Safety
Breaking Down Near the Sherman Minton Bridge in Louisville: Get Off the Deck, Then Call
If your car starts to fail on the Sherman Minton Bridge, try to keep rolling until you're off it. Heading into Louisville, aim for Exit 1 to I-264, the first exit on the Kentucky end. Heading to Indiana, the bridge ends in New Albany. If the car stops on the deck, turn on your flashers and stay buckled in. Call 911 if you're stuck in a live lane, then call for a tow.
Why is the Sherman Minton a bad place to stall?
The Sherman Minton carries I-64 over the Ohio River. It links the West End of Louisville to downtown New Albany, Indiana. It's a double-deck bridge, one deck stacked on top of the other. Each deck carries three lanes going one way.
The deck is about 42 feet wide. Three full lanes take up most of that. So there's very little room left if your engine quits. You can't pull onto a wide paved shoulder like you could out on I-265.
It's also busy. Three of the bridges between Louisville and Southern Indiana charge tolls. The Sherman Minton is one of only two that don't. The other is the Clark Memorial Bridge on US 31. Lots of drivers pick the free route, so traffic keeps coming behind you, day and night.
Which deck are you on?
This is the first thing 911 and your driver will need. The two decks run in opposite directions. A truck on the wrong one can't just cross over to you.
| Which way you're going | Which deck you're on | Where the bridge ends |
|---|---|---|
| Louisville to Indiana (I-64 west) | Upper deck, open sky above | New Albany |
| Indiana to Louisville (I-64 east) | Lower deck, steel and road above you | West End of Louisville |
Not sure? Look up. If you see another road over your head, you're on the lower deck, heading into Kentucky.
Can you make it to an exit?
Most cars give a warning before they die. A red light on the dash, a shake, a burning smell or a sudden loss of power. If the car still moves, use that speed to get off the bridge.
Heading into Louisville on the lower deck
Exit 1 comes up less than a mile past the river. It's the ramp to I-264 east, toward Shively. If you miss it, Exit 3 is 22nd Street. After that, I-64 becomes the Riverfront Expressway along the river into downtown. A side street off 22nd Street is a far better place to wait than a raised lane.
Heading to Indiana on the upper deck
Once you cross, you're in New Albany. The first exits on the Indiana side are Exit 123 for New Albany and Exit 121 for I-265. Take the first one you can and get off the ramp onto a street or a lot.
If the engine cuts out while you're moving
The Kentucky Driver Manual says the steering wheel may get hard to turn, but it still turns. Don't stomp the brake. Press it with steady force, slow down and steer to the right edge. Signal early so the cars behind you can see what's coming.
What if your car stops on the bridge?
Sometimes you just don't make it. Here's what to do on the deck itself.
- Flashers on right away. Get as far right as the car will go.
- Stay in the car with your seatbelt on. On a narrow bridge, walking on the deck puts you closer to traffic, not farther from it.
- Call 911 if you're in a travel lane. A stopped car in a lane on an interstate bridge is an emergency. Call 911 first if anyone is hurt, too. Sentinel is not an emergency service.
- Note your deck and direction. "Lower deck, eastbound, about halfway across" tells everyone where to go.
- Then call for your tow. Once police know where you are, line up your own help.
Kentucky law, KRS 189.450, says no one may leave a car standing on any part of the roadway. Police can move it or have a towing business remove it. On a bridge like this, that can happen fast. Calling your own help keeps the choice of where your car goes with you.
If you've rolled off the bridge and you're out of the lanes, it's not an emergency. Louisville Metro Police take non-emergency calls at 502-574-7111 or 502-574-2111.
What do drivers behind you have to do?
Kentucky's move-over law, KRS 189.930, covers a disabled car that shows flashers, flares or reflectors. On a highway with at least four lanes, and two or more going your way, drivers must move out of the lane next to you if it's safe. If they can't, they must slow down.
That's why your flashers matter so much. They're what makes the law apply to your car. But don't count on every driver to follow it after dark. Stay buckled and stay put until help is there.
Is the bridge worse in winter?
It can be. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet warns that bridges and on and off ramps can be icy when other roads are not. NOAA's normals for the Louisville airport count about 74 nights a year at or below freezing. So the roads in Portland can be wet while the deck over the river is slick.
If you slide on the ramp and end up in the grass or a ditch, you may need a winch-out to pull you back to the pavement. If the car won't start on a cold morning in New Albany before you cross, a jump start may be all you need. If it died on the bridge and won't run, you need car towing to a shop.
Will a state truck come help you?
Maybe. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet runs a Freeway Service Patrol on Louisville's interstates through its TRIMARC program. Those trucks help with dead batteries, flat tires and overheating. They don't tow cars. But they can block traffic for the tow truck that does.
If a patrol truck stops for you, let it help. If your car still needs a tow after that, you'll need to call for one.
What should you tell your driver?
A bridge with two decks is easy to get wrong. Give your driver these details:
- Deck and direction. Upper deck to Indiana, or lower deck to Louisville.
- How far across. Near the Kentucky end, near the Indiana end, or the middle.
- The exit you made it to. Exit 1 for I-264, Exit 3 for 22nd Street, or Exit 123 in New Albany, plus the street you turned onto.
- What happened. Engine died, flat tire, overheated, or crash.
- Your car. Year, make, model and color.
Once a driver accepts the job, you can track your truck on a map. You'll get their name, photo and truck by text, so you know who's pulling up behind you.
How does Sentinel work?
Sentinel Towing is a towing and roadside network. A vetted local partner tow company does the job. We lock your price by text first, so you know the most you'll pay before anyone is sent. Then we check on you by text until help arrives. That's our Stay-With-You Promise. For more on the roads and neighborhoods we cover, see our Louisville towing page.
Stuck right now? Call 1-888-TOW-1213, or request help online.
Sherman Minton Bridge Breakdown Questions
Should I get out of my car if it dies on the Sherman Minton?
Usually not. The deck is narrow, and traffic passes close. Stay buckled in with your flashers on. Get out only if the car is on fire or you smell smoke, and then move away from the lanes.
Which way does the lower deck go?
The lower deck carries I-64 east, from New Albany into Louisville. The upper deck carries I-64 west, from Louisville into Indiana.
What's the first exit after the bridge in Louisville?
Exit 1, the ramp to I-264 east toward Shively. It's less than a mile past the river. The next one is Exit 3 at 22nd Street.
Can police tow my car off the bridge?
Yes. Under KRS 189.450, police can move a car left on the roadway or have it towed. If you call your own help early, you pick where the car goes.
Rules change, so check the official source before you rely on it. Sources: KYTC Sherman Minton bulletin, RiverLink tolled bridges, Sherman Minton Bridge layout, I-64 exits in Kentucky, I-64 exits in Indiana, KRS 189.450, KRS 189.930, Kentucky Driver Manual, KYTC winter driving tips, LMPD phone numbers, NOAA climate normals, TRIMARC Freeway Service Patrol.
