressway in the western part of town, back to I-65 at the I-264 interchange, near the airport.Â
LMPD knows that some people will try to cut through the neighborhoods, and trucks may try to use the Second Street Bridge, which has weight limits.
"If neighborhoods start to become congested, we will respond and take enforcement action as far as directing trucks where they need to go and making sure neighborhoods are safe," McKinley said.
Still, for Cundiff, the closure will bring disruption for people who are just trying to commute to and from work.
"Yes there is traffic, yes there is vehicles there is all that, but it is what it is - they have to do their job, too, you know?" Cundiff said.
The closure starts at Jefferson Street on I-65 and extends to I-264, Watterson Expressway, and is expected to last through Aug. 1.Â
Copyright 2026 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.
