Interstate 64 in Kentucky

Interstate 64 Main route of the Interstate Highway System
Maintained by Kentucky DOT
Length:	185.20 mi[1] (298.05 km)
Formed:	1956
West end:	I-64 at Indiana state line
Major junctions:	I-264 in Louisville I-65 / I-71 in Louisville I-264 in Louisville I-265 in Middletown I-75 in Lexington
East end:	I-64 at West Virginia state line
Numbered highways in Kentucky < KY 64 KY 65 > Interstates - U.S. Highways - State Highways

In the U.S. state of Kentucky, Interstate 64 travels for 191 miles (307 km) passing by the major towns and cities of Louisville, Lexington and Ashland. It has several major junctions within the state: Interstate 65, Interstate 71, Interstate 264 and Interstate 265 in Louisville, and Interstate 75 in Lexington.

The interstate is host to two "exceptionally significant" structures indicated by the Federal Highway Administration. One is the 1970 Cherokee Park Tunnels in Louisville and a 1960s-era modern-styled rest area near Winchester.^[2]

Streaking Lights on I-64 as seen from the horse/bike bridge at Seneca Park in Louisville Kentucky.

In Downtown Louisville, the interstate passes under a public plaza called the Riverfront Plaza/Belvedere, one of the only structures in the state built on top of an interstate.

History

The Cherokee Park Tunnels in Louisville underwent restoration in 2001, which involved the reconstruction of the concrete pavement, the installation of new tiles and improvements to lighting. Efforts were made to paint the interior tiles of the tunnel with a mural, but were dropped because opponents stated that drivers would become distracted while passing through the tunnel, driving and viewing the art work at the same time.^[3][4] The tunnels, which opened in 1970, are one of three sites in Kentucky deemed "exceptionally significant" by the Federal Highway Administration. The designation meant that it will be very difficult for the stretch of interstate running through Cherokee Park ever to be widened.^[2]

Construction began on a Kentucky Route 180 interchange improvement project in the summer of 2006.^[5][6] The $34 million project entailed the rebuilding of six bridges, the widening of Kentucky Route 180 to four-lanes in the vicinity of the interchange and the conversion of the ramps into a diamond. The project should be finished by November 2008.

In March 2007, Governor of Kentucky Ernie Fletcher signed Senate Bill 83 which allowed for an increase in speed limits on rural interstates and parkways. Speed limits on rural sections of Interstate 64 were increased from 65 MPH to 70 mph (110 km/h), following an engineering study by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. New signage was installed in July^[7]

On June 7, 2007, Interstate 64 between the junction of Interstate 264 and Interstate 65 and Interstate 71 in downtown Louisville was closed to through traffic.^[8] The section of highway featured three-lanes of traffic in each direction on an elevated viaduct paralleling the Ohio River, carrying 90,000 vehicles-per-day. The closure was part of a $50 million refurbishment project that involved replacing 132 expansion joints and repaving more than four-miles (6 km) of interstate and interchanges.^[9] The work was completed in two phases, starting with the entire project area being closed on three weekends in June, followed by a section of highway closed from 3rd to 22nd Streets in early July to early August.

"8664"

Controversially, I-64 runs through Louisville Waterfront Park, a key part of the revitalization of Downtown Louisville, and portions of the park exist under it. 8664.org, a grassroots campaign with popular support but little apparent political momentum, aims to re-route I-64 to enhance Louisville's waterfront. I-64 will be widened over the park as a part of the Ohio River Bridges Project, supported by the Mayor and most involved in city and interstate planning.

Exit list

County	Location[10]	Mile	#	Destinations	Notes
Jefferson	Louisville		1	I-264 east (Watterson Expressway) – Shively
			3	US 150 east (22nd Street) / Northwestern Parkway	East end of US 150 overlap
			4	9th Street, Roy Wilkins Avenue
			5B	River Road	Eastbound exit is via exit 4
			5A	I-65 – Nashville, Indianapolis	Signed as exit 5A and 5B eastbound
			6	I-71 north – Cincinnati	Westbound exit is via exit 7
			7	US 42 (Mellwood Avenue) / US 60 / Story Avenue
			8	Grinstead Drive
			10	Cannons Lane
			12	I-264 (Watterson Expressway)	Signed as exits 12A and 12B eastbound
			15	KY 1747 (Hurstbourne Parkway) – Jeffersontown, Middletown
	Jeffersontown
			17	Blankenbaker Parkway
			19A-B	I-265 (Gene Snyder Freeway) / KY 841
Shelby	Simpsonville		28	KY 1848 (Veechdale Road) – Simpsonville
	Shelbyville		32	KY 55 – Taylorsville, Shelbyville	Signed as exits 32A and 32B eastbound
			35	KY 53 – Shelbyville
			43	KY 395
Franklin			48	KY 151 – Lawrenceburg
			53	US 127 – Lawrenceburg, Frankfort	Signed as exit 53A and 53B
			58	US 60 – Versailles, Frankfort
Woodford	Midway		65	KY 341 – Versailles, Midway
Scott			69	US 62 (Paynes Depot Road) – Georgetown
Fayette	Lexington		75	I-75 north – Cincinnati	West end of I-75 overlap
			115	KY 922 to Bluegrass Pkwy. – Lexington
			113	US 27 / US 68 (Broadway) – Lexington, Paris
			81	I-75 south – Richmond – Knoxville	East end of I-75 overlap
			87	KY 859
Clark			94	KY 1958 to KY 627 / Van Meter Road – Winchester
	Winchester		96	KY 627 – Winchester, Paris	Signed as exits 96A and 96B westbound
			98	B.T. Combs Mountain Pkwy. – Prestonsburg, Campton	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
			101	US 60
Montgomery	Mount Sterling		110	US 460 / KY 11 – Flemingsburg, Mount Sterling, Paris
	Mount Sterling		113	US 60 – Mount Sterling
Bath	Owingsville		121	KY 36 – Owingsville, Frenchburg
			123	US 60 – Owingsville, Salt Lick
Rowan			133	KY 801
	Morehead		137	KY 32 east / Flemingsburg Road – Flemingsburg, Morehead
Carter			156	KY 2 to KY 59 – Olive Hill, Vanceburg
			161	US 60 – Olive Hill
	Grayson		172	KY 1 / KY 7 to KY 9 (AA Highway) – Maysville, Grayson
			179	KY 67 north (Industrial Parkway) – Greenup, Wurtland
Boyd			181	US 60
			185	KY 180 – Cannonsburg, Ashland
			191	US 23 – Ashland, Louisa

References

Interstate 64
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