Truckers should plan ahead for two month I-65 closure in Louisville

A major interstate closure is coming to Louisville, Kentucky, in just a matter of days.

Starting on Monday, June 1, 2026, a five-mile stretch of I-65 in Louisville will close between the Watterson Expressway (I-264) and downtown Louisville (Jefferson Street) to allow construction crews to work on replacing three bridges.

“I-65 bridges over Kentucky Street/Brook Street, Hill Street/CSX Railroad/Burnett Avenue, and Bradley Avenue near the fairgrounds are at the end of their service life and are being replaced. Crews will make significant progress during the closure, demolishing and rebuilding part of the new deck and superstructure of each bridge. Accelerated work during the closure will save at least a year of additional restrictions and delays on I-65,” officials said.

I-65 is expected to reopen on August 1, 2026.

A two-mile section of southbound I-65 is expected to reopen to two lanes of traffic by Wednesday, July 1.

The signed detour will take traffic to I-264 (Georgia Davis Powers Expressway) on the west side of Louisville. Additionally, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has partnered with mapping apps like Waze to “guide drivers along the most efficient route at the time of travel.”

I-65 is a major freight route, and truckers could experience significant delays traveling through Louisville during the closure.

Construction on I-65 is Louisville is scheduled to last through the end of 2027 as part of a larger project to replace or repair a total of nine bridges.