Story Highlights

  • Drivers say potholes along I-71 north in Louisville have become severe and unavoidable, especially through a tight construction zone near downtown
  • State officials blame winter weather and temporary asphalt, with overnight lane closures planned to repair the damaged stretch
  • Motorists report hazardous conditions and costly damage risks, with barriers limiting their ability to avoid potholes

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Potholes are a familiar nuisance each spring, but drivers in one stretch of Interstate 71 in Louisville said this year has been especially rough and unavoidable.

A construction zone along I-71 North near downtown has become increasingly difficult to navigate, as winter weather and ongoing road work combine to create hazardous conditions.

The area is part of a two-year, $50 million widening and improvement project, where temporary lane shifts and construction barriers have limited space for drivers to avoid potholes.

“If you can’t drive without hitting a pothole, I would call you a NASCAR racer,” said Sam Brey, who frequently travels I-71. “If they take out that left lane and that right lane is where the emergency lane is, and that’s filled with potholes too, so you’re kind of stuck.”

Brey said he and his fiancée have even given the stretch a nickname: “pothole riviera” or “pothole valley.”

Fluctuating temperatures in recent months have made conditions worse, causing pavement to expand and contract, leading to cracks and potholes.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet said that temporary asphalt used during lane shifts has not held up as well as expected. In response, crews plan to begin six nights of lane closures starting Thursday, from the I-65/I-71 interchange to Zorn Avenue, to make repairs.

Overnight closures of the right lane on I-71 North:

  • From 8 p.m. Thursday, March 19, to 5 a.m. Friday, March 20
  • From 8 p.m. Friday, March 20, to 5 a.m. Saturday, March 21
  • From 8 p.m. Sunday, March 22, to 5 a.m. Monday, March 23
  • Overnight closures of the right lane on I-71 South:
  • From 8 p.m. Monday, March 23, to 5 a.m. Tuesday, March 24
  • From 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 24, to 5 a.m. Wednesday, March 25
  • From 8 p.m. Wednesday, March 25, to 5 a.m. Thursday, March 26

Drivers said the situation is made more dangerous by concrete barriers that prevent them from swerving around damage in the road.

“The potholes is crazy, and if you don’t watch it, your wheel might fall off,” Tawanna Hobbs said. “They need to do it right because there is too much traffic on the one expressway.”

Hobbs said her vehicle has not been damaged, but she has seen other drivers dealing with costly repairs.

“They close everything else down, they should have closed that down and did it right all at one time,” she said.

Brey said even temporary fixes don’t seem to last.

“Even if they try to fill the potholes, those potholes still break after a week,” he said.

State transportation officials said the upcoming repairs aim to improve driving conditions as construction continues.

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