Construction on a major interstate redesign in a busy area of Louisville’s East End is nearly complete, according to project officials.
I-Move Kentucky, which extends from the Gene Snyder Freeway at Taylorsville Road to Interstate 71 near Crestwood, could be done sometime in the fall of 2024.
The Courier Journal had reported in July 2023 the I-Move project would be finished this spring. In December 2020, officials said they were targeting a completion date of November 2023.
I-Move aims to reduce traffic congestion and improve safety by rebuilding interchanges and adding lanes. Costing more than $180 million, it is Kentucky’s largest road project since the Ohio River Bridges Project was completed in 2016, according to officials.
“The I-Move Kentucky project is part of the administration’s commitment to safe and reliable highways that boost the economy and enhance the quality of life for all Kentuckians,” the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet said in a statement.
Why was the project’s end date moved back to fall 2024?
Supply chain issues are the main reason why the I-Move project was delayed twice, the transportation cabinet said.
“Although supply chain shortages have contributed to project delays, work has consistently progressed during nights and weekends to meet the fall 2024 completion date,” a statement reads.
The transportation cabinet added it has “remained committed to keeping the roadway open for car and truck traffic while undertaking this significant transformation along high-volume corridors.”
What does the I-Move project entail?
Here are the tasks listed on the I-Move Kentucky website:
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Expand I-265 from four lanes to six lanes from the I-71 interchange to Taylorsville Road
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Expand I-71 from four lanes to six lanes from I-265 to Kentucky 329 in Oldham County
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Add a collector-distributor lane on I-71 South at the I-265 interchange
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Rebuild the interchange at I-64 and I-265
How much does I-Move cost?
The construction cost for the project was originally estimated to be $180 million, but the state has since had to spend an additional $1.8 million due to the rising cost for road materials and “corrective work for a portion of the shoulders,” the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet said.
“These adjustments are standard for large projects and agreed upon during the procurement process,” KYTC said in a statement.
I-Move progress: New interchange ramp to open
In a monthly newsletter distributed Wednesday, I-Move officials said a new ramp carrying traffic from eastbound I-64 to northbound I-265 would open in “early June.” Known as a “flyover ramp,” it is longer than the previous ramp, which was part of a cloverleaf-shaped interchange. The new ramp will cross over a bridge above I-64.
The new ramp would “significantly reduce (traffic) congestion, making daily commutes more efficient,” officials said in the newsletter.
Crews are working to construct another flyover ramp, which would move vehicles from northbound I-265 to westbound I-64, project officials said.
Are flyover ramps safer than cloverleaf ramps?
I-Move project officials previously said the newly designed interchange at interstates 64 and 265 would reduce crashes on I-64 by 16% and by 14% on I-265, The Courier Journal reported in 2019.
In a January 2024 video, an official with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet said cloverleaf interchanges “are not the most effective design solution for areas with high traffic volumes.” The interchange where I-64 and I-265 meet carries up to 94,000 vehicles a day, about four times as many vehicles as the interchange at interstates 71 and 265 , according to data from I-Move Kentucky.
In an article on its website, the Ohio Department of Transportation said it discourages building cloverleaf interchanges if it is common for more than 1,000 vehicles an hour two adjoining cloverleaf ramps.
Reach reporter Leo Bertucci at [email protected] or @leober2chee on X, formerly known as Twitter
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This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Why the completion of a Louisville interstate project was delayed again
Amanda Smith is a dedicated U.S. correspondent with a passion for uncovering the stories that shape the nation. With a background in political science, she provides in-depth analysis and insightful commentary on domestic affairs, ensuring readers are well-informed about the latest developments across the United States.
