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El Paso County lays out 2026 paving and preservation plan, estimates $24M/year to sustain PCI gains
Summary
County engineer Joshua Palmer told commissioners Feb. 3 that the county will begin 2026 paving and preservation in April, will publish an interactive map of affected roads, and estimates roughly $24 million per year is required to sustain planned annual Pavement Condition Index gains.
El Paso County commissioners heard a detailed presentation Feb. 3 on the county’s 2026 paving and preservation program, including how the county measures pavement health, what preservation treatments it will use and how much funding will be required to maintain improvements.
Joshua Palmer, El Paso County’s county engineer, told the board the county uses lane miles and the industry-standard Pavement Condition Index (PCI) to prioritize work and that preservation — slurry, chip and cape seals, and targeted full-depth reclamation — is the most cost-effective approach to extend a road’s life. “$1 spent today is worth 4 to $10 in future rehabilitation costs,” Palmer said, adding that preserved roads can last 40–50 years compared with about 20 years without preservation.
The presentation explained the county’s move to data-driven management after a 3D assessment in 2022 and a follow-up in 2025 using laser crack measurement, ground-penetrating radar and LiDAR. The county adopted an industry-standard pavement-management software based on PCI and updates those data every two to three years; Palmer said the software supports modules for modeling but that AI-driven predictive modules are still under development.
Palmer outlined the 2026 plan by district and treatment type and said the county intends to begin construction in April, weather permitting. He said presentation materials and an interactive map showing which roads will receive which treatment and the expected schedule will be posted to the county Department of Public Works page, with a direct link in a press release and a link sent to commissioners for distribution.
On funding, Palmer said the county expects about $12,000,000 annually from PPRTA and has used one-time sources such as ARPA in recent years. He said a budget revision added $5,000,000 and the board approved an additional $7,000,000 for roads; Palmer estimated that achieving a one-point annual PCI increase across the system will require about $24,000,000 per year and noted contingency plans if revenues change.
Commissioners asked technical questions about the origin of earlier PCI scores and whether the county’s software can incorporate subsurface data and AI. Palmer said the county switched to the PCI-based system in 2023 and that AI or predictive modules are not yet widely deployed but are being developed by vendors.
The presentation closed with appreciation from commissioners for the transparency and the plan to provide an easily accessible online list and map for residents.
The county will upload the presentation and the interactive paving map to its DPW web page; construction is scheduled to begin in April pending weather.
