The Road Ahead 2026

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Overview

The Road Ahead 2026: The Future of Urban Mobility

Join us for Transportation Solutions' 21st annual seminar featuring a buffet breakfast, presentations, and a panel discussion during Earth Week. This year's dynamic, half‑day event dives into the future of Denver’s transportation landscape with internationally renowned mobility expert David Zipper, Contributing Writer at Bloomberg and cohost of the transportation podcast Look Both Ways. In his keynote, David will challenge common assumptions about how technology can -- and can't -- help our streets become safer, cleaner, and more enjoyable.

Alongside his keynote, enjoy inspiration from leading Denver voices, two community leader awards, and an engaging panel exploring innovative strategies to move people more efficiently in a growing urban city.

This is a must‑attend event for anyone passionate about shaping Denver’s transportation future. Whether you’re a curious Denverite eager to grasp the future of transportation or a business seeking to make a meaningful impact on our community, this event offers everyone a chance to learn, engage, and sponsor the growth of accessible mobility options in Denver.

The Road Ahead attracts over 150 attendees, including local and regional officials, state and federal government elected representatives, public and private sector participants, developers, business leaders, and neighbors and residents.

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Agenda

Light breakfast and networking 8:00 am

Welcome and awards 8:30 am

• Awards will be presented by Denver Councilwoman Amanda Sawyer, Chair, Transportation Solutions and Lou Raders, Vice Chair, Transportation Solutions

 

Keynote: 9:00 am

• David Zipper, Contributing Writer, Bloomberg

Legislative Update 9:50 am

• Matt Frommer, Transportation and Land Use Policy Manager, Southwest Energy Efficiency Project (SWEEP)

Networking break 10:05 am

Panel 10:15 am

• Moderator: Stuart Anderson, Executive Director, Transportation Solutions
• David Zipper, Contributing Writer, Bloomberg
• Jill Locantore, Executive Director, Denver Streets Partnership
• Matt Frommer, Transportation and Land Use Policy Manager, SWEEP
• Richard Barrett, Vice President, Operations, Cherry Creek North

Adjournment 11:30 am

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Our Keynote Speaker

David Zipper, Contributing Writer, Bloomberg

David Zipper writes, advises, and speaks about transportation, cities, and technology. A Contributing Writer at Vox and Bloomberg CityLab, David’s writing is published in outlets including The Financial Times, The Atlantic, Slate, and Fast Company. He is currently working on a book about congestion pricing, to be published by MIT Press in partnership with Penguin Random House.

David’s perspectives on transportation and urban development are rooted in his experience working within city hall as well as being a venture capitalist and startup advisor. He has consulted with numerous public agencies about regulatory strategy and has helped foundations develop their philanthropic approach toward improving transportation outcomes. David publishes Paved with Good Intentions, a free newsletter about the future of transportation.

David's stories focus on topics including America’s failures around road safety, transportation’s role in climate change, and strategies to grow transit ridership. He was the first person to use “car bloat” to describe the dangers of increasingly oversized SUVs and pickups. David received a Heinrich Boll Foundation fellowship to write a skeptical exploration of Norway’s electric car subsidies, which was Vox Future Perfect’s most-read story of 2023. He has spoken at events including the Consumer Electronics Show, SXSW, and the FIA Conference. He has been quoted or interviewed in The New York Times, CNN, The Wall Street Journal, NBC Nightly News, and many other outlets. With Wes Marshall, David co-hosts “Look Both Ways with David and Wes,” a pragmatic podcast about all things transportation.

From 2024 to 2026, David was a Senior Fellow at the MIT Mobility Initiative. He was previously a Visiting Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School and the Managing Director for Smart Cities and Mobility at 1776, a global venture capital fund and startup hub, where he connected hundreds of entrepreneurs to urban leaders eager to deploy their solutions.

David previously served as the Director of Business Development and Strategy under two mayors in Washington DC, where he led support to Washington’s first startup incubators and guided the city's response to the emergence of ride hail services. Before moving to Washington, David served in the administration of New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

David holds an MBA with Highest Honors from Harvard Business School, an M.Phil in Land Economy (Urban Planning) from Cambridge University, and a BA with High Honors from Swarthmore College. He has been selected as a Truman Scholar, a Gates Scholar, and a Baker Scholar.

Panelists

Jill Locantore, Executive Director, Denver Streets Partnership

Matt Frommer, Transportation and Land Use Policy Manager, Southwest Energy Efficient Project (SWEEP)

Richard Barrett, Vice President, Operations, Cherry Creek North

 

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