August is here, I hope everyone is staying safe and dry at the coast! The Urban Connector monthly newsletter looks back on the best of the previous month as well as ways to get involved in the coming month.
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July Content
July 4th – Exploring Tampa Bay Pt 1 – Tampa
YouTube video exploring Tampa, FL.
July 13th – Exploring Tampa Bay Pt 2 – St Pete
YouTube video exploring St. Pete, FL.
July 14th – Northern Arc BRT Station Area Planning – Chapel Hill Rd
Continuation of the series exploring the infill and TOD possibilities of a hypothetical 5th BRT line in Raleigh.
July 28th – Sights and Insights from the “Bowl” of the Beltline
Atlanta is a biking City. And it’s getting safer to get around. Check out my thoughts from a ride around the “Bowl.”
Developments that Excited Me
Memorial Drive Cycle Track – GDOT is adding a protected two-way cycle track connecting Downtown Atlanta to (just about) the Beltline along Memorial Drive! The project is nearing completion with most of the concrete curbs going in. Unfortunately many of them have already taken a beating from bad drivers but things should get better once vertical protection is also added. This one is absolutely a game-changer for getting around the area. GDOT deserves credit here.
Kronberg Don’t Miss!
24 missing middle units are coming to the Westside by Kronberg Urbanists + Architects.
3rd Times a Charm for West End Mall?
Time will tell but there’s a new proposal to revamp the Mall at West End. I’ll file this under “I’ll believe it when I see it”, but it would be a massive deal for area residents and AUC students in a transit rich but service deficit area.
AMTRAK Downtown Hub?!
That dream isn’t dead yet. Hopefully they’re in negotiations with Centennial Yards before it’s too late to have a spot along the rails for a platform.
More of a bittersweet moment, but Friday was my last day with Toole Design Group. My time there was nothing short of amazing. I learned not only how to be a better Engineer but also how much work we have to do in improving infrastructure to be accessible to people outside of the car.
| Date | Event | Notes |
| 8/5 | City Council | 1:00 PM |
| 8/6 | Transportation Task Force | 6:30 PM |
| 8/12 | Zoning Committee | 11:00 AM |
| 8/14 | Transportation Committee | 10:00 AM |
| 8/15 | CNU Atlanta Happy Hour | 6:30 PM |
| 8/18 | Streets Alive | 1-5:00 PM |
| 8/19 | City Council | 1:00 PM |
| 8/22 | ULI Atlanta Housing Summit | 8-2:00 PM |
| 8/26 | Zoning Committee | 11:00 AM |
| 8/28 | Transportation Committee | 10:00 AM |
| 8/30 | Critical Mass Ride | 6:30 PM – Meet at Woodruff Park |
| 9/3 | City Council | 1:00 PM |
Atlanta Calendar of Events
Things to Know – Raleigh
| Date | Event | Notes |
| 8/13 | Planning Commission | 9:00 AM |
| 8/19 | BPAC | 6:00 PM |
| 8/20 | City Council | 1:00 PM |
| 8/27 | Planning Commission | 9:00 AM |
| 9/3 | City Council | 1:00 PM & 7:00 PM |
Raleigh Calendar of Events
I’m sure this newsletter will evolve as time goes on. Comments or suggestions? Let me know!
Phil Veasley is a Professional Engineer working to design safer multimodal infrastructure in cities throughout the US.
My goal is to create cities that are safe and effective for all people to move about outside of cars. To achieve that we have to focus on creating equitable, dense, and vibrant cities full of walkable neighborhoods with a various mix of housing choices, schools, restaurants, and services. We cannot have safe multimodal infrastructure without the density to support it and we cannot have equitable density without safe multimodal infrastructure. Outside of designing safe streets, my passions are sketching ideas for infill neighborhoods, floor plans, urban photography, and exploring our cities on foot or bike. Please check out the menus above for all of my ideas and also check out my YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter accounts.
Opinions and insights are my own and are not representative of any organization.
Phil Veasley 