WEDNESDAY, August 5, 2026|
Photo – Higley Blvd Pedestrian Tunnel – Courtesy City of Rawlins
Work is progressing on the construction projects underway in Rawlins.
The City of Rawlins is undertaking several improvement projects this summer, including replacing water and sewer lines beneath Edinburgh Street and building a pedestrian tunnel under Higley Boulevard.
Monday’s Rawlins City Council meeting began with a moment of silence for 8‑year‑old Raiden Sanchez, who was killed while riding his bike on Sunday.
Later in the meeting, City Manager Matt Hall announced that Higley Boulevard, also known as Highway 287, had reopened to traffic. The highway was closed while the Wyoming Department of Transportation installed an underground walking tunnel connecting the Highland Hills neighborhood with nearby school campuses. Hall said the city will hold a dedication ceremony once the underpass is fully finished.
City officials agreed to name the pedestrian underpass after Patrick Casey McMorrow, who was killed in 1983 while attempting to cross the busy highway.
City Attorney Pinita Maberry‑Nave noted that recent staffing changes at WYDOT have pushed back the walking tunnel’s final completion date.
The city is also preparing to install a pressure booster station on the corner of Date and 9th streets. Once completed, the underground facility will allow the city to divert low pressure water to higher elevations when the high-pressure line is down for repairs. In June, the city secured a $750,000 grant from the Office of State Lands and Investments and supplied an equal match, bringing the project total to $1.5 million.
At Monday’s City Council meeting, City Manger Matt Hall said crews are waiting for the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality to approve the station’s design. In the meantime, Hall said staff are preparing to order the equipment required for the booster pump station.
Once Wyoming DEQ issues the permit, work on the Date Street booster station can begin. City Manager Hall said the project is expected to start later this month or early next, with the job taking approximately three weeks to finish.
During the council comments portion of the meeting, Councilman Terry Patterson requested an update on the Edinburgh Street Rebuild Project. Using 6th Penny Specific Purpose Tax finds, the city is replacing the water main and sanitary sewer system, adding a new stormwater collection system, and rebuilding Edinburgh Street with new curb, gutter, sidewalks, and ADA‑accessible ramps. Councilman Patterson asked when Murray Street, which has been closed for the project, would be reopened to traffic, adding that residents have been complaining.
Public Works Director Cody Dill explained that the city’s contractor, Lewis and Lewis Incorporated out of Rock Springs, is preparing the road for pavement.
In addition to those three projects, Rawlins officials have begun the Sage Creek Transmission Pipeline Cathodic Protection Project, which will replace the corrosion‑prevention system on the 32‑mile pipeline that brings drinking water into the city. The project is estimated to cost roughly $5.7 million, split evenly between the city and a Wyoming Water Development Commission grant.
