Reminder: Changes take effect Aug. 12 as organization shares efforts to improve parking, transportation for employees, patients

As Michigan Medicine continues to grow, efforts are made daily to improve patient care and patient access.

With that in mind — and with the acknowledgement that there is a very challenging parking situation on the main medical campus for both patients and employees alike — the organization is planning to increase patient parking by about 600 spaces to accommodate current and future needs.

Here’s what you need to know:

Changes to take effect soon

Beginning Aug. 12, several transitions are planned in terms of parking space allocations. These include:

• In the Taubman P3 parking structure, 280 gold spaces will become patient/visitor spaces. This means all gold parking will be removed from P3.
• In the Simpson P4 parking structure, 280 blue spaces will become gold spaces.
• At the Fuller Road lot (M71), 250 yellow spaces will become blue spaces.
• At the Arboretum Pit lot (M29), across the street from the hospital entrance, 48 valet spaces will become blue spaces.

In all, patient spaces will increase by 280 and blue spaces will remain the same.

Overnight parking, accessible parking spaces, business vehicle parking and other special programs will not be affected by the plan.

Parking and transportation improvements

With no more real estate available to build additional parking structures or lots on the main medical campus, improvements to employee parking and transportation options are being put into motion.These enhancements are based upon the input of faculty and staff, who have made their voices heard over the past two years.

For instance, construction on a brand-new parking structure, Wall Street West, is now underway. The new deck will include more than 1,000 parking spaces for employees and is being built over the existing surface parking lots on Wall Street (M76, M91 and M92). The structure is anticipated to be completed by Fall 2020.

Once Wall Street West is finished, the organization will continue to rebalance parking allocations to ensure the needs of both employees and patients are being met.

Additionally, efforts are being made today to provide more safe, reliable and convenient options to help save time and limit stress for all faculty and staff who park remotely. These efforts include:

• Subsidizing a new park-and-ride option north of Ann Arbor by partnering with People’s Express to offer a $2 round trip bus rate.
• Expanded direct shuttle service from the East Ann Arbor lot from 4:30 a.m. Monday until 5 a.m. Saturday.
• Improving the East Ann Arbor lot with an enhanced surface and regular maintenance schedule.
• Exploring new park-and-ride options for employees who commute from the south and west of Ann Arbor.
• Potential enhancements to bus shelters in all offsite parking locations.

Ongoing efforts

Efforts are also ongoing to establish regular focus groups to hear from employees and solicit new ideas regarding parking and transportation issues. The organization remains committed to ongoing and continuous focus on further enhancements that will improve the parking and transportation experience for patients and employees alike.

More information about parking and transportation options at Michigan Medicine is available by clicking here. For other general information, email umpark@umich.edu.