Ryan Gravel: Rock Star of Urban Planning

More than 30,000 people have taken a three-hour bus tour of the proposed loop; the answer to “Have you taken the tour?” has become a kind of litmus test of Atlanta civic pride.

On a weekday afternoon in late August, as a packed BeltLine tour bus made its way through both charming historic neighborhoods and blocks plagued by drugs and crime, a guide called Mr. Gravel a “rock star” of urban planning.

Mr. Gravel is surprised that the existing BeltLine has become such a gathering spot — a place to promenade, take outdoor yoga classes, and wander in and out of trendy restaurants.

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http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/12/us/atlanta-beltline.html