LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - Construction on the Kennedy Bridge backed up traffic for miles in both directions on Interstate 65.
Officials said if you can avoid the area, that may be your best option during construction. The project began Thursday night and work will not stop for several weeks.
"It's like a washboard," said John Bunch about the condition of the Kennedy Bridge. He lives in Jeffersonville, Indiana. "It's a wonder that it hasn't had more problems and it hasn't been repaired earlier."
After much work and planning, the bridge is being repaired. Crews are working to replace bridge joints and repave, with a deck that'll have a waterproofing membrane, to keep water from forming potholes.
During the construction the following lanes will be closed:
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•The exit ramp from eastbound I-64 to northbound I-65 in Kentucky
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•The exit ramp from southbound I-65 to Market Street in Indiana
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•The entrance ramp from Court Avenue to southbound I-65 in Indiana
One lane of traffic on the bridge will be closed in each direction during the project.
In addition, for 10 days beginning at 8 p.m. on June 24 exit ramps from southbound I-65 to eastbound I-64/northbound I-71 and westbound I-64 will be closed.
For 15 days also beginning at 8 p.m. on June 24 the exit ramps from northbound I-65 to eastbound I-64/northbound I-71 and westbound I-64 will be closed.
"There's going to be different lane shifts; there are different lane closures that will occur throughout the next six to seven weeks," Andrea Clifford, a spokeswoman for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet said.
It is an interesting situation for Tone Griffey and his wife, Becky. They got married Friday morning. Tone's mother in-law, Bettye Moody, got caught in traffic Friday morning. They did not even take a picture near the Kennedy Bridge
"We didn't," said Moody, who was also the couple's photographer. "We took all of our pictures from the other direction!"
"I don't understand why they would pick the vacation season to do construction," Griffey said. "Do it either before Derby or do it after August. Into September so, when it's cooler, the people who are working on it don't have to suffer."
Moody said, "I think that it is a necessary thing."
What is the impact for drivers who live on the other side of the river?
"It is a little bit of a headache," Angi Hauber, who lives in Clarksville, Indiana said. "But I think to have smooth roadways that are safe, you have to kind of deal with that every once in a while. Hopefully this will fix it for a long time to come."
"Well, it has to be done," Bunch said. "I just try my best to cope with it."
The Kennedy Bridge construction work is expected to be finished by mid August.
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