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.
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.
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.
December is here and the year is finally almost over!
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.
Substack Announcement – The Urban Connector is now on Substack! I’ll be reposting my favorite articles to date along with all new content. Don’t worry, the website is not going anywhere – it’s just another medium to reach more people in more places!
Urban Thoughts: Too small for an article, too big to miss
Downtown Repaving – Everytime I’m Downtown these days, I can’t help but think of how big of an opportunity we missed. Nearly every downtown street has been repaved this year but with the striping put back in place. We really missed a huge opportunity to restripe missing bike connections that would’ve played a huge role in solidifying our safe network and increased mobility ahead of the World Cup.
Daylight Savings Time – I HATE this time of year with the early sunsets. We’ve got to figure this whole Daylight Savings Time thing out. And before you say “we can’t have kids going to school while it’s still dark”, they already do! Elementary School starts around 7:30 and Atlanta’s sunrise already gets to 8 AM as it is.
Developments that Excited Me
Ponce – BeltLine Ramp – It took a LONG time, but the ramp between Ponce and The BeltLine is finally open. Now if we could do something about that misplaced suburban shopping center.
Underutilized Parcel to Housing – It’s always great to see housing proposals floated in the shadow of Downtown.
BeltLine – Silver Comet Gap closing in – We’re getting close to having the BeltLine directly connected to the Silver Comet Trail.
Get Involved, Atlanta!
Date
Event
Notes
12/1
City Council
1:00 PM
12/2
Runoff Election
7-7
12/3
Fatal Crash Commission
10:00 AM
12/8
Zoning Committee
10:00 AM
12/10
Transportation Committee
10:00 AM
No public meetings the last 2 weeks of December. 2026 calendar not yet populated on City website.
What I’m working on this month(and probably later)
More suburban spotlights
Top 10 of 2025
InPhil Designs ideas
Urban Thoughts – Cities: Chicago, Orlando
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.
Nearly a mile of BeltLine frontage, zero off-street BeltLine access.
Chosewood Park is seeing explosive growth – most of which can be attributed to the long-awaited opening of the BeltLine Southside Trail next year.
Most of these developments tout direct BeltLine access as one of their biggest selling points. There’s just one problem though. That direct BeltLine access depends on the 2nd phase of Boulevard Crossing Park. This phase is currently unfunded and has even disappeared from the latest BeltLine Design and Construction updates page.
Constructing an interim trail between Englewood Boulevard and The BeltLine through the future park’s land will provide direct, safe, off-road access between the 1000s of new residences and the mainline trail.
Potential trail path – GoogleEarth
Using temporary materials such as mulch or gravel along with using the path of least resistance provides a quick solution while ensuring there’s not much wasted time or effort if / when Boulevard Crossing Park is funded.
Area Map showing planned and speculative development plus trails – GoogleEarth
Without the trail, the Chosewood Park neighborhood will not only be without direct BeltLine access but will need to use sidewalks along busy Boulevard or Hill St. This section of BeltLine will also stretch .6 miles without a single access point.
While a temporary solution, this trail would also fit into a wider network of planned and logical trail locations dramatically increasing options to get around without a car. It will also help facilitate connections between Chosewood Park to Benteen Elementary School, Grant Park, the Cherokee Ave cycle track and hopefully one-day even more infill with Choseline.
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.
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.
This is the first installment of a new series I’m starting called Quick Wins which will examine relatively small infrastructure tweaks that would make a huge difference in how we get around.
Cherokee Ave is a critical North-South connection connecting the new Memorial Drive cycle track past Grant Park toward the BeltLine Southside Trail.
GoogleEarth
Currently the cross-section varies from protected two-way facility, to buffered directional, to gaps of sharrows.
Cherokee Ave has a relatively low to moderate volume. However, variations in cross-sections and forced merges into traffic significantly degrade its usefulness as an All Ages and Abilities facility. This has become more apparent with the addition of the Memorial Drive cycle-track last year. The situation will be compounded with the Southside Trail opening next year.
The forced merge just off the bridge heading Southbound is particularly dangerous. Bikers have to turn fully around to see if any cars are coming. It can also feel like the merge comes out of nowhere when coming over the bridge, even for riders like myself who ride it multiple times per week.
