Ah, the Raleigh-Charlotte-Atlanta days
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.
August Content
Raleigh 2026 Drone Tour
Centennial Yards Post World Cup Drone Tour
Netherlands Rural Riding and Lasting Takeaways
Atlanta 2026 Drone Tour Pt 1
Photos of the Month
Urban Thoughts: Too small for an article, too big to miss
Charlotte: I finally got back up to Charlotte for a weekend and man did I miss the City. It’s incredible to see the change since last time I spent time there. The amount of cohesive feeling, transit-adjacent infill from SouthEnd to Noda is just off the charts. It’s great to see the I-277 Rail Trail crossing finally taking shape – although they really should just remove the Southern/Eastern leg of the loop!
Strava Maps: Taking a look at the Strava heatmaps for Atlanta, Charlotte, and Raleigh. It’s really a striking image of demographic patterns, sidewalk conditions, and the perception of safety in these three cities.
Developments that Excited Me
Boulevard: Still no progress on the sidewalk gap right at the BeltLine, but we have fresh pavement and pre-mark for the new buffered bike lanes!
Oakline: Those who have followed my work know that I’ve talked about Downtown Raleigh not having “that spot” in their urban core many times over the years. This could finally change that.
Atrium-Morehouse School of Medicine Hospital: While WellStar abandoned the City, Atrium is looking to enter the market with a massive investment and partnership with MSM.
Get Involved, Atlanta!
| Date | Event | Notes |
| 9/8 | City Council | 1:00 PM |
| 9/14 | Zoning Committee | 11:00 AM |
| 9/15 | Propel ATL Event | 6:00 PM |
| 9/16 | Transportation Committee | 10:00 AM |
| 9/19 | CNU Atlanta Glenwood Park Event | 9:00 AM |
| 9/21 | City Council | 1:00 PM |
| 9/28 | Zoning Committee | 12:00 PM |
| 9/30 | Transportation Committee | 10:00 AM |
| 10/5 | Full 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)
- More suburban spotlights
- InPhil Designs ideas
- Urban Thoughts – Cities: Chicago, Orlando, Nashville, London
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 