2025 is somehow halfway over! It’s felt like 10 years at times but we’re still pushing.
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. Please make sure you sign up below to have these delivered straight to your inbox and follow on YouTube, Twitter, BlueSky Social, and Instagram.
June Content
Atlanta BeltLine SE Trail Progress
We have concrete on parts of the SE trail! We’re finally getting close.
Northern Arc BRT Station Area Planning – Old Raleigh Village and Glenlake
After a long pause in the series, I’m back with a couple more station area plans.
Urban Thoughts: Too small for an article, too big to miss
The Northeast
There’s something special about the Northeast. It’s been 20 years since I called it home. I was a child then, so there’s a lot I didn’t know. But it still feels like home every time, from the adequate transit, bones of the cities, neighborhoods and more. There’s just one huge issue, housing – well and the weather! I’ll have many more thoughts from my time at CNU, New York, and Southern New England in upcoming pieces.
Developments that Excited Me
Forge Site Under Contract – I have my doubts but it would fill in a huge missing piece.
Downtown on the Rise – It seems like weekly we get huge news out of Downtown South, Underground Atlanta or Centennial Yards.
Lakewood Heights Reuse and Infill – This is a great looking project in an area that hasn’t seen much activity in recent years!
New BeltLine section – A major gap in the Westside Trail is finally open, linking Pitsburgh Yards to Huff Rd plus a direct connection to Downtown.
Photos of the Month
Get Involved, Atlanta!
| Date | Event | Notes |
| 7/7 | City Council | 1:00 PM |
| 7/9 | Transportation Committee | 10:00 AM |
| 7/14 | Zoning Committee | 10:00 AM |
| 7/16 | Transportation Committee | 10:00 AM |
| 8/4 | City Council | 1:00 PM |
Raleigh folks, I miss y’all! Make sure you’re keeping up to date with the great people at Raleigh Forward, WakeUP, Oaks and Spokes, NC Housing Table, and The Downtown Raleigh Community.
What I’m working on this month (and probably later)
- Updates to earlier drawings of the Reconnecting Communities sketches
- More suburban spotlights
- InPhil Designs ideas
- UrbanConnector First Thoughts: Chicago, Providence
I’m sure this newsletter will evolve as time goes on. Comments or suggestions? Let me know!
Phil Veasley is a Professional Engineer and CNU-Accredited Professional member 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, BlueSky Social, and Twitter accounts.
Opinions and insights are my own and are not representative of my employer or any organization.
Phil Veasley 