#188: Transportation Playbook for Mega Sports Events: Carlos Braceras, Commissioner of Utah DOT on 2034 Winter Olympics
How to prepare an entire transportation system for one of the world's largest sporting events—while delivering improvements that matter today?
Utah has done it before. In 2002, Salt Lake City hosted the Olympic Games.
The 2034 Olympic Winter Games will bring the world back to Utah. All competition venues are planned within roughly one hour of the Olympic Village, while Utah's transportation agencies are already coordinating how roads, transit, operations, technology, information, and infrastructure will work together as one system.
Carlos has spent nearly four decades at UDOT, rising from a roadway design engineer to lead the agency. He has been at the center of Utah's transformation into one of the country's most innovative state DOTs—championing faster project delivery, technology and intelligent transportation systems, connected vehicles, new approaches to infrastructure, and an organizational culture willing to experiment and learn.
Carlos brings a particularly rare perspective: he was part of UDOT during the 2002 Games and is now chairing the transportation working group preparing for 2034. This time, the philosophy is clear: don't build transportation projects simply for a two-week event. Use the deadline to identify the right investments, accelerate improvements already needed, and make the transportation system perform better.
We will explore:
The mega-event transportation challenge.
Lessons from 2002.
Quick wins versus major investments.
Using a deadline strategically.
One journey, many agencies.
The invisible infrastructure.
Technology and AI.
Cities that host mega sports events have the same fundamental challenge:
How do you turn an extraordinary event deadline into better transportation decisions and visible results?
Join us for a practical conversation about mega-event transportation, quick wins, strategic investment, cross-agency coordination, technology, and the leadership required to get an entire transportation system ready for the world.
Jinhua