By Maanasa Dhavala, Building Kentucky
Residents from Louisville and surrounding counties will be excited to hear that two major construction projects will be finishing up this fall. The Sherman Minton Bridge renewal, currently in its final phase, and the I-Move KY project are both scheduled to be completed by fall 2024. Both projects will add major improvements and safety to current roadways and bridges.
The Sherman Minton Renewal, which is a joint project between the Indiana Department of Transportation and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has been ongoing for six years. It’s a major rehabilitation of the historic Sherman Minton Bridge along I-64, which has been serving both Louisville, KY and New Albany, IN since its original construction in 1962. Named after senator and Supreme Court Justice Sherman Minton, the bridge has undergone several repairs over the decades, and this current round will extend the life of the bridge for up to 30 years. Phase 5, the final phase of construction, includes replacing hanger cables, replacing the bridge’s lighting, adding traffic monitoring equipment, adding permanent striping, and repainting the bridge to match its original color.
The I-Move KY project, led by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, is four separate highway improvements. I-Move KY includes expanding I-265 from four lanes to six, adding lanes to a section of I-71, improving the I-71/I-265 interchange, and rebuilding the I-64/I-265 interchange. By using a four-projects-in-one approach the I-Move KY project is improving overall safety, ease of travel and quality of life for drivers who frequently use Interstate 265 (Gene Snyder Freeway), Interstate 64 and Interstate 71. This innovative project approach allows crews to work on all sections of the project simultaneously and will result in shorter and safer commuters for drivers at the project’s completion. The original construction on the Gene Snyder Freeway began in the late 1950s and the route was completed in the 1980s. The transformational I-Move KY road project began in 2020 and all construction will conclude this fall 2024.
With both projects ending this fall, residents and commuters will be able to drive on new and improved roads, bridges, and highways in just a few short months!
