Two parking garages, new lot on the way

WVU Medicine is building two parking garages which are each scheduled to be ready for occupancy by 2020.

“Parking at Ruby Memorial has been a concern for a long time, and as we’ve experienced growth in our cancer, heart and vascular, neuroscience, and pediatrics service lines, it has become an even bigger challenge. The garages and the lot are being built primarily in response to employee feedback. Both garages will be designated for employees, and parking will continue to be free,” Albert L. Wright, Jr., president and CEO of the West Virginia University Health System, said. “By moving employee parking, the garages will allow more of the parking spaces in front of Ruby Memorial Hospital to be available for patients and visitors.”

One garage will be located near WVU’s Milan Puskar Stadium (off Willowdale Road); the other, near WVU’s Mountaineer Station (off Van Voorhis Road). This map illustrates the garage locations.

Construction on the Willowdale garage, a six-story structure which will contain 810 spaces, began this month. The building will include two elevators and a covered pedestrian bridge to cross over Willowdale to Milan Puskar Stadium. Vehicles will be able to access the garage off Valley View Ave. and Irwin Street.

The first phase of the project involves moving utility poles and widening Willowdale to create a center turn lane into the new garage. A new traffic signal light will also be added at the interchange of Willowdale and Valley View for traffic control.

The roadway widening is expected to start in April, 2019 and finish in June, 2019.

Phase 2, the actual construction of the garage, is expected to be finished in August, 2019.

WVU Medicine officials expect there to be traffic delays, some off-hour lane closures, and an extensive amount of truck and equipment traffic during the span of the construction work near Willowdale.

More details will be announced about the other garage at a later date. It is still in the planning stages, according to Planning, Design and Construction offiicals.

WVU Medicine is also creating a new lot, designated Lot J82, which will open after the Med Center Apartments are demolished. The new lot should create around 385 new spots. Construction on the new lot is scheduled for late October. Weather permitting, it will be available for use by the end of 2018.

The garages and the lot are being built in response to employee feedback. Both garages will be designated for employees, and parking will continue to be free.