Article recaps, multimodal rants, Nashville takeaways and more!
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, Substack, Twitter, BlueSky Social, and Instagram.
March Content
InPhil Designs: BOULEVARDxMEMORIAL – This key intersection halfway between Downtown and the Eastside Trail holds a ton of potential.
Atlanta BeltLine Southeast Trail Progress – We’re down to the final days of waiting for the (official) opening!
Photos of the Month
Urban Thoughts: Too small for an article, too big to miss
Downtown – As we can see in some of the photos above, Downtown Atlanta is really hitting it’s stride. From South Downtown’s makeover, Centennial Yards, MARTA’s A-Line getting red paint, to even the little things like the replanting of flowers in the MLK cycle track, the future is looking bright.
Nashville – I really enjoyed a quick weekend trip to Nashville earlier this month. What stood out to me was the amount and quality of multimodal street infrastructure outside of Broadway, and bus ridership. What impressed me the most however were the neighborhoods just outside of Downtown in what felt like every direction. There was so much infill from small lot homes, duplexes, townhomes, corner shops and more. I’ll have a deeper dive soon!
Multimodal Narrative – It seems like everyone is willing to share their negative thoughts on Atlanta’s multimodal infrastructure these days from radio personalities (cough, 92.9 the Game), random online folks, media members and more. The facts that single nay-sayer seem to miss is that it comes down to safety and scale. At the end of the day, people are dying on these streets – usually walkers and bikers. And, cars just can’t scale in urban environments; bikes are smaller, more efficient and every person on a bike is one who isn’t in a car. I think car fanatics should actually be big bike fans! Also, when your show goes from ending at 7 to ending at 6, that’s the reason why traffic is so much worse, not because the “stupid” bikers. Entities such as Midtown Alliance have done a fantastic job combatting some of the flying hot takes out there but I do feel like the city as a whole is losing the general public narrative when it comes to safety and multimodal infrastructure. Hopefully we keep our eyes firm on our Vision Zero goals and as more and more of these great projects come along, more and more people will be out of their cars.
Developments that Excited Me
Speaking of Multimodal infrastructure…more is on the way in Midtown! I wish we could say the same for Downtown with all the paving we’re wrapping up.
Murphy Crossing – It may not be car-free and the renders may not show BeltLine Rail, but it’s still looking good!
Get Involved, Atlanta!
| Date | Event | Notes |
| 4/4 | 404 Day | All day, city-wide |
| 4/18 | MARTA Bus Network redesign launch | New routes, new frequencies |
| 4/20 | City Council | 1:00 PM |
| 4/27 | Zoning Committee | 11:00 AM |
| 4/29 | Transportation Committee | 10:00 AM |
| 5/4 | City Council | 1:00 PM |
| 5/5 | 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)
- Netherlands infrastructure takeaways
- More suburban spotlights
- InPhil Designs ideas
- Urban Thoughts – Cities: Chicago, Orlando, Nashville
I’m sure this newsletter will evolve as time goes on. Comments or suggestions? Let me know!
I’ll be reposting my favorite ideas to date plus all new content over on Substack! As always, everything will remain free so hop on over and subscribe!
Phil Veasley, PE, CNU-A, The Urban Connector, is a Professional Engineer with Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates focused on creating safer, more vibrant cities through strategic multimodal infrastructure design. With expertise spanning traffic analysis, hand sketching, conceptual design, and full construction documentation, he thrives on transforming roads into great streets where people of all ages and abilities can flourish. Based in Atlanta, Phil is a passionate advocate for walkable, dense, and equitable neighborhoods. Outside of work, his passion is exploring urban life through sketching infill ideas and navigating cities primarily by bike or foot. His on-the-ground perspective informs his professional work, helping him design transportation systems that are not only functional but also people-centered and inspiring. Phil brings both technical depth and a city lover’s enthusiasm to every project, drawing on the belief that infrastructure and urban form must go hand in hand to support vibrant, inclusive communities where everyone has access to opportunity and quality of life.
Please check out the menus above for all of my ideas and also check out my YouTube, Instagram, Website, Substack, and Twitter accounts.
Opinions and insights are my own and are not representative of my employer or any organization.
Phil Veasley 