Interstate 264 (Watterson & Shawnee Expressways) East
Interstate 264 (Watterson Expressway) East
Interstate 264 drops southward from the Ohio River to Exit 1 (Bank Street / Northwestern Parkway). Exit 1 consists of two loop ramps to Bank Street, which flows eastbound under the freeway. Photo taken 11/12/04.
Exit 1 departs Interstate 264 (Shawnee Expressway) east to the intersection of Bank and 36th Streets. 36th Street north carries drivers to Northwestern Parkway west to Shawnee Park. Bank street heads east to U.S. 31W and 150 at 22nd Street. Photo taken 11/12/04.
Next in line for southbound drivers is the Exit 2 split-diamond interchange with Muhammad Ali Boulevard west and River Park Drive east. THe couplet travel from the Shawnee Park area on the Ohio River to 28th Street, where River Park Drive turns into Chestnut Street. Photo taken 11/12/04.
Interstate 264 eastbound at the Exit 2 ramp departure to Muhammad Ali Boulevard. A frontage street continues south two blocks to River Park Driver before returning to the Shawnee Expressway as an on-ramp. Photo taken 11/12/04.
Drivers kink southwestward along Interstate 264 toward the Exit 3 split diamond interchange with Virginia Avenue and Dumesnil Street. Photo taken 11/12/04.
Virginia Avenue enters the interchange from the east, transitioning to Hale Avenue west to Southwestern Parkway and Chickasaw Park. Dumesnil Street flows eastward from Exit 3 to U.S. 31W (22nd Street). Photo taken 11/12/04.
Interstate 264 skims an industrial area through to Exit 4 with Kentucky 2056 (Bells Lane). Photo taken 11/12/04.
Bells Lane (Kentucky 2056) travels west through a plant area to the Ohio River and east to junction Kentucky 1934 (Cane Run Road) between a residential area and warehouse district. Photo taken 11/12/04.
Exit 5A departs Interstate 264 (Shawnee Expressway) east next for Ralph Avenue and the Riverport. Ralph Avenue connects with adjacent Kentucky 1934 (Cane Run Road) to provide a more direct route for northbound. Photo taken 11/12/04.
Ralph Avenue heads east into the city of Shively and west to Kentucky 2051 (Campground Road). A direct ramp onto Kentucky 1934 (Cane Run Road) south is provided via Exit 5B. Photo taken 11/12/04.
Exit 5B consists of a partial-cloverleaf interchange with Kentucky 1934 (Cane Run Road) on the Louisville/Shively city line. Kentucky 1934 continues southwest from Interstate 264 to Greenbelt Highway, wrapping around southwest Louisville to the beginning of the Gene Snyder Freeway (Kentucky 841). Photo taken 11/12/04.
U.S. 31W & 60 (Dixie Highway) cross paths with Interstate 264 at Exits 8A/B in Shively. Photo taken 11/12/04.
Exit 8A carries drivers onto U.S. 31W south & 60 (Dixie Highway) west through southwest Louisville to Fort Knox Military Reservation and Muldraugh. The two highways split at Muldraugh for Radcliff and Hardinsburg respectively. Photo taken 11/12/04.
Now traveling east, Interstate 264 reaches Exit 8A onto U.S. 31W & 60 (Dixie Highway) south. A pervasive directional-cloverleaf interchange joins the two highways amid the commercialized arterial of the Dixie Highway. Photo taken 11/12/04.
Exit 8B loops onto Dixie Highway north through Shively. U.S. 31W & 60 share an alignment northward toward western reaches of central Louisville. Photo taken 11/12/04.
Interstate 264 reenters the city of Louisville along the Henry Watterson Expressway. Meeting the freeway next is Kentucky 1865 (Taylor Boulevard). Photo taken 11/12/04.
Exit 9 serves the famed Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby race and Museum. To reach the race track, take Kentucky 1834 (Taylor Boulevard) north to Longfield or Central Avenues. Photo taken 11/12/04.
Continuing east toward the Exit 9 partial-cloverleaf interchange with Kentucky 1865 (Taylor Boulevard). Kentucky 1865 heads south to junction Kentucky 841 (Gene Snyder Freeway) and north to Berry Avenue (U.S. 60 Alternate). Photo taken 11/12/04.
Eastbound at the Exit 9 ramp departure to Kentucky 1865 (Taylor Boulevard) at Ashland Avenue. Ashland Avenue heads east from the off-ramp to Southern Parkway. Kentucky 1865 ends at U.S. 60 Alternate, where U.S. 60A turns north from Berry Avenue onto Taylor Boulevard. U.S. 60A travels a convoluted route through Louisville, bypassing downtown between Shively and Cherokee Park in the city. Photo taken 11/12/04.
