Interstate 71 motorists are about to trade onetraffic nightmare for another.

With the Sherman Minton Bridge only recentlyreopened, road and bridge work is to begin tonighton a stretch of I-71 between the Watterson Ex-pressway and downtown — and with it comes thepromise of more commuting headaches.

Highway officials acknowledge the work willmean more frustration for motorists who had tobear just over five months of backed-up trafficwhen the Sherman Minton shutdown forced morecommuters onto I-71.

About 60,000 vehicles daily use the section ofI-71 between the Watterson Expressway anddowntown.

“We ask that people allow extra time to get to

their destination. It’s all being done to improve theinterstate system for the traveling public and try-ing to improve the roadways to give motorists abetter ride,” said Andrea Clifford, spokeswomanfor the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s Louis-ville district.

Starting at 8 p.m. today and continuing untilabout 6 a.m. April 30, paving and bridge deck re-pair will reduce to one lane the section of south-bound I-71 between the Watterson and downtown.

As part of the project, the Exit 2 southboundramp to Zorn Avenue will be closed until about 6a.m. April 19.

To accommodate Kentucky Derby-related traf-fic, work will be suspended from April 30 untilMay 11, when repairs will resume and traffic onthe northbound side will be reduced to one lane.Work on that side should be completed by May 28.

Signs along Interstate 71 let motorists know that starting tonight, southbound travel between theWatterson Expressway and downtown will be reduced to one lane. MICHAEL CLEVENGER/THE COURIER-JOURNAL

READY FOR THE I-71

SQUEEZE?

71

6464

264

I-71 WORKTO CLOSE LANESI-71 WORKTO CLOSE LANES

ZornAve.

Frankfort Ave.

Brown

sboro R

oadZornAve. Bro

wnsbo

ro Road

71

65

Ohio R

iver

Proje

ctarea

I-71 resurfacing and bridge deck repair betweenWatterson Expressway and downtown8 p.m. Today to 6 a.m. April 30

!SOUTHBOUND reduced to one lane*8 p.m. Today to 6 a.m. April 19

!Zorn Avenue exit from I-71 south closed6 a.m. April 30 to May 11

!Kentucky Derby break in workMay 11 to May 28

!NORTHBOUND reduced to one lane**Tractor-trailers and vehicles with loads wider than 11 feet notallowed on side of interstate with work under way.

THE COURIER-JOURNAL

71own

d

60,000vehicles use the section ofI-71 between the Wattersonand downtown each day

$10.9 MILLIONContract awarded last year toGohmann Asphalt & Con-struction for the I-71 project

EARLY JUNEScheduled completion of theI-71 project

“There will be a lot ofwork going on atonce. We just ask thatpeople be patient.”ANDREA CLIFFORD, Ky.Transportation Cabinet spokeswoman

Roadwork to reduce travel to one laneBy Sheldon S. Shafersshafer@courier-journal.comThe Courier-Journal

See I-71, Page A4

$1.00retail

For homedeliverypricing

seePage 2.

KY DLY

METRO EDITION L O U I S V I L L E , K E N T U C K Y courier-journal.com F R I D AY , A P R I L 1 3 , 2 0 1 2 USPS 135560

Text CJNEWS to44636 (4INFO)for the localnews alerts

BREAKING NEWSON YOUR CELLPHONE

Business B8Classified E1Comics D10Deaths B6Editorial A8Lottery A2Markets B9

Metro B1Movies D6Racing C7Sports C1TV D11Velocity D1

INDEX 56 PAGES

AT COURIER-JOURNAL.COMFind and write your own neighborhoodnews every day at courier-journal.com/louisville-neighborhoods

Louisville area: Sunny, warmer today.Partly sunny, warmer tomorrow.

WEATHER | B2

TODAY TOMORROW

70 53 7836-HOUR FORECAST

2012 KENTUCKY GENERAL ASSEMBLY

FRANKFORT, Ky. — TheGeneral Assembly approveda state road constructionplan on Thursday, and Gov.Steve Beshear’s fellow Dem-ocrats in the House majoritydecided to let all of the gov-ernor’s vetoes of budgetitems stand.

Resolution of both issuesby Thursday evening put the2012 General Assembly inposition to complete actionon crucial bills before adeadline of midnight whenthe session had to adjourn.

But lawmakers continuedto meet late into the evening

and at presstime still had notpassed the operating budgetfor the Transportation Cab-inet, nor had they passed apriority bill aimed at crack-ing down on excessive pre-

scriptions forpain plls.

It was fi-nal agree-ment be-tween Houseand Senateleaders onthe road planthat clearedthe largest

obstacle for finishing ontime.

The plan is the state’s

Road planpasses onfinal dayGeneral Assembly wraps up workmapping out $10 billion in projects

By Tom Loftustloftus@courier-journal.comThe Courier-Journal

See ROADS , Page A2

Beshear

WASHINGTON — TheWhite House — and Presi-dent Barack Obama himself— rushed into a damage con-trol campaign Thursday toblunt the impact of a Demo-cratic consultant’s sugges-tion that Ann Romney isn’tqualified to discuss the econ-omy because she “hasn’tworked a day in her life.”

“There’s no tougher jobthan being a mom,” Obamasaid.

In an interview TV sta-tion KCRG in Cedar Rapids,Iowa, Obama said: “When Ithink about what Michelle’shad to do — when I think

about my own mom, a singlemother raising me and mysister — that’s work. So any-body who would argue other-wise probably needs to re-think their statement.”

The president’s remarkswere his answer to consult-

Obama backsAnn Romneyin mom debateBy Laurie KellmanAssociated Press

See MOMS, Page A2

President Barack Obamaspoke up for rival MittRomney’s wife, Ann. AP

WANTED

GOOD PEOPLEWITH CREDITPROBLEMS

Have you heard no inthe past? Don’t wait

we can help!!!!

Apply today @www.myautocredit.com

Enter Promo Code:291794

Oxmoor HyundaiHyundai of Louisville

VELOCITY | D1

SELUAH’S RETURNSELUAH’S RETURNReunited Louisville indie bandcelebrates new CD

METRO | B1

U OF L TUITIONLIKELY TO RISE6% IN THE FALL

Time: 04-12-2012 21:43 User: mstollhaus PubDate: 04-13-2012 Zone: KY Edition: 1 Page Name: A 1 Color: CyanMagentaYellowBlack