Priorities for capital road projects are determined through a coordinated effort involving engineering staff, public input through neighborhood meetings, and public hearings with final decision by the Board of County Commissioners. The source of project funding can also define priorities. The Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority (PPRTA) funded capital projects have their own prioritization, which were determined through a public process and passed by popular vote in 2005. Timing and project schedules also will define priorities. During any calendar year, a project which is funded and ready for construction takes priority over a project which may also be funded but is not ready to go to construction.

The Major Transportation Corridors Plan (MTCP) is a long-range planning document for the County road system that incorporates public input over a 1-year period to help define future transportation needs. This plan is updated every five years.

The "planning/design" type projects are projects that are being developed through planning and engineering analysis, which result in capital road and bridge construction projects. The County has a list of capital project needs maintained by engineering staff, and largely generated through the MTCP public process. Many of these projects are submitted for federal funding through the planning process at the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments. Projects also typically get their start as the result of a problem or issue recognized by citizens through service requests, as well as needs identified by County staff or others.   test