A look at the $13.2 million I-64 improvement project
The last I-64 rehabilitation project was finished in 2001. | Photo via Canva
You’ve probably heard by now that a six-mile stretch of I-64 East is closing tomorrow for two weeks. And while you might be breathing into a paper bag, we’re here to break down the closure and its role in the larger, multi-million dollar highway project at hand.
A $13.2 million contract
In May, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) awarded a contract to Louisville Paving Company Inc. for an asphalt rehabilitation and improvement project of I-64 East and West. The section affected runs between Mellwood Avenue downtown and just past the Breckinridge Lane overpass near Bowman Field.
Construction began with I-64 West lanes, which closed Friday, June 2 and reopened four days early on Monday, June 12. Now, the corresponding I-64 East lanes are up.
Full disclosures
All I-64 Eastbound lanes from the I-64/I-71 split downtown to the Watterson Expressway will be closed until Friday, July 1.
Signed detours will divert drivers from I-64 West to I-71 North where they’ll eventually reconnect with I-64 East. Delays are expected, so KYTC suggests seeking alternative routes to accommodate longer travel times.
The following ramps will be closed:
Story Avenue
Mellwood Avenue
Grinstead Avenue
Cannons Lane
Pro tip: Check the KYTC’s District 5 Roadshow on Sunday nights for updates on this project and other road closures for the upcoming week.
Improvements being made
While the closures are daunting for commuters, the road is always smoother on the other side.
Once the project wraps at the end of summer, the life of I-64 will be prolonged + Louisvillians can drive in comfort thanks to these improvements:
Repaired guardrails
Stabilized shoulder slopes
Repaved exit ramps along the construction route
Resurfaced pavement inside the Cochran Tunnels
Events
Thursday, June 15
An Evening with Jefferson’s Reserve & Rabbit Hole | Thursday, June 15 | 4:45-10 p.m. | Begins at the Omni Hotel, 400 S. 2nd St., Louisville | $399 | Tour Rabbit Hole Distillery and KY Artisan Distillery, home of Jefferson’s Reserve, then dig into a two-course bourbon dinner pairing.
Shakespeare in Central Park | Thursday, June 15 | 8-10:30 p.m. | Central Park, 1340 S. 4th St., Louisville | Free | See a performance of The Bard’s 17th-century tragedy, “Macbeth.”
Friday, June 16
Derby Festival Yard Sale | Friday, June 16 | 8 a.m.-2 p.m. | Kentucky Derby Festival, 1001 S. 3rd St., Louisville | Free | Shop discounted Derby merch, including festival posters, Pegasus pins, and other collectibles.
Silent Disco | Friday, June 16 | 9 p.m.-12 a.m. | Falls City Brewing Co., 901 E. Liberty St., Louisville | $10 | Dance like no one is listening inside this local brewery.
Saturday, June 17
18th Annual Kentucky Highland Renaissance Festival | Saturday, June 17-Sunday, June 18 | 10 a.m.-7 p.m. | Kentucky Renaissance Fair, 955 Elm St., Eminence | $15-$85 | Travel back in time to see jousting, sword swallowing + blacksmithing.
Elton John tribute | Saturday, June 17 | 5-8 p.m. | Sauerbeck Family Drive-In, 3210 D.W. Griffith Ln., La Grange | $40-$55 | Jam to your favorite tunes by “The Rocket Man” during this all-ages concert.
“The Fannie Lou Hamer Story” | Saturday, June 17 | 8-10:30 p.m. | Kentucky Center for African American Heritage, 1701 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd., Louisville | $25-$30 | Watch a one-person play about how this civil rights activist became the catalyst of the Voter’s Rights Act of 1965.
Sunday, June 18
Funniest Person In Louisville opening round | Sunday, June 18 | 7:30-9 p.m. | TEN20 Craft Brewery, 1020 E. Washington St., Louisville | $12 | Catch the first round of this comic series in search of the funniest person in town.
Monday, June 19
An Evening with Former Kentucky Poet Laureate Frank X Walker | Monday, June 19 | 6-7 p.m. | The Frazier History Museum, 829 W. Main St., Louisville | Free | Poet Frank X Walker, the first African American Kentucky Poet Laureate, will debut a collection of poems about African Americans in Kentucky during the Civil War.
