DRCOG outlines recommended priorities for 2050 transportation plan; $11.4B requested vs. $7.8B estimated available
January 08, 2026 | Denver Regional Council of Governments, Governor's Boards and Commissions, Organizations, Executive, Colorado
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DRCOG staff on Jan. 7 presented recommended investment priorities for the 2050 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) and described the evaluation and financial‑planning steps that shaped the draft list.
Alvin Bridal Sanchez, manager of transportation planning and operations, said the call for projects produced 133 candidate projects representing roughly $11.4 billion in requests. DRCOG’s financial planning currently estimates about $7.8 billion of regional partner funding will be available through 2050, creating the need to prioritize projects within a fiscally constrained plan.
Sanchez described the multi-step process used to winnow projects: initial scoring by DRCOG staff, supplemental congestion and equity information, regional partner check‑ins (CDOT regions, RTD), and review by a regional panel representing county forums. He emphasized a distinction between individually listed "projects" and ongoing "programs" (for example, CDOT's HSIP safety projects) and noted DRCOG carried forward many projects already underway or committed.
Public comment earlier in the meeting stressed prioritizing multimodal investments. Chandler Sanchez of the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project urged the board to align near‑term funding with regional climate, safety and mobility goals, saying DRCOG’s engagement found strong support for investing in transit, sidewalks and bikeways rather than new general‑purpose lanes.
In response to Commissioner Levy’s question about whether high‑scoring multimodal projects could be moved earlier in the staging, Sanchez said the estimated years of completion listed in the attachments were provided by project applicants; DRCOG balances scores with feasibility, project phase and partner discussions when deciding staging and scope.
Next steps: the recommended list will go to the Regional Transportation Committee for a recommendation later in January and then back to the DRCOG board for approval. DRCOG staff will proceed with air‑quality and greenhouse‑gas modeling required for federal conformity and state GHG requirements before finalizing the plan.
Alvin Bridal Sanchez, manager of transportation planning and operations, said the call for projects produced 133 candidate projects representing roughly $11.4 billion in requests. DRCOG’s financial planning currently estimates about $7.8 billion of regional partner funding will be available through 2050, creating the need to prioritize projects within a fiscally constrained plan.
Sanchez described the multi-step process used to winnow projects: initial scoring by DRCOG staff, supplemental congestion and equity information, regional partner check‑ins (CDOT regions, RTD), and review by a regional panel representing county forums. He emphasized a distinction between individually listed "projects" and ongoing "programs" (for example, CDOT's HSIP safety projects) and noted DRCOG carried forward many projects already underway or committed.
Public comment earlier in the meeting stressed prioritizing multimodal investments. Chandler Sanchez of the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project urged the board to align near‑term funding with regional climate, safety and mobility goals, saying DRCOG’s engagement found strong support for investing in transit, sidewalks and bikeways rather than new general‑purpose lanes.
In response to Commissioner Levy’s question about whether high‑scoring multimodal projects could be moved earlier in the staging, Sanchez said the estimated years of completion listed in the attachments were provided by project applicants; DRCOG balances scores with feasibility, project phase and partner discussions when deciding staging and scope.
Next steps: the recommended list will go to the Regional Transportation Committee for a recommendation later in January and then back to the DRCOG board for approval. DRCOG staff will proceed with air‑quality and greenhouse‑gas modeling required for federal conformity and state GHG requirements before finalizing the plan.
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