I-75 off-ramp to Paris Pike temporarily closed for widening project

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – The off-ramp from I-75 to Paris Pike at Exit 113 is temporarily shut down as part of the city’s I-75 widening project.

The off-ramp is set to reopen by 6 a.m. Tuesday.

Traffic will be detoured to Exit 110 using Winchester Road to New Circle Road to Paris Pike. Drivers can also use an alternate route at Exit 115 to New Circle Road to Paris Pike.

“This is part of the I-75 widening project the you know our $89 million work to to get us to eight lanes between the splits,” said Allen Blair, spokesperson for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.

Drivers have seen blocked off road shoulders, trucks and workers on portions of I-75.

Cody Strange, a truck driver who has lived in Lexington for 34 years, said the longest he has had to wait to get off the interstate is 10 to 15 minutes. On a normal day it could be around five minutes.

“It’s Lexington. It’s always bad. But around this area, yeah, it is pretty thick. As you can tell, it has non-stop kept going by. But just that one artery closed down, it leaves a lot of pressure,” Strange said.

Strange said he is hopeful the widening project will relieve some congestion.

“I feel it’d be much better because when you do take the interstate and it does get backed up and it’s right at the point if you’re moving 70 and they’re at 0 or 5 mi an hour, you got to know you’re doing being real careful. But while they’re widening it, it should make it a whole lot easier where it wouldn’t even be a problem anymore,” he said.

Strange said drivers should be cautious around large vehicles in construction zones.

“Don’t cut big truckers off. If you see a if you see a 80 ft gap between me and another truck, don’t cut in there. It’s that simple. That’s my stopping distance,” he said.

Message boards are up with closure information. Alternate routes are also posted in some cases.

“Protect yourself and the workers that are in those work zones, you know, by following those signs and, you know, keeping your speed down,” Blair said.

“Just be very cautious when you see caution cones. It’s self-explanatory,” Strange said.

Blair said drivers can use apps like Waze to stay up to date with detours.