County departments present $12.8 million of 2026 critical needs for roads, parks, roofs and parking

El Paso County departments presented a set of 2026 “critical needs” requests on Tuesday designed to protect infrastructure and respond to increased public use.

Nikki Simmons, the county chief financial officer, opened the budget hearing and said departments would present additional funding requests for the proposed 2026 budget. “We are here this morning to have budget hearing number 2, which is our critical need presentations,” Simmons said.

Public Works: $7 million for paving and preservation

Jack Ladley, director of the county Department of Public Works, asked commissioners for a $7,000,000 increase to the paving and preservation program aimed at maintaining recent gains in the county’s pavement condition index (PCI). Ladley said the county maintains more than 2,300 lane miles of roadway and that inflation in materials has eroded buying power. “Our most pressing need is a $7,000,000 increase for a paving and preservation program,” he said.

Ladley described preservation treatments such as microsurfacing, cape seal and…