ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. — The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality’s Abandoned Mine Lands (AML) division has launched a major safety project in Bunning Park, aiming to stabilize the ground beneath the park and surrounding streets where shallow mine voids from the historic Rock Springs No. 1 Coal Mine have been identified.
Crews began work immediately after Labor Day, focusing on grouting the mine voids — a process that fills underground gaps with specialized material to reduce the risk of subsidence, or ground collapse. Officials say the project will strengthen public infrastructure and ensure the park remains safe for residents and visitors.
Mayor Max Mickelson noted during a May 20 city council meeting that the timeline was accelerated. He requested AML begin earlier than expected because of the immediate safety concerns posed by the voids.
The project is significant in scope, extending beyond the park. Richard McPeek, who addressed the council in May, explained that work will be phased to reduce disruption while still keeping Bunning Park open for public use.
Rocket Miner reporters observed crews on-site September 4, temporarily restricting vehicles from using the park’s one-way loop road. Motorists were asked by workers to back out and seek alternate parking. This reflects the phased approach McPeek outlined, balancing construction activity with community access.
McPeek emphasized the broader reach of the work: Evans Street, J Street, K Street, Noble Drive, and two nearby city lots are also included in the stabilization effort.
“Our grouting program’s number one priority is increasing public safety. That’s what we do,” McPeek said. “We fill voids underground so that we have no incidents of people getting hurt.”
Calling it “quite a big one,” McPeek highlighted that the program is part of Wyoming’s larger AML initiative to repair landscapes and infrastructure left behind by the state’s coal mining history. Rock Springs, once a hub of coal production, still bears the underground scars of its past.
While some short-term disruptions are expected, city officials maintain the benefits are long-lasting. The filled voids will stabilize public spaces, protect roads and utilities, and prevent potentially dangerous ground shifts.
With crews already active across several streets and parking lots, residents can expect construction activity in the area to continue over the coming months. Still, officials stress the phased schedule will allow the community to continue enjoying Bunning Park while improvements move forward.
Originally reported by Trina Dennis Brittain in Wyoming News.
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