In 2019, the New York City Department of Transportation initiated the design phase for the Rehabilitation of the E. 233rd Street Bridge over the Bronx River in the Bronx. The bridge is situated between Bronx River Parkway (to the east) and the MTA/Metro-North Line railroad and Woodlawn train station (to the west). East 233rd Street is a mixed-use roadway with small and mid-size residential buildings, businesses and storefronts, and Woodlawn Cemetery located just southwest of the bridge.

Melissa Johnson Associates’ community outreach team works with NYCDOT Bridges Community Affairs and the agency’s design consultant team to identify potential community concerns, and to develop a design that mitigates impacts to the public. During the preliminary design and while design-related inspections and field work are ongoing, the outreach team alerts the local community about lane closures, detours, and loss of parking.

Our outreach team also coordinates with the design team to focus on developing work zone traffic control, MPT plans and proposed construction stages, keeping the community in mind. MJA assists with facilitating important public meetings and briefings. This historic structure also involves coordination with the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and requires a final Public Design Commission (PDC) and community board approval to move into construction. Melissa Johnson Associates ensures that all stakeholders have the opportunity to provide input that is incorporated into the bridge’s final design.