FORT COLLINS, Colo. — Larimer County presented an update to its countywide transportation plan, “Larimer on the Move,” including a safety action plan and prioritized roadway, bicycle, pedestrian and transit recommendations, but the Planning Commission voted Aug. 20 to table final adoption so county staff can obtain further guidance from the county commissioners in light of recent federal guidance.

Engineering staff said the draft plan, developed over roughly 18 months with consultant support and public outreach, identifies about $840 million in transportation needs through 2050 and proposes a prioritization and implementation framework. The plan includes targeted projects such as paved shoulders, climbing shoulders on popular cycling corridors, selected shared-use paths, intersection/operational improvements, short- and mid-term safety actions on the county’s high-injury network, and a transit toolkit for unincorporated areas that would rely on partner agencies.

At issue during the Aug. 20 hearing was how to reconcile plan language about equity, community engagement and historically underserved populations with an Aug. 2025 memorandum from the U.S. Attorney General’s Office that warned recipients of federal funding to avoid language or practices the memo characterized as discriminatory or that could jeopardize federal grants. County staff proposed removing an explicit “equity” goal and reframing references to “historically underserved populations” as “communities with limited transportation options,” and replacing an equity framework and map with language emphasizing access and community needs.

Commissioners expressed concern that rewording might dilute the plan’s intent to prioritize areas with fewer transportation choices. Commissioners also noted the plan is intended to guide a possible dedicated local funding source that, if approved, would increase available capital from roughly $7 million per year to approximately $22 million per year (subject to the outcome of a ballot measure to be decided by voters). Given the policy stakes and the recent federal memorandum, the commission voted to table the item and requested that staff present the proposed changes to the Board of County Commissioners and return with the board’s guidance. The table motion passed on a roll call vote.

What’s next: Staff will take the draft modifications and the commission’s comments to the Board of County Commissioners (administrative matters), seek any direction, and return the plan to the Planning Commission at a later meeting. Staff said the county currently lacks funding to cover the full list of projects and will continue to seek federal grants and to pursue local revenue options.