Thursday, March 26, 2026 |
Photo – Pedestrian tunnel – Bigfoot99 file photo
Rawlins officials considered naming the planned Higley Boulevard pedestrian underpass after a resident killed while crossing the highway.
On November 2nd, 1983, 10-year-old Patrick Casey McMorrow was struck and killed by a vehicle while attempting to cross North Higley Boulevard in Rawlins. Since that time, city officials have attempted to find ways to make the highway safer to cross.
In the early 2000s, the city began working with the Wyoming Department of Transportation to enhance pedestrian safety on 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 underpass, once completed, will allow pedestrians to travel between the Highland Hills residential area, nearby school campuses, and the Carbon County Higher Education Center without having to cross over the busy highway.
During the March 17th Rawlins City Council meeting, Public Works Director Cody Dill said that WYDOT is finally prepared to begin construction of the pedestrian underpass, with the project expected to be finished by fall.
Mayor Jacquelin Wells proposed dedicating the walking tunnel in honor of Patrick McMorrow.
Mayor Wells asked the Council for their opinion on the matter. Councilman Terry Patterson said he was close with the McMorrow family and expressed his support for the dedication.
Councilman Derek Elliot suggested dedicating the underpass to all individuals who died while attempting to cross Highway 287. Councilman Elliot added that he does not support the project, saying a traffic light would be a more effective solution.
Mayor Wells asked Public Works Director Dill if WYDOT would object to dedicating the underpass to McMorrow. Dill replied that once the tunnel is completed and the city assumes ownership, WYDOT is unlikely to oppose the dedication.
Councilwoman Tonya Lewman asked Dill how many people have died while crossing the highway. Dill said he was only aware of McMorrow’s death. Councilman Derek Elliot asked to delay a decision until the Rawlins Police Department can provide a record of other fatalities in the same area.
In 2013, 19‑year‑old Rawlins resident Calli Hays was killed after crashing into an oncoming vehicle on Highway 287. The Wyoming Highway Patrol reported that Hays was driving the wrong way at a high rate of speed before colliding head‑on with a tractor‑trailer driven by fellow resident David Manley.
Seven years later, in 2020, 61‑year‑old Kingman, Arizona resident Allen P. Dollarhide was killed after failing to put his pickup truck in park before exiting the vehicle. Dollarhide lost his footing and was crushed by the truck. Highway Patrol attributed the incident to driver inattention and Dollarhide’s physical disability.
However, it is important to note that neither Hays nor Dollarhide were killed while attempting to cross the highway.
Councilwoman Lewman said she supported the idea of dedicating the North Higley Boulevard pedestrian underpass to Patrick Casey McMorrow and expressed regret that it has taken 43 years to address the area’s known safety issues.
As the item was only up for discussion, the Rawlins City Council took no official action.
