Wednesday, January 28, 2026 |
Photo – Image on City’s webpage – Courtesy City of Rawlins
Work on the Rawlins Edinburgh Project is progressing at a slower pace than expected.
In 2019, Rawlins’ residents approved the use of Specific Purpose 6th Penny Tax funds to reconstruct Edinburgh Street between Dunphail and Murray. The project includes replacing the existing water main and sanitary sewer system, installing a new stormwater collection system, and reconstructing the road with new curb, gutter, and sidewalks, along with ADA‑accessible pedestrian ramps.
Two years later, in 2021, the Edinburgh Street Project was projected to cost $2.3 million. However, inflation has pushed the price to more than four times the original estimate. Fearing that inflation could put the project permanently out of reach before enough 6th Penny Tax revenue was collected, the governing body voted to move $1.3 million from the city’s reserve account to the streets department and set aside $1 million in unallocated impact assistance funding for the Edinburgh repairs.
Last fall, Rawlins officials submitted an RFP, or request for proposal, for contractors interested in the project. In November, the City Council voted to accept a $7.9 million bid from Lewis and Lewis Incorporated. The contract gives the Rock Springs contractor 250 working days, or until July, to remove and replace 10,500 square yards of asphalt on Edinburgh Street, from Dunphail to Murray, install 3,000 feet of new water lines, and 2,900 feet of storm sewer pipes. The agreement allows Lewis and Lewis to shut down for the winter if necessary and includes a provision granting the contractor five additional days beyond the expected completion date for every five hours lost to adverse weather.
Work on the Edinburgh Street Project began on Monday, November 24th. During the January 20th Rawlins City Council meeting, Public Works Director Cody Dill updated the governing body on the status of the repairs, noting that several unforeseen issues have caused delays. First, Dill said the contractors were held up by a city‑owned property at 1146 North Higley Boulevard, the site once occupied by Kum and Go. The former convenience store and gas station is monitored through the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality’s Soil Vapor Extraction program, which pulls gasoline vapors out of contaminated soil.
To keep the project moving, Dill said engineers contacted Wyoming DEQ and Trihydro Corporation, the state’s environmental engineering firm, for guidance. The issue has since been resolved, and the contractors plan to return to the area later in the season.
Next, Dill reported that initial excavations showed water lines in the area were roughly a foot and a half from where they were listed. The public works director said engineers were able to quickly devise a solution to the problem, allowing progress to continue.
Dill said he doesn’t expect any further issues locating the water lines. However, the public works director added that a change order is likely to be needed. A change order is a formal amendment to the original contract that authorizes extra work, adjusts the price, or extends the schedule when unexpected conditions arise. In this case, Dill said soil in the area is either too soft or too hard, depending on where crews dig. WWC Engineering, which designed the project, is developing a solution.
Dill said the project began slowly, but production is picking up. Mayor Jacquelin Wells credited the unseasonably warm temperatures and lack of snow for the progress.
Bigfoot99 reached out to Public Works Director Cody Dill for the latest information on the project. Dill wrote that nothing has changed since the January 20th City Council meeting.
For more information on the Edinburgh Street Project, visit the Rawlins city website at www.rawlinswy.gov and click the banner titled “Edinburgh Updates” at the top of the page.
