19 January 2024
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — The Kansas Highway Patrol is again asking drivers to use caution along Interstate 70 in western Kansas.
“We have 7 either wrecked or slid off now at milepost 117 despite 5 troopers stacked up trying to slow them down!” Captain Travis Phillips said about western Trego County around 11 a.m. Friday.
I-70 in western Trego County, Jan. 19, 2024. (Courtesy Kansas Highway Patrol)
Trooper Tod Hileman, who covers the area around Hays, echoed the message.
He posted pictures Friday morning of a vehicle on its side and a pickup in a snowbank. They both happened on I-70 in Trego County.
“If you are driving through this area, please look well down the road for the icy patches and adjust your speed accordingly,” Hileman said on social media.
On Thursday, the Kansas Department of Transportation closed sections of I-70 for hours because of poor visibility, slick areas, and crashes. It reopened all lanes around 8:30 p.m.
So far, on Friday, I-70 remains open. KDOT’s road conditions map shows it is completely covered from east of Oakley to west of WaKeeney. Highway 23, south of Grainfield, is also listed as completely covered.
Click here for Kansas highway road conditions and road closures. You can also call 511 in Kansas or 866-511-5368 outside of Kansas.