UPDATE (3:30 p.m.) — The Washington State Department of Transportation now expects the damaged section of state Highway 14 to open by 7 p.m. tonight. Damage from weekend mudslides was worse than originally thought. Original story:
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A closed section of state Highway 14 in eastern Klickitat County is expected to reopen late this afternoon, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation.
The highway was closed just east of Roosevelt on Saturday after a thunderstorm triggered a slide washing mud, rocks and other debris onto the roadway. Crews soon went to work repairing 600 feet of damaged pavement, according to WSDOT. The work is estimated to cost about $150,000.
The highway should open by 5 p.m. today, according to WSDOT. Until then, drivers can use nearby U.S. Highway 97, state Highway 221, Interstate 82 or Interstate 84 to get around the closure.