HELP!!! - People near (or who have driven through) Louisville - HELP!!!

[gene2geno]

We're planning to drive from northern IL to WDW taking I-65 south through Loiusville. In addition to all of the normal summer construction along the way we've heard very bad things about the bridge work in Louisville. Is there anyone who knows the best way to get around this? Thank you so much!

 

[kydisneyfans]

I was in Louisville today for a meeting, yes I65 is a complete mess.

From the north, I would suggest 1 of 2 options:
Take I265 west to I64 east. Then take either 64 or 264 to reconnect with I65 south of town. 264 would be my recommendation.

The other is to take US 31, which parallels I65 across the river into downtown Louisville. I have done this and wonder why more don't take this route.

From the south, you definitely want to take 264 west of Louisville to 64 then 265 to reconnect north of town. Taking I65 much north of 264 will get you into delays quickly northbound.

There is also significant construction along I65 near the Cave City area. Most of the time it is 2 lanes open with traffic moving OK, but during the times it is down to 1 lane, expect very long delays. Again, look for US 31 as an alternate. We were stuck in a 28 mile backup last summer due to construction on I65 and 31 was a lifesaver.

 

[gene2geno]

Thank you very much kydisneyfans! You're the best!

 

[smidgy]

We are leaving in about a week and plan on skipping Indiana altogether.
just take I57 souththrough Illinois.(we are coming from NW of chitown, so will take 90 to 53, which turns into 355. to I80. then I57 south.)
we take this route often, even when there are no construction problems on the bridge in Louisville.

57 runs into 24. take that into Nashville, where you can pick up 65.

a friend went through louiville in early July, and siad the bridge over the river was a construction mess.

 

[kimmcbee]

Just remember if you are traveling south on the weekends, when you hit Nashville, the interstate is closed almost everyweekend due to bridge construction. It makes for a big mess everyweekend around here

 

[gene2geno]

Is this true for going back north too? We were planning to leave WDW on Saturday.

 

[kimmcbee]

As far as we know it is everyweekend till September. it is closed both ways on 1-24 as yu go thru nashville. they of course have detours set up. husband forgot about it last weekend got stuck in the mess. took about hour and half to get thru, and we know the back way to get off the interstate. usually nashville is easy to get thru, just plan lots of extra time.

 

[Gr8t Fan]

As far as we know it is everyweekend till September. it is closed both ways on 1-24 as yu go thru nashville. they of course have detours set up. husband forgot about it last weekend got stuck in the mess. took about hour and half to get thru, and we know the back way to get off the interstate. usually nashville is easy to get thru, just plan lots of extra time.

Do you know what time they shut down I24? Is it at midnight on Friday into Saturday, or is it at 6 am on Saturday or something else ? Or, do you know where I can find this information?

We're planning on leaving Chicago about 7 pm and it would take us about 8.5 hours to get to Nashville, so about 3:30 am.

TIA for any help you can give me on this.

 

[Disneycouple99]

Do you know what time they shut down I24? Is it at midnight on Friday into Saturday, or is it at 6 am on Saturday or something else ? Or, do you know where I can find this information?

We're planning on leaving Chicago about 7 pm and it would take us about 8.5 hours to get to Nashville, so about 3:30 am.

TIA for any help you can give me on this.

8/3 to 8/5 and 8/24 to 8/26
From 9:00 p.m. Friday to 5:00 a.m. Sunday

 

[Gr8t Fan]

8/3 to 8/5 and 8/24 to 8/26
From 9:00 p.m. Friday to 5:00 a.m. Sunday

Thank you, thank you, thank you! We are driving through on 8/17 and then back on 9/1, so hopefully we'll avoid the worst of things.

 

[My WDW Happy Place]

I live in Louisville, the Ohio river bridge construction that was messing up I65 here is now complete. I'm not sure about the current Nashville construction but I65 has been torn up down there for years (decades?) beginning about Bowling Green, KY.

 

[Butterbunkins]

You can avoid both Louisville and Nashville. In Indianapolis switch to I-74 east and then in Cincinnati pick up I-75 south. It's about an extra 30 minutes drive time but you can avoid any problems in those other cities. Just make sure there is nothing going on in Cincinnati or Lexington.

 

[LadyBeBop]

You can avoid both Louisville and Nashville. In Indianapolis switch to I-74 east and then in Cincinnati pick up I-75 south. It's about an extra 30 minutes drive time but you can avoid any problems in those other cities. Just make sure there is nothing going on in Cincinnati or Lexington.

You can bypass Downtown Cincinnati by taking I-275 south across the Ohio River into Kentucky. You pick up I-75 about two exits past the airport.

You shouldn't run into anything around Lexington since the interstate actually bypasses Lexington by about five miles. Evenif you're going during a University of Kentucky football or basketball game, or the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland (horse racing), you'll be fine.

They should be about finished with the landslide cleanup just south of the Kentucky/Tennesee border.

While you bypass Lexington, you'll go straight through Knoxville, TN. Knoxville is 100 times easier to get through than Nashville. However, it may get busy during University of Tennessee football games. (I've never travelled it during game days).

Any questions, please PM me. I live in Erlanger, which is where I-275 and I-75 meet in Kentucky.