Building on the successful extension of the Q line to 96th Street, Phase 2 of the Second Avenue Subway project advances one of New York City’s most significant transit investments, extending service north to 125^th Street in East Harlem. This phase includes the construction of three new fully accessible stations at 106th Street, 116th Street, and 125th Street, expanding transit access, connectivity, and mobility for the surrounding communities. Delivering a project of this magnitude requires proactive coordination and communication to manage construction-related impacts and maintain strong community relationships throughout the duration of work.

Melissa Johnson Associates (MJA) serves as the public outreach consultant for the project’s design-build team, providing on-site support to keep communities informed, engaged, and heard throughout construction. Our work helps minimize disruption, maintain transparency, and strengthen public confidence in this high-profile infrastructure project.Our full-time Public Outreach Manager acts as a bridge between the project team and a diverse range of stakeholders, including residents, businesses, commuters, motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists, as well as community boards, elected officials, civic associations, merchant associations, community groups, and government agencies.

MJA implements a comprehensive, multilingual outreach program designed to keep stakeholders informed and prepared for construction-related changes. Engagement strategies include distribution of construction notices and project updates, community meetings and presentations, site visits, stakeholder briefings, coordination with agency partners, grassroots outreach initiatives, newsletters and bulletins—all developed to be culturally and linguistically inclusive of the neighborhood. Through proactive communication and consistent community presence, MJA supports the successful delivery of this transformative transit expansion while safeguarding the needs and concerns of the East Harlem community.