VHB has been selected to support the next phase of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) Second Avenue Subway expansion project, a transformative initiative that will extend service north into East Harlem. The program will expand transit infrastructure by creating three new stations along Manhattan’s East Side, with VHB supporting construction of a new 106th Street station designed to improve mobility, accessibility, and public safety for residents, commuters, and local businesses.
The expansion represents a major investment in New York City’s public transportation network and is expected to improve connectivity for historically underserved communities in East Harlem while reducing congestion across existing transit corridors. Once complete, the project will help reduce congestion on existing subway lines and enhance access to jobs, education, healthcare, and essential services across the city.
Construction of the new 106th Street station will use a cut‑and‑cover approach, requiring extensive coordination at street level. This method involves excavating Second Avenue to construct the station shell below grade while maintaining traffic flow, pedestrian access, transit service, and utility operations. As utilities in the corridor are located underground, the work includes relocating or suspending these systems to allow construction to safely proceed.
Working with Mott MacDonald, and in collaboration with the Skanska–Walsh–Traylor joint venture contractor team, VHB is providing traffic and maintenance of pedestrian and traffic (MPT) design services. These efforts are focused on keeping Second Avenue functioning safely and efficiently during active construction while minimizing impacts on surrounding neighborhoods.
The project team is leveraging VHB’s extensive experience providing program management, transportation planning, and infrastructure design services for the MTA to secure approvals from the New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) and coordinate construction staging along one of Manhattan’s most heavily used corridors.
“Our goal is to support construction of this critical transit investment while keeping East Harlem residents, businesses, and visitors connected to the places they rely on every day,” said Dan Brzac, Lead Traffic Design at VHB. “We are drawing on our long history with the MTA and NYC DOT to strike the right balance—creating enough space to safely build the new station shell while maintaining traffic on Second Avenue, access to storefronts, bus stops, and bike lanes.”
The Second Avenue Subway expansion is expected to play a significant role in advancing long-term transportation resilience, accessibility, and economic growth across New York City while improving everyday travel for thousands of residents and commuters.
Learn more about how VHB supports complex transportation engineering and transit infrastructure projects across New York City.
