The 'Henry Watterson Expressway' (I-264) in the Louisville, KY metro area has been substantially re-engineered since the mid 1980s. The previous 'freeway' here was classic example of early urban/suburban highway engineering involving many closely spaced, sharp on and off ramps (several of which defied all logic in their placement) with little or no merging room. The freeway itself was a VERY narrow 4 and 6 lanes. The reconstruction produced a throroughly modern urban freeway with more widely spaced interchanges, wide roadways and ample merging room. It also produced an interesting interchange complex where it meets I-65.
The I-65/I-264 interchange is interesting in that there are two MAJOR traffic generators between it and the next crossroad (KY 1631), located a typical distance to the west (the next available USGS map to the west did not show the new configuration of the rest of this interchange), those being the main airport ('Standiford Field') and the 'Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center'. The most stiking feature of the interchange itself is that there are 2 similar ramps that take NB I-65 traffic to the west. The first one diverges to the right and goes left under I-65 to connect with WB I-264, and the second one diverges just after the first, goes left over I-65 and feeds into the airport and Exposition Center. The ramp from SB I-65 does a three way split here. There is also a WB off/EB on interchange at I-264 and Preston St (KY 61), located right at the I-65 interchange. Overall, this interchange is a very innovative solution to a TIGHT highway design problem.
I am also intreagued by the way I-65 passes through that little neighborhood along 'Phillips Lane' (just north of the I-264 interchange, just southeast of the Exposition Center).
*SPUI alert* - - - The next interchange to the east on I-264 (Poplar Level Road/KY 864) is a 'SPUI' (Single Point Urban Interchange).
Churchhill Downs, what I consider to be the 'Wrigley Field' of Thoroughbred racing, is located in the neighborhoods about 2.5 km west of the Exposition Center.
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This page © Michael G. Koerner |
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