An auxiliary lane joins Interstate 264 (Henry Watterson Expressway) east to the split-diamond interchange with Kentucky 1020 (Exit 10). Photo taken 11/12/04.
Exit 10 departs Interstate 264 east and merges with Southern Heights Avenue between Southern parkway (Kentucky 1020) and parallel 3rd Street. Photo taken 11/12/04.
Kentucky 1020 follows Southern Parkway northward to 3rd Street, cutting a swath between Churchill Downs and Papa John's Cardinal Stadium en route to the University of Louisville. Southward the state route turns onto Kenwood Way, 3rd Street, Tenny Avenue to reach Southside Drive and the Technology Park of Louisville. Photo taken 11/12/04.
Passing over 3rd Street, Interstate 264 sees advance signage for Exit 11 (Crittenden Drive / Louisville International Airport) and 12 (junction Interstate 65). Photo taken 11/12/04.
Interstate 264 travels a viaduct over the CSX Railroad, Louisville Avenue, and Park Boulevard on the approach to the Exit 11 folded-diamond interchange with Crittenden Drive. Crittenden Drive (Kentucky 1631) joins the Louisville International Airport area with the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center, Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom and Interstate 65 at Churchill Park. Photo taken 11/12/04.
In addition to providing access to Crittenden Drive, Exit 11 also serves Gates 2, 3, and 4 of Louisville International Airport via a direct connection into the terminal facility. Photo taken 11/12/04.
All interests to Interstate 65 and parallel Kentucky 61 (Preston Highway) depart the Interstate 264 mainline for a collector/distributor roadway at Exit 12. Photo taken 11/12/04.
A lengthy collector/distributor roadway serves all on and off-ramps along Interstate 264 eastbound adjacent to Louisville International Airport. A loop ramp departs for Freedom Way north to the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center in this scene. Photos taken 11/12/04 & 06/04/08.
Approaching the southbound on-ramp to Interstate 65 on the Interstate 264 eastbound c/d roadway. Kentucky 61 (Preston Highway) parallels the east side of Interstate 65 but there is no direct access to the road from Interstate 264 east. Therefore motorists bound for Preston Highway are advised to take Interstate 65 south to Exit 130 (Grade Lane east). Photo taken 06/04/08.
Two lanes depart the Exit 12 c/d roadway for Interstate 65 south to Elizabethtown and Nashville, Tennessee. Photo taken 06/04/08.
Interstate 65 continues north from Interstate 264 into downtown Louisville and north across the Ohio River into Clarksville en route to Indianapolis, Indiana. Photo taken 06/04/08.
Another loop ramp departs Interstate 264 east to Interstate 65 north before the c/d roadway returns to the Watterson Expressway. Photo taken 06/04/08.
This sign bridge was replaced by the bridge-mounted overheads pictured above. Photo taken 11/12/04.
Leaving the Interstate 65 and airport area, Interstate 264 (Henry Watterson Expressway) next meets Kentucky 864 (Poplar Level Road) at a single point urban interchange (SPUI)> Photo taken 11/12/04.
exit 14 branches off Interstate 265 east and expands into two two-lane ramps for Poplar Level Road. Kentucky 864 ventures northwest to the Louisville Zoological Gardens and downtown and southeast through a heavily industrialized area along the Louisville and Watterson Park city line. Photos taken 11/12/04.
Interstate 264 maintains eight overall lanes as it straddles northern reaches of Watterson Park to junction Kentucky 1703 (Exit 15). Photo taken 11/12/04.
A five-ramp partial-cloverleaf interchange facilitates movements between Interstate 264 and Kentucky 1703 (Newburg Road) at Exit 15. Kentucky 1703 meanders southeast from U.S. 31E in central Louisville via Newburg Road to Watterson Park, West Buechel, and Newburg. Photo taken 11/12/04.
Motorists turn northeasterly along the Watterson Expressway toward the Exit 16 SPUI with U.S. 31E & 150 (Bardstown Road). The tandem head southeast to West Buechel locally and Bardstown overall. Northward U.S. 31E & 150 cut a swath between Strathmoor Manor, Strathmoor Village, and Strathmoor Gardens to their split outside downtown Louisville. Photo taken 11/12/04.
Exits 17A/B consist of a six-ramp partial-cloverleaf interchange with Kentucky 155 (Taylorsville Road). This interchange was redesigned from a split carriageway for Interstate 264 that included left-hand directional ramps. Photo taken 11/12/04.
