THURSDAY, September 3, 2026|
Photo – Pedestrian tunnel ribbon cutting announcement- Courtesy City of Rawlins
A Rawlins resident said the newly built pedestrian underpass lacks a needed sidewalk.
In the early 2000s, the city of Rawlins began working with the Wyoming Department of Transportation to enhance pedestrian safety on North Higley Boulevard. Following decades of studies, the Rawlins Urban Systems Committee and WYDOT determined that an underground walking tunnel was the most effective and cost-efficient solution.
Construction of the underpass began in mid-May and essentially finished last month. Pedestrians may now 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 Tuesday evening’s Rawlins City Council meeting, council candidate Christine Cruz-Ford raised a safety concern about the new underground walking tunnel. She said vehicles using Aberdeen Boulevard come dangerously close to pedestrians exiting the tunnel.
Cruz-Ford asked the Rawlins Urban Systems Committee to address the issue, including installing protective bollards near the exit of the pedestrian underpass. In addition, she requested a walking path along Aberdeen Boulevard to keep children out of the street.
Per city policy, council members do not comment on remarks made during the citizen’s participation portion of the meeting.
Following Cruz-Ford’s comments, City Manager Matt Hall announced that the official dedication of the Patrick Casey McMorrow pedestrian underpass is scheduled for September 25th.
The Rawlins City Council chose to dedicate the underground walking tunnel to Patrick Casey McMorrow, a young man killed in 1983 while attempting to cross North Higley Boulevard.
Later in the meeting, during council comments, Councilwoman Tonya Lewman said the city recognizes that the pedestrian underpass lacks a sidewalk and that City Manager Matt Hall and Public Works Director Cody Dill are addressing the issue.
The ribbon cutting ceremony for the Patrick Casey McMorrow pedestrian underpass will take place on Thursday, September 24th, at 5:30 p.m.
