I-Move Week Ahead: Bridge construction requires I-71 road closures Wednesday, Thursday nights

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Crews will set beams for a new bridge at the I-265 interchange

NOTE: This has been updated to note ramp closures and lane closures added to accommodate work this week. Work schedules may be adjusted due to weather.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet continues to make progress on the I-Move Kentucky project as crews work in several areas of I-71 and I-265. Work at the I-71/I-265 interchange will require some rolling road closures and a ramp closure this week as crews construct a new bridge over I-71.

Overnight Wednesday and Thursday nights from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m., I-71 northbound and southbound lanes will experience rolling road closures in 15-minute increments near the I-265 interchange. Roadblocks will be placed across all lanes while crews set beams for the I-265 northbound bridge over I-71. The I-71 southbound roadblock will start near the rest area near mile point 12. The I-71 northbound roadblock will start at the I-264 (Watterson Expressway) split at mile point 5.1.

Additionally, on Wednesday night, the ramp from I-265 southbound to I-71 northbound and the right lane of I-71 northbound near the interchange will be closed from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. On Thursday night, the ramp from I-265 northbound to I-71 southbound and the right lane of I-71 southbound near the interchange will be closed from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Friday.

Overnight Friday at 8 p.m. until Saturday at 6 a.m., the ramp from I-71 southbound to I-265 southbound will be closed to shift traffic to newly paved lanes.

Drivers should be cautious when traveling through active construction areas. Signage and flaggers will be in place to alert drivers of lane closures and construction zones. Work schedules may be adjusted due to inclement weather or other unforeseen delays.

Current I-Move Kentucky Work Areas

I-71/I-265 interchange – Rolling road closures in 15-minute increments will take place Wednesday and Thursday nights from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. on I-71 northbound and southbound lanes as crews work to construct a new bridge. To set each structural beam for the bridge over I-71, roadblocks will be set up across all lanes on I-71 southbound near the rest area at mile point 12 and I-71 northbound at I-264 at mile point 5.1.

On Wednesday night, the ramp from I-265 southbound to I-71 northbound and the right lane of I-71 northbound near the interchange will be closed from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. On Thursday night, the ramp from I-265 northbound to I-71 southbound and the right lane of I-71 southbound near the interchange will be closed from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Friday.

On Friday night, the ramp from I-71 southbound to I-265 southbound will be closed at 8 p.m. and reopen Saturday morning at 6 a.m. so that crews can work on the roadway surface and switch traffic to a newly paved lane.

Work on access ramps, along I-71 and the widening of the corridor to add a collector-distributor lane will improve safety for vehicles entering and exiting I-71 at mile point 9.1.

I-71 northbound at Moser Farm Road – Blasting work on I-71 northbound and southbound at Moser Farm Road is under way and will continue daily this week. Excavation work is needed to eventually widen this area of the I-71 corridor to a total of six lanes. Rolling lane closures and short-term road closures will take place on both northbound and southbound lanes daily, including some weekends, between noon and 3 p.m. while blasting is completed near mile point 11.8 of I-71 northbound.

I-71 southbound between Brownsboro Road bridge and I-265 bridge – Preparation work in this area is ongoing to allow for widening of the corridor and construction of a new Brownsboro Road (KY 1694) bridge over I-71. This work zone is located between mile point 10.3 and mile point 9.1 of I-71 southbound. No traffic impacts are expected this week.

I-71 southbound between Highway 329 and the rest area – Crews continue to work to extend a culvert that will allow for the widening of I-71. No traffic impacts are expected as work continues between mile point 14.5 and mile point 13.5 of I-71 southbound.

I-265 between Taylorsville Road and I-64 – Paving on interior lanes of I-265 between Taylorsville Road and I-64 will begin Wednesday night. No traffic impacts are anticipated as crews perform this work and continue drainage and lane widening work in the median between mile point 25.4 and mile point 23.1.