Forced Merge – GoogleEarthEnd of shared lane SB – GoogleEarth
Creating one cohesive cross-section from Memorial Drive down to Atlanta Ave will go along way towards transforming this into the bikeway deserves to and is so close to being.
Flipping the cycle track from the East side to the West side at Sydney Street and carrying that cross-section up to Memorial Drive encounters less driveway conflicts.
While this results in some parking loss near Sydney Street (which is why I imagine we have the setup we have now), the two-way configuration is more efficient space wise and the parking loss can be made up over the bridge.
The Northern block’s parking is also typically underutilized and there is an abundance of parking in the adjacent surface lots. Consolidating the parking to only the East side of the block enables us to carry the cycle-track to Memorial Drive uninterrupted.
While the number of people on bikes in Atlanta is seemingly exploding over the past couple of years, the quick wins such as this are key in creating a network that allows all users the choice to travel freely without a vehicle.
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, and Twitter accounts.
Opinions and insights are my own and are not representative of my employer or any organization.
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.
Urban Thoughts: Too small for an article, too big to miss
Election Night – It was a much better feeling after election night 2025 than 2024 to say the least. Congratulations to all who ran great campaigns in Atlanta and beyond. While Rohit Malhotra fell just short in his Council President race, I think his campaign and Kelsea Bond’s victory showed us a lot about what’s possible for the future of Atlanta. Sam Foster fell just short in the City of Marietta Mayor’s race but ran one of the best campaigns I’ve seen in a suburban city. I’m feeling hope for the future of our Country for the first time in a year.
I also want to shout out Deans Eatman for winning re-election and Dustin Ingalls for being elected in my old stomping grounds of Wendell, NC. The future is more than bright there!
Developments that Excited Me
Boulevard Groundbreaking, Downtown Chosewood and SE Beltline Nearing Completion
If you know me, you know it’s no secret that I’ve struggled to adjust to Chosewood Park after being in Reynoldstown for a few months upon coming back to Atlanta. But this past month has finally brought us some good news down here by way of Boulevard’s complete street project finally breaking ground, a new “Downtown Chosewood” development, and finally the light at the end of the tunnel is in sight for the Southeast Beltline.
We still really need Boulevard Crossing Park to get funding (or at least an interim gravel trail to give us direct Beltline access without having to go around to Boulevard or Hill St please?) to really be cooking but hopefully the positive momentum this month is a sign of things to come.
Microsoft is finally offloading a piece of their 90-acre campus to the City of Atlanta. While this probably means they have no plans on selling or developing the rest of their land, this is a step in the right direction – for now.
South Downtown
Another month, another wave of tenant announcements – plus Smorgasbordis here! Make sure you check it out and are signed up for Jon’s monthly email updates.
What I’m working on this month(and probably later)
More suburban spotlights
InPhil Designs ideas
Urban Thoughts – Cities: Chicago, Orlando
I’m sure this newsletter will evolve as time goes on. Comments or suggestions? Let me know!
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, and Twitter accounts.
Opinions and insights are my own and are not representative of my employer or any organization.
The multimodal capital of the South is right here in Midtown. Ride along as I tour the newly completed bike infrastructure on the campus of Georgia Tech. Head to YouTube to watch!
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, and Twitter accounts.
Opinions and insights are my own and are not representative of my employer or any organization.
Opinions and insights are my own and are not representative of my employer or any organization.
The Old Raleigh Village and Glenlake stations provide an opportunity to create walkable infill. They also make the most of a large shopping center surface lot.
Today, Crabtree Valley Mall dominates the landscape. While the floodplain makes it hard to actually redevelop this site and the mall is rather well doing in terms of malls these days, it’s fun to imagine what this area could look like as a dense mixed-use town center.
Google Earth
In the future, replacing the mall with a mixed-use district with a grid system, park space, commercial space, and 1000s of residential units would serve as a catalyst to set the BRT line up for success.
The main district would also be flanked by additional mid-rise developments in vacant parcels and increased offer connectivity by way of trails and roadways.
The BRT line would then join I-440 along a dedicated guideway to make a stop by Glenwood Place before continuing on to North Hills and Midtown Raleigh.
NOTE: I do not own, control, have actual say, etc over any of the proposed redevelopment parcels. This is just an idea and just a sketch.
Stay tuned over the coming months as we’ll work through all of the stations along the corridor.
Phil Veasley is a Professional Engineer and CNU accredited 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, transit, 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 