NEW ALBANY, Ind. (WDRB) — A busy stretch of road in southern Indiana will close for railroad repairs soon, raising concerns about traffic delays just as Kentucky Derby week begins.

State Road 111 in New Albany — a main route to Caesars Southern Indiana — is scheduled to shut down between Corydon Pike and Scott Street on Monday as crews replace railroad tracks along the corridor. That's just under a mile west of Interstate 64.

The project, coordinated by the Indiana Department of Transportation and Norfolk Southern Railroad, comes at a time when traffic in the area is already expected to increase due to Kentucky Derby festivities and events at the nearby casino.

"It’s going to bottleneck a lot of people," said Billy Mayfield, who lives near the intersection of State Road 111 and Corydon Pike. "They’ll come down and not know they can go on out the road."

Drivers are encouraged to follow the detour using Interstate 64, State Road 62, State Road 11 and State Road 211 — before reconnecting with State Road 111.

Residents who rely on the roadway say the timing will make travel more difficult, especially with limited alternate routes.

"There’s about a 20-mile trip around Georgetown to get through once they close those two areas," said Fred Fenwick, who lives in Elizabeth and uses the road daily. "It’s going to be a nightmare for a while."

Fenwick said the detour is not only longer, but inconvenient for drivers and businesses that depend on steady traffic along the corridor.

The closure also coincides with a busy stretch for Caesars Southern Indiana, which will host Derby week crowds along with the start of the RunGood Poker Series, an event expected to draw additional visitors.

"I think it could have been scheduled probably two months prior," said Philip Nichols, who lives in New Albany.

Norfolk Southern, which owns and maintains the railroad, schedules construction projects based on crew availability. The company set an April 27 start date for the repairs.

In addition to the track work, a nearby bridge over Middle Creek, along State Road 111, is also under construction, adding to concerns about congestion. 

"Crossing the tracks is probably more treacherous than the bridge at this point, but both of them need attention," Fenwick said.

Drivers in the area said large buses and increased traffic heading to the casino could further slow travel during the closure.

If work goes as planned, the railroad repairs could be completed by mid-week, though officials say the closure could extend into Friday — the day of the Kentucky Oaks.

For more information about the road closure, click here. The map below shows the two projects and the detour to get to Caesars Southern Indiana.

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