Thursday, DECEMBER 18, 2025 |
Photo – Map of proposed underpass – Courtesy City of Rawlins
In Rawlins, the governing body voted to increase the city’s financial contribution to the proposed North Higley Boulevard pedestrian underpass.
For two decades, Rawlins officials have worked with the Wyoming Department of Transportation to improve pedestrian safety along the 287 bypass, also known as North Higley Boulevard. Following extensive studies, the Rawlins Urban Systems Committee and WYDOT determined that an underground walking tunnel was the most effective and cost-efficient solution. The tunnel, when completed, will allow pedestrians to travel between the Highland Hills residential area and nearby school campuses without having to cross the busy highway.
In 2022, the city signed a contract with WYDOT to construct the pedestrian underpass for $1,506,659, with the city pledging to cover 9.51% of the total project cost, amounting to $158,341.
Since that time, construction prices skyrocketed during the Joe Biden Administration, and they’re not getting cheaper.
This past February, WYDOT informed the city that contractor bids came in much higher than anticipated, with the lowest bid being $3,332,767, or approximately $1.8 million over the originally agreed upon price.
Due to the higher-than-expected costs, WYDOT advised the City Council to reject the bids and wait for better pricing. In the meantime, the state agency redesigned the project to reduce expenses and increased its share of the overall cost. In August, WYDOT presented the City of Rawlins with a revised construction estimate of $2,265,225. Under the new agreement, Rawlins is responsible for $306,073 of the total price.
In September, the Rawlins City Council voted to accept the revised costs and set aside up to $410,000 for the project. Councilman Sanger questioned the difference between the city’s required $306,000 share and the $410,000 allocation. Public Works Director Cody Dill said that if the city withdraws from the project, it must reimburse WYDOT for engineering expenses, estimated at $407,000. Dill added that the higher cap safeguards the city if costs exceed projections and the project is canceled.
The governing body approved the maximum project costs and WYDOT began soliciting contractor bids.
At its December 16th meeting, the Rawlins City Council approved raising the city’s maximum contribution to the North Higley Boulevard pedestrian underpass to $423,946. Public Works Director Cody Dill explained that the earlier figure relied on outdated construction estimates, and revised pricing has increased the city’s required share by nearly $14,000.
Documents provided by the city show that Cheyenne‑based Reiman Corporation submitted the lowest bid at $2,291,111.25. Including the engineering fees, the total cost is now $3,256,650. WYDOT pledged $2,832,686 toward the project, leaving the city responsible for a maximum of $423,946.
The governing body approved raising the city’s maximum allocation for the North Higley Boulevard pedestrian underpass. Councilman Derek Elliot cast the lone dissenting vote but did not explain his decision. The project is scheduled for completion by October 31st, 2026.