Kentucky 155 travels south (east) along Taylorsville Road to Jeffersontown and overall to Kentucky 55 in rural Spencer County. Westward the state route straddles Bowman Field to its end at U.S. 31E & 150 (Bardstown Road). Photo taken 11/12/04.
Interstate 264 east expands to five overall lanes between Exit 17 and 18 (Kentucky 1932). Kentucky 1932 follows Breckenridge Lane through the adjacent community of Meadowview Estates and Louisville’s eastern suburban hospital area nearby at Dutchmans Parkway/Lane. Photo taken 11/12/04.
A c/d roadway parts ways with Interstate 264 East at the three-quarter cloverleaf interchange with Kentucky 1932 (Breckenridge Lane). Kentucky 1932 travels Breckenridge Lane south to U.S. 31E & 150 (Bardstown Road) and northwest through St. matthews to U.S. 42 (Brownsboro Road) at Rolling Fields. Photo taken 11/12/04.
A pervasive directional-cloverleaf interchange connects Interstate 264 (Henry Watterson Expressway) with Interstate 64 at Exits 19A/B in St. Matthews. Traffic stacks up here for the eastbound ramp to Jeffersontown and the eastern suburbs. Photo taken 11/12/04.
Two lanes leave Interstate 264 east for Exit 19A/Interstate 64 east. Interstate 64 connects the city of Louisville with Frankfort and Lexington (junction Interstate 75). Photo taken 11/12/04.
Exit 19B departs Interstate 264 east as a c/d roadway for Interstate 64 west. Interstate 64 traverses southern St. Mathews, Seneca Park, and Cherokee Park on the trek toward downtown Louisville and the Ohio River. Photo taken 11/12/04.
Exit 20 consists of a slip ramp onto the adjacent c/d roadway for U.S. 60 (Shelbyville Road) at the sprawling Mall St. Mathews and Oxmoor Center area. Photo taken 11/12/04.
U.S. 60 (Shelbyville Road) travels west from Interstate 64 into St. Matthews and east to Hurtsbourne and Lyndon. The suburb of St. Matthews was named for a local church in 1851, and incorporated in 1950. Today its an important community separate from Louisville, and has about 16,000 residents. Photo taken 11/12/04.
This portion of the Henry Watterson Expressway was constructed in 1949 as a U.S. 60 bypass route, but it was not open to this point until the 1950s. The original full-cloverleaf interchange was rebuilt in the late 80s and early 90s when collector/distributor lanes were added. The loop ramp from U.S. 60 west to Interstate 264 west was replaced by a flyover. Mall St. Matthews, to the southwest, opened in 1962 and was Kentucky’s first enclosed suburban mall. Photos taken 11/12/04.
Exit 20B loops onto U.S. 60 (Shelbyville Road) west. U.S. 60 enters the Louisville suburbs at Middletown and continues through St. Matthews to Frankford Avenue in Louisville. Much of Shelbyville Road within St. Matthews is commercialized, offering a slow trek through to the split with U.S. 60 Alternate (Lexington Road). Photos taken 11/12/04.
Neutered Interstate 264 eastbound reassurance marker, posted after the return of the Exit 20 c/d roadway from Interstate 64 and U.S. 60. Photo taken 11/12/04.
U.S. 42 (Brownsboro Road) crosses paths with Interstate 264 at Northfield and Exit 22. The U.S. route runs from Louisville to Cleveland, and is closely shadowed by Interstate 71 for its entire length. Photo taken 11/12/04.
Through Louisville, U.S. 42 only has one freeway junction, and is a two lane road. Although burdened with traffic, widening efforts along the route normally meet opposition from the wealthy landowners that live along it. This stretch of the Watterson Expressway opened in 1968, and was the final leg of the Watterson Expressway to be completed (although not the final portion of Interstate 264 to be completed). Photo taken 11/12/04.
Interstate 264 northbound at the Exit 22 diamond interchange with U.S. 42 (Brownsboro Road). U.S. 42 splits with Kentucky 22 and Brownsboro Road just east of the freeway. Immediately to the west of this exit sits the Zachary Taylor Memorial Cemetery. The remains of the 19th century President and his wife rest there. Photo taken 11/12/04.
Now facing northwest, Interstate 264 enters its final stretch with the tri-level stack interchange at Interstate 71 (Exits 23A/B). Photo taken 11/12/04.
The freeway mainline defaults onto Interstate 71 south for downtown Louisville and junction Interstate 64. Exit 23A connects Interstate 264 with Interstate 71 north to Interstate 265 and Cincinnati. Photo taken 11/12/04.
