Photos of the month, CNU 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.
May Content
No new content this month, but take a moment to head to my archives and check out some of my ideas through the years. June should be a much quieter month, so I should have plenty to share!
Photos of the Month
Urban Thoughts: Too small for an article, too big to miss
“Safety” for who – The BeltLine has hired around the clock off-duty officers to protect all access points of the substantially completed Southside Trail. I’ll spare going into details about my questions about this being done on the Southside but not any other section recently completed section that myself and others have pointed out. I will however point out the irony of completely blocking the sidewalk that leads directly to the only safe crossing on Boulevard for over a mile between Grant Park and Custer Ave. Also, the sidewalk gap just beyond this picture can’t be filled soon enough…
“Y’all means all” – until it’s time to build some housing – I’ll just call this my quote of the month. It just doesn’t click for so many people; many of which who call themselves progressives.
Northwest Arkansas – The bike infrastructure is incredible. The urban infill punches way above it’s weight. But I have to be honest, the region mainly feels like a few small towns with a bunch of sprawl in-between propped up by some big money. Don’t get me wrong, there’s a lot of natural beauty but between the absolute lack of diversity and lack of true urban core, something just didn’t click for me personally. CNU itself was good, per usual and I’m already looking forward to next year’s congress in Minneapolis.
I-20 East Transit Study – I also want to highlight an important transit study that my colleague, Zachary Starbuck, is leading on the I-20 corridor. His project is a meta-analysis that takes a fresh approach to transit planning: rather than starting with a standard existing-conditions review, it examines both prior studies of this corridor and comparable transit corridors elsewhere. By synthesizing what has already been learned, the study aims to surface practical lessons from other projects while also reducing costs and avoiding redundant work. Turning plans for transit into action on I-20 — ThreadATL
Developments that Excited Me
Ormewood Infill – Initial plans have been released for the remake of the northern Trestletree Village complex along the SE BeltLine. This is a great location with trail access, actual grid connectivity, walkable to grocery, the zoo and more, it deserves to hold tons of housing even given neighbor “concerns”.
MARTA Trains – The first of the next-generation trains could be rolling for revenue service this week!
South Downtown – South Downtown (which has always been a neighborhood name and isn’t just some made up name or whatever else people get fake mad about these days) is really coming together! The next month will see a slew of openings and activity. If you haven’t made it down there yet or gone on a tour, I highly recommend it.
Centennial Yards – We should see the fences coming down in the next couple of weeks surrounding the Entertainment District. Hopefully soon after the World Cup, we’ll learn more about what’s next for the massive development. It’s also great to see the MLK Bridge resurfaced complete with an extension of the cycle-track!
Get Involved, Atlanta!
| Date | Event | Notes |
| 6/1 | City Council | 1:00 PM |
| 6/8 | Zoning Committee | 11:00 AM |
| 6/10 | Transportation Committee | 10:00 AM |
| 6/15 | City Council | 1:00 PM |
| 6/22 | Zoning Committee | 10:00 AM |
| 6/24 | Transportation Committee | 11:00 AM |
| 7/6 | 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 deep dives
- 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.
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Phil Veasley 