Palmer Engineering provided Phase I and Phase II design and environmental documentation for the reconstruction of I-265 from south of the I-64 Interchange to north of the US 60 Interchange in eastern Jefferson County, covering 2.3 miles of major structures, flyovers, and ramps. The project included a full environmental review of multiple interchange alternatives and widening options. At the time of design, traffic volumes were 61,000 ADT on I-265 and 39,000 ADT on US 60.

Traffic Analysis and Simulation: Palmer engineers used Synchro and CorSim simulation packages to optimize signal timing, coordinate signal systems, and analyze traffic operations. The study included interactions at I-265, English Station West/Urton Road, and English Station East/Lake Forest, providing data-driven recommendations for congestion relief.

Interim Improvements for US 60: To address funding constraints, Palmer provided an interim project design that included reduced lane widths to use the existing bridge, reconstruction from a rural to urban section with curb and gutter, and a shared-use path placed behind existing piers using retaining walls. Ramp improvements were simulated to relieve congestion without full bridge reconstruction.

Auxiliary Lanes and Combined Project Coordination: An auxiliary lane was added on both sides of I-265 between I-64 and US 60. Palmer coordinated closely with a pavement rehabilitation consultant to combine I-265 rehabilitation and US 60 interchange improvements into a single construction project, ensuring efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

The project has been successfully constructed, improving traffic flow, safety, and multimodal connectivity through the interchange.