Kentucky Transportation Cabinet officials have four major road projects in Louisville until fall 2027, and keeping track of ongoing construction can be a challenge for commuters.
Louisville drivers are awaiting a complete closure of the Interstate 65 corridor between downtown and Interstate 264, which will last approximately two months in the summer of 2026. Along Interstate 264, the section of highway surrounding the new Veterans Affairs Medical Center will undergo some widening and reconstruction work in the fall of 2027.
Just north of the Interstate 65 Central Corridor Project, crews are replacing components of the John F. Kennedy Memorial Bridge. Work there will likely end sometime in the fall of 2026.
Interstate 71 is undergoing a widening project in downtown Louisville. No lane closures are expected during peak travel periods, but drivers may see traffic changes until fall 2027.
The following is a timeline of events related to the project:
February 2025: KYTC officials announced that three lanes of the Kennedy Bridge will be closed while crews prepare to replace expansion joints on the bridge. The replacement work is initially expected to last until April 2026.
July 9, 2025: KYTC announced $130 million in projects to reconstruct the Interstate 264-Brownsboro Road interchange and widen I-264 between Westport Road and I-71, among other projects. Traffic diversions and nighttime lane closures are in place in the project area.
August 27, 2025: KYTC officials announce $150 million I-65 central corridor project. Street closures began the next day for preliminary work.
November 2025: KYTC officials announced that Interstate 71 will be widened in all directions, from the I-65 interchange near Frankfort Avenue to the Zorn Avenue interchange. Lane closures begin each night.
November 20, 2025: Delays in the Kennedy Bridge project pushed the project’s expected completion from April 2026 to the fall of that year. Engineers suspended the project after determining additional evaluation was needed.
June 2026: Interstate 65 in Louisville is closed in both directions from Jefferson Street in downtown to the Interstate 264 interchange.
July 31, 2026: Interstate 65 in Louisville is expected to reopen to traffic between Jefferson Street and Interstate 264. Some traffic pattern changes will continue until mid-2027.
Fall 2026: Replacement work on the Kennedy Bridge expansion joints is expected to be complete.
Fall 2026: If Kentucky receives additional federal funding to replace more I-65 bridges, the process of installing those bridges will begin. I-65 is not expected to be completely closed again. A construction date has not yet been finalized.
Mid 2027: Crews plan to complete the I-65 Central Corridor project.
Fall 2027: Work is expected to be completed in the Watterson Expressway, Interstate 71 and Brownsboro Road areas.
Fall 2027: The I-71 widening project is expected to be completed.
Contact reporter Leo Bertucci at lbertucci@usatodayco.com or @leober2chee on X (formerly Twitter)
This article originally appeared in the Louisville Courier-Journal: When will freeway construction end in Louisville? Full schedule