Existed: 1956 – present Constructed 1956 | Length 307.4 km | |
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West end: I-64 / US 150 at Indiana state line East end: I‑64 at West Virginia state line | ||
In the U.S. state of Kentucky, Interstate 64 travels for 191 miles (307 km) passing by the major towns and cities of Louisville, Frankfort, 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.
Contents
The interstate is host to two "exceptionally significant" structures indicated by the Federal Highway Administration. One is the Cochran Hill Tunnel, a twin tube at Cherokee Park in Louisville built in 1974, and the other is a 1960s-era modern-styled rest area near Winchester.
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.
Between the Indiana state line and Lexington, the interstate is named the Daniel Boone Expressway.
History
The Cochran Hill Tunnel in Louisville, also known as the Cherokee Park Tunnel, 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. The tunnels, which opened in 1974, 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.
Construction began on a Kentucky Route 180 interchange improvement project in the summer of 2006. 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 was finished in the fall of 2008.
In March 2007, Governor 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
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. 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. 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. However, the Interstate was not finished because of the section between Frankfort and Lexington. The state could not attain the right of way here because of very famous horse parks northwest of Lexington. After a couple of tries to get the right of way, the state was able to get the right of way and began construction on this segment. It was the last segment of Interstate 64 to be completed in Kentucky.
"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, aimed to re-route and remove I-64 to enhance Louisville's waterfront. I-64 through Louisville would be re-signed as I-364. I-64 was to be widened over the park as a part of the Ohio River Bridges Project. But plans to widen the freeway over the park have been abandoned to reduce costs of the Ohio River Bridges Project.
Related routes
Interstate 264 is an inner loop route in Metro Louisville. Signed as the Georgia Davis Powers Shawnee Expressway between its western terminus at I-64 in Shawnee and US 31W/US 60 (Dixie Highway) in Shively, and as the Watterson Expressway from US 31W/US 60 to its northeastern terminus at I-71 in Glenview Manor. Along the way, it provides access to Louisville International Airport at its junction with I-65.
Interstate 464 was proposed as current Kentucky Route 4. 3/4 of the entire route was built, but the missing sections were North and East of Lexington where I-464 would run to I-64/I-75, then run concurrent with I-64/I-75 southeast to meet up with its eastern section. It is currently signed as KY 4, but more commonly known as New Circle Road.