Highway south of Sterling remains closed due to flooding, damage

The main highway south of Sterling will be closed in Rice County for nearly two weeks as flood waters cover the road and damage the pavement.

You reached out to us about the flooding in Sterling. Friday night, Eyewitness News reporter Kristen Boxman was granted permission to go beyond the barricades on K-14 to see the flooding.

The road closure in Sterling is manned 24 hours a day by the Kansas Department of Transportation.

Dale West works for KDOT. After he tells drivers its unsafe to drive around the barricades, he gives them directions to the detour.

"There have been some very nice people. They're concerned," he says. "Then, you get the people that are irritated."

West says K-14 has been closed in Sterling for about two weeks due to flooding. He doesn't know when it will reopen.

Officials continue to monitor the levels. The water was in the middle of the road at 8 p.m. on May 30. About 24 hours later, it receded. Still, with water continually running across the road, it continues to erode. West says that means it'll likely stay closed longer while it's being fixed.

"It's going to take a while," says West. "They're going to have to inspect it and do repairs."

Until then, people will have to go another way out of town.