KYTC is preparing drivers with public meetings as a test drive highlights how traffic could shift across Louisville.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — In five weeks, one of the busiest stretches of Interstate 65 in Louisville will shut down in both directions, from the airport to near downtown. For tens of thousands of drivers, the key question is not whether commutes will change, but how.
A test drive set out to find answers.
Starting near downtown by the YMCA, the route avoided highways. GPS estimated an 18-minute drive to the airport. On a calm Wednesday afternoon just before 5 p.m., that estimate proved accurate—but conditions were ideal.
The route traveled east on Broadway, then onto Shelby Street, passing ongoing construction and light traffic. At one point, it passed an ice cream shop, but the more important observation was how uncrowded the roads were—for now.
From there, the drive continued toward Preston Highway, passing under I-65 near the Kentucky Expo Center, and reached the airport in just under 18 minutes.
However, officials caution this reflects a best-case scenario.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet reports that about 120,000 vehicles use this stretch of I-65 daily between Broadway and the University exit. Once the shutdown begins, drivers will need alternate routes, many relying on GPS navigation.
Some of that traffic is expected to spill into nearby neighborhoods, including areas near the ice cream shop. Residents like Michael and Paul Gray say traffic is currently light, but that could change.
“It’s not heavily traveled, and that’s one of the reasons I like riding my bike back here,” he said. “That might change things.”
Nearby on Bradley Avenue, crews are already working on new bridge supports as part of a broader project to replace multiple crossings, signaling early changes in traffic patterns.
Commuters like Allison Rushing, who drives to New Albany, already rely on GPS to navigate.
“It depends where I’m going,” she said. “If I’m going to work, I use it to check traffic.”
She is now planning how her commute may change once the closure begins, as familiar routes could become less reliable.
The test drive also followed the official detour using I-264, which already carries between 175,000 and 190,000 vehicles daily near its intersection with I-65. Even before the shutdown, it remains heavily traveled.
That route took about 20 minutes, again without the added congestion expected once traffic increases.
When the closure begins, southbound drivers on I-65 will still be able to exit at Jefferson Street, but beyond that point, many will depend on navigation apps to manage changing conditions.
Drivers can attend public meetings to learn more about the closure. The first is scheduled from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 5, at DuPont Manual High School. The second will take place from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 12, at Spalding University.
The true impact will unfold in five weeks, when every alternate route, side street, and shortcut could play a role in daily travel.
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