The article analyzes the activities of the All-Russian Conference and the Conference of Tomsk Railways on Transport Development in the early 20th century as a new form of cooperation: central executive power, regional authorities, self-government bodies, corporate and individual entrepreneurs, public organizations. The primary attention is paid to the projects of communication routes related to the northwestern part of Siberia and their prospects for social and economic development. Only as part of a large-scale Northern Sea Route and Ob-Yenisei Waterway Canal project did the executive power take an interest in the Ob North during the early 20th century. At the same time, the business world of Siberia, independently or with administrative support, sought to put together new river transport routes. Differences in the positions of the authorities and the business world concerned both the goals of transport projects and the expected results, taking into account the duration of their implementation.