Navigating the I-65 Central Corridor Project

Ground has officially been broken on the Chestnut Street Improvement Project to launch a multi-phase infrastructure investment for the LOUMED district. These improvements are being executed within the study area of Greenprint, a 10-year initiative coordinated by the University of Louisville’s Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute and the Urban Design Studio. Informed by walkability studies and temperature monitoring conducted by university researchers, Greenprint guides where new green spaces can have the greatest impact on human health. This framework links the new Chestnut Street improvements to existing spaces like LOUMED Commons, the public park we opened in November 2025, ensuring a shared commitment to creating a cooler, cleaner, and healthier Louisville. Connecting the roadway directly to LOUMED Commons to create a seamless environment for transit and pedestrians. By implementing findings from two years of walkability studies and temperature monitoring, we are ensuring these changes have a positive impact on public health. This project is moving in phases to minimize disruption to district operations, with a target completion for the current block between Floyd and Preston for late 2026. Once that section wraps up, crews will move to the next three blocks extending east to South Clay Street with the goal of finishing the full eastern section in 2027.

We have taken a significant step toward enhancing our district's greenery to prepare for the upcoming growing season. In January, we partnered with TreesLouisville to plant 38 new trees near employee parking lots between Clay and Chestnut Streets. By getting these roots in the ground during the winter, we are ensuring a vibrant bloom when the season turns. Parking lots are often "heat islands," where asphalt absorbs the sun and raises the temperature of the entire area. By introducing this new canopy, we are actively combating that urban heat while also reducing stormwater runoff and filtering air pollution. Beyond the environmental impact, there is a human element to this project. We know that trees have a direct correlation to our mental and physical health. Studies have shown that patients who can look out a window and see trees often have faster healing times than those who do not. By softening these hardscapes, we are improving the daily walk for those moving through the district each day and creating a more healing view for the patients in our care.  When spring finally arrives, you will see a diverse mix of species beginning to wake up, including bald cypress, lindens, zelkovas, osage orange, honey locust, and gingko. They were selected specifically for their tolerance of heat and pollution, ensuring they will be part of the LOUMED landscape for years to come.

We have launched a new shuttle service to support families staying at the Ronald McDonald House. In partnership with Ronald McDonald House Charities of Kentuckiana and Riverside Transportation Services, we are piloting this dedicated route to help guests navigate between their temporary home and medical appointments. The shuttle operates Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The route creates a direct link between the Ronald McDonald House and key facilities including Norton Children’s Hospital, Frazier Rehab Institute, the Norton Novak Center, and UofL Hospital. This service removes the logistical challenge of transportation for families focused on the care of their children.  During this pilot phase, the service is reserved exclusively for Ronald McDonald House guests. Riders are required to wear red wristbands to board. This policy ensures that seats remain open for the families who rely on this connection. We are proud to see this vehicle on the road and to support the patient experience within the district.

If you travel to, from, or within the LOUMED district, please be aware of two upcoming construction projects that will impact traffic and parking. While these projects are being led by our community partners, they will alter normal traffic patterns in our area. Please plan your routes accordingly and allow for extra travel time. Here is what you need to know about the upcoming changes: UofL Health Sciences Simulation Center Construction The New HSC Building is slated to break ground in April. As the area readies for construction for the University of Louisville’s upcoming Health Sciences Simulation Center and Collaboration Hub at the corner of E. Chestnut Street and S. Preston Street, several changes will go into effect beginning mid-March and continuing through December 2028. Parking meters on both sides of Preston Street will be closed from the UofL Health Outpatient Center continuing south past Gray Street. Preston Street will be reduced to one lane from the UofL Health Outpatient Center continuing south past Gray Street. Access will be maintained for a bus stop in front of the Baxter building and for drop-off in front of Seven Counties. Gray Street, including parking meters, will be closed from Preston Street to allow for construction access only. A small portion of Gray Street in front of the School of Public Health and Information Sciences will remain open. I-65 Central Corridor Project Summer Closure Announced last year, the two-year I-65 Central Corridor project aims to improve safety and travel along I-65 in Louisville. As part of this initiative, crews will be replacing three aging bridges this summer. Five miles of Interstate 65 between Jefferson Street and Interstate 264 (Watterson Expressway) will be closed June through July 2026. During this closure, I-65 traffic will be detoured using I-264 (Watterson Expressway) and Interstate 64. For the most up-to-date information, the latest news, and real-time traffic alerts regarding the I-65 closure, please visit the official project website at i65centralcorridor.com .

We are so happy to share that LOUMED Commons is now open and welcoming visitors. This new park in the heart of the Louisville Medical & Education District offers a comfortable place to connect, recharge and enjoy fresh air. The opening day celebration brought the community together through a press conference, a time capsule moment and food trucks and live music that helped mark the occasion. LOUMED Commons features new elements that bring the district to life. Visitors can enjoy a pavilion structure with integrated lighting and resin art panels, a multi use kiosk designed for pop up retail or food and beverage offerings, dedicated areas for food trucks and a series of plaza seating zones surrounded by native plantings. These additions set the tone for community gatherings, outdoor breaks and programing throughout the year.  The park is open daily from dawn to dusk at 316 East Chestnut Street. We hope you stop by to enjoy this important step in creating more green space for everyone who works, studies, receives care or spends time in the district.

Planning is moving forward to reimagine Chestnut Street as the spine of LOUMED. This work is happening in partnership with Louisville Metro, Gresham Smith and UofL’s Envirome Institute. The project will create a safer and more walkable corridor that links key destinations across the district and strengthens the daily experience for everyone who moves through this area. Research underway now will guide the design and set the stage for major progress in 2026. The team is focusing on several key efforts, including finalizing design elements to prepare construction, ensuring that landscape and streetscape features reflect LOUMED’s placemaking vision, coordinating with city partners and stakeholders on traffic flow, safety features and other public realm improvements, and preparing for early 2026 groundbreaking activities.  Once complete, Chestnut Street will serve as a greener and more connected corridor that brings together LOUMED’s hospitals, classrooms, research facilities and community spaces into a more seamless district experience.