Our spidey senses are tingling. “Spider-Man™: Into the Spider-Verse” live in concert is swinging into the Brown Theatre on Friday, Oct. 20. The Academy Award-winning movie will be accompanied by a live orchestra who will play the film’s hip-hop infused soundtrack. Tickets go on sale tomorrow, June 16.
Edu
Christian Academy of Louisville plans to construct a $4.2 million facility this summer on its English Station campus to house its Junior Academy Program for three- and four year-olds. The 13,000-sqft building will include eight classrooms, a multi-purpose room, a playground + dedicated drop-off and pick-up lanes. (Louisville Business First)
Real Estate
A newly constructed house in Germantown is up for sale at 1104 Saint Michael St. for $750,000. The 3,649-sqft contemporary home features a stucco exterior, in-ground pool, and graffiti-style artwork throughout the house — including in the bathroom.
Theater
Performances of the Academy Award-winning Broadway play adaptation of “To Kill a Mockingbird” will begin next Tuesday, June 20 and run through Sunday, June 25. Tickets range from $58.50 to $146.25 to see Harper Lee’s famous novel come to life on stage at The Kentucky Center.
Try This
Actor Scott Patterson, best known for his heartthrob role as Luke on “Gilmore Girls,” is on a mission to meet every fan of the 2000s TV drama. Patterson will continue his quest this weekend at the first-ever, all-encompassing pop culture convention, PopCon Louisville, at the Kentucky Exposition Center.
Concert
Do you remember… Earth, Wind & Fire is set to take the Louisville Palace stage on Tuesday, June 27. Balcony and some orchestra seats are still available and start at $48 to see these disco-era legends.
History
A replica of the Pinta, one of Christopher Columbus’ Spanish exploration ships, is sailing into the Louisville Wharf on Thursday, June 22. The “floating museum” was built using the same hand tools as the 15th-century original. Self-guided tours of the 38,000-sqft ship will be available daily through Tuesday, July 4.
Finance
A Banksy painting that gave everyday investors 32% returns? Yep, you read that right. Thousands of investors are smiling all the way to the bank thanks to the fine art investing platform Masterworks. Masterworks investors have benefitted from sales with returns of 13.9%, 35.0%, and 27.3%. Skip the waitlist and join.*
Featured Deal
Need a last minute Father’s Day gift idea? Treat dad to the ultimate smart home upgrade by converting his manual window shades into motorized SmartShades. Easy-to-install, energy savings, and smart sophistication all in one package. RYSE is offering 10% off the entire store. Snag the deal here.*
Travel
It’s time to plan that last summer hurrah for Labor Day weekend. May we suggest a coastal getaway to the Outer Banks? Or maybe your dream destination is a rustic treehouse in the Adirondack Mountains. Wanna splurge? This modern farmhouse in Napa Valley is sure to be unforgettable.*
Open
A new farm-to-table market
Ashbourne Farms opens a marketplace on River Road in Louisville
Products sold at Haymarket will help support the local agricultural economy. | Photo by LOUtoday
Ashbourne Farms, a 2,500-acre third generation farm in La Grange, opened its first marketplace at 3020 River Road near the Louisville Water Tower.
Haymarket’s 6,000-sqft campus includes a grocery-style market, made-to-order food counter, drive-thru, covered patio, walk-up coffee shop + a garden with greenhouses.
Operating under the ideals of the farm-to-table movement, Haymarket sells produce grown onsite or at Ashbourne Farms, organic grocery staples, and other products produced using sustainable practices.
Here’s what you’ll find on the shelves:
Baked-in-house breads, like ciabatta and sourdough made with local grains
Gluten-free pastas and snacks
Artisanal goods, including tinned fish, olive oil, and cheese
Packaged soups, dips, meals, and more made by the Haymarket culinary team
Fresh flowers + home goods
Haymarket is open daily, 8 a.m.-8 p.m. + the drive-thru is open daily, 6 a.m.-6 p.m., and there are plans to open a micro market and coffee shop in NuLu this fall.
I was driving down Main Street last weekend and noticed a line of 20+ people in front of Big Nita’s Cheesecakes waiting for it to open. Must be some really good cheesecake.
That line got me thinking. What’s worth lining up for in Louisville? Tell me what you’ve stood in line to get.
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