December 5, 2024 |
Photo – Courtesy of the City of Rawlins
The governing body of Rawlins has voted to delay the approval of funding for the Higley Boulevard pedestrian underpass until maintenance and drainage-related questions can be answered.
In July of 2022, the Rawlins city council partnered with the Wyoming Department of Transportation to construct a nearly $1.6 million dollar pedestrian underpass beneath North Higley Boulevard. The tunnel is designed to give residents living on the east side of the city a safer way to access schools and walking trails without crossing the busy highway.
The city agreed to provide 9.51% of the total project cost, which at the time was roughly $158,000. WYDOT would fund $1.5 million of the project with the stipulation that the city was responsible for paying anything over the original projected cost.
Just two years later, inflation increased the cost of the project by over $1 million, with the new projected total closer to $2.8 million.
At the December 3rd Rawlins City Council meeting, the governing body was presented with an amendment to the WYDOT contract that would have the state agency pay an additional $1 million toward the pedestrian underpass.
The city will still be required to cover 9.51% of the total project cost. Councilman Chris Weisenburg said he was concerned by how much the price, and the city’s expected contribution, has increased since the project’s inception.
The high-water table in the area has increased the complexity and cost of the project, requiring the installation of a passive drainage system to prevent groundwater from flooding the tunnel. Councilman Weisenberg asked if Rawlins or WYDOT is expected to maintain the pedestrian underpass once it is complete. City Manager Tom Sarvey said he wasn’t entirely certain, but he believes the city will be responsible for any maintenance costs.
City Manager Sarvey said that occasional concrete repairs are likely the only maintenance the underpass will need.
Councilman Bruce Seilaff asked where the groundwater that accumulates in the tunnel will be directed. Mayor Terry Weickum asked Community Development Director Lou Lascano to explain how the drainage system works. Lascano said he believes the water will flow into a nearby culvert and not into the city’s sewer runoff system.
Vice Mayor Steve Sanger said based on the current runoff in the area, the water is likely to be directed south, toward Inverness Boulevard. Councilman Seialff asked if adding more groundwater into the area, which already has drainage issues, is a good idea.
The Rawlins city council voted to wait until these questions can be answered before voting to accept the amended WYDOT contract for the Higley Boulevard pedestrian underpass.
