Hello, I’m Dave Sousa, the principal of Blackledge Consultants, LLC, a U.S.-based firm working in partnership with VNC in UAE in delivering specialised projects. With over 40 years of experience as a licensed landscape and urban planner, I’ve worked my way up through various levels of management in multinational engineering and planning companies. My career has spanned site planning, environmental studies, urban design, and real estate development.

My focus shifted towards comprehensive master planning and transportation planning due to a passion for creating more livable and sustainable communities and viable urban centers. I’ve authored numerous studies on Walkable Urbanism and Complete Streets, regularly lecturing on these topics throughout the U.S. As a recognized leader in urban mobility, I’m often recruited to plan and design large-scale urban redevelopments and transportation projects for private, institutional, and governmental clients in the U.S. and abroad.
I’ve had the privilege of working alongside exceptional professionals from diverse disciplines, including engineers, architects, planners, landscape architects, and environmental specialists. This collaborative effort ensures that development plans are socially responsible, sustainable, practical, economically sound, and marketable.

Plus, my experience in urban mobility, urban redevelopment, and public involvement allows me to work with multi-disciplinary teams to integrate transportation and land use. With this “big picture” view and construction expertise, I’ve developed innovative tools and place-making strategies to adapt streets and communities to new modes of travel, fostering better connections between people and their jobs, schools, and each other. My relentless pursuit is to create healthier, greener, and more beautiful places for people to live, work, and play.