09/04/2026
The community is invited to celebrate the opening of a long-awaited transportation project designed to make crossing Higley Boulevard safer for pedestrians.
The Rawlins Urban Systems Committee, @ WYDOT District 1 - Southeast Wyoming and the City of Rawlins will host a public Ribbon Cutting & Dedication for the new Higley Pedestrian Underpass on Thursday, September 24, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. The event will take place on the west side of the new underpass on Higley Boulevard near Aberdeen Boulevard / Harshman Street.
Along with celebrating the opening of the new underpass, the event will also dedicate the crossing in memory of Patrick Casey McMorrow (1970–1983). In January 1983, Patrick lost his life while attempting to cross the bypass. In July 2026, the Rawlins City Council approved naming the pedestrian underpass in his memory.
The Higley Pedestrian Underpass represents two decades of studies and efforts aimed at making North Higley Boulevard a safer route for pedestrians. The project was ultimately identified through the partnership between WYDOT and the Rawlins Urban Systems Committee as the most effective and cost-efficient solution. The completed underpass gives pedestrians a safer way to travel between the Highland Hills neighborhood, nearby schools and other locations west of the bypass without crossing the busy highway at street level. The new underpass is 9 feet tall and 12 feet wide.
The project also reflects a partnership approach to transportation improvements. More than 80% of the project funding came from the State Urban Systems program, with the remaining share funded by the Specific Purpose “6th Penny” Tax. That means the project was funded through transportation and voter-approved specific-purpose sources — not the City’s general operating fund. These funding sources are specifically intended for transportation improvements and other voter-approved community projects.
Residents are encouraged not only to attend the ribbon cutting and dedication, but also to stay involved in future transportation discussions. Community members interested in how transportation priorities are selected and what project may come next are encouraged to follow the work of the Urban Systems Committee and City Council, or attend their meetings.
For more information, please contact Mira Miller, City of Rawlins Community Relations/PIO, at 307-328-4500 ext. 1022. To receive City news by email or text, sign up at www.rawlinswy.gov/notifyme under “City of Rawlins News.”
Facebook Event Link: https://www.facebook.com/events/2486694275186103
