Idaho real estate glossary

How COMPASS Prioritizes Unfunded Transportation Projects in Ada and Canyon Counties

The Community Planning Association of Southwest Idaho (COMPASS) manages a data-driven prioritization process for transportation projects in Ada and Canyon Counties. By aligning regional infrastructure needs with long-term growth forecasts through its 'Communities in Motion' plan, COMPASS distinguishes between funded short-term investments and aspirational, unfunded long-term projects.

Updated with grounded research as of 2026-10-02.

The short answer

COMPASS prioritizes transportation projects in Ada and Canyon Counties by utilizing the 'Communities in Motion' (CIM) planning framework. This process evaluates regional growth forecasts and infrastructure needs against established performance measures. While projects with secured funding are integrated into the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), unfunded projects are maintained in the long-range plan as aspirational needs that await future funding availability.

Key facts

Primary Prioritization Framework
COMPASS utilizes the Communities in Motion (CIM) planning process—updated every five years—to establish regional goals, performance measures, and project rankings for Ada and Canyon Counties.
The Financial Constraint Principle
Projects listed in the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) must be financially constrained, meaning they only include projects where federal funds are anticipated or that are regionally significant, ensuring the short-range budget remains realistic.

Understanding the Planning Hierarchy

The hierarchy of transportation planning in Idaho separates long-range aspirations from short-term reality. COMPASS acts as the regional planning organization, rather than a construction agency. Consequently, they maintain the long-range regional plan (*Communities in Motion*), which identifies transportation needs decades into the future based on growth projections. However, this is distinct from the actual implementation phase, where specific agencies—such as the Ada County Highway District (ACHD) or the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD)—handle construction.

Projects typically move through a funnel process: they start as regional needs in the long-range plan, and as funding becomes certain, they are moved into the shorter-term TIP for execution.

How Unfunded Projects are Categorized

When transportation needs exceed available revenue, COMPASS categorizes these as 'unfunded' in the long-range plan. These projects are not discarded; rather, they remain part of the region's blueprint for a 2050 transportation system. The prioritization of these projects relies on data-driven metrics that measure how well a project contributes to regional goals, such as reduced congestion, safety improvements, or supporting economic growth areas.

Because these projects are unfunded, they remain 'aspirational.' Their status can change during the five-year updates of the CIM plan if growth patterns shift significantly or if new federal or state funding sources become available.

Limitations of Regional Planning

It is important for residents and stakeholders to understand that COMPASS's prioritization list is a regional guide, not a final construction schedule. Local agencies (like highway districts) may employ their own specific project ranking methodologies that differ from regional criteria. When planning real estate investments or evaluating neighborhood accessibility, checking both the regional COMPASS plan and the local highway district's five-year plan provides the most accurate picture of expected infrastructure changes.

Common questions

What is the difference between the COMPASS Transportation Improvement Program and a local highway district plan?

The COMPASS TIP is a regional, short-range (7-year) capital improvement budget focused on federal funding and regional connectivity. In contrast, local highway district plans (like ACHD's Five-Year Plan) are specific to the district's jurisdiction and detail the maintenance, development, and construction schedules for the roads they directly manage.

Are unfunded projects ever built?

Yes. Unfunded projects are considered essential regional needs. They are moved into the funded category (the TIP) as new funding sources are secured or when current project budgets are re-allocated during the five-year planning cycles.

Related Idaho questions

  • How does COMPASS forecast regional population growth for transportation planning?
  • Where can I view the current unfunded project list for Ada and Canyon Counties?

Sources and verification