Emergency Department -- Change in Access Notification

UMass Medical School's clinical partner, UMass Memorial Health Care is undertaking a major renovation and expansion of its University Campus Emergency Department. 

The project continues as scheduled, and you’ve no doubt noticed that:

  • the old Life Flight/EMS Emergency Communications Center has been torn down after 20+ years of service, replaced by a new facility in the Benedict Building parking lot, near South Road;
  • the helipad for Life Flight has been relocated slightly to the south of its original location;
  • and, most importantly , traffic patterns have changed.

Now that we’ve completed several changes needed to prepare for construction of the new Emergency Department, emergency vehicle traffic will return to its original configuration as of September 3. 

It is important that you become familiar with the new configuration of the roadway and parking lot detailed below.  Your attention to the changes continues to be of vital importance in ensuring safe and efficient transportation of patients to the Emergency Department.

Physicians, faculty, staff and students should also be advised that these traffic changes will disrupt familiar traffic patterns, and this, combined with the construction equipment and activity will challenge everyone to be alert and patient.

Here is summary of the changes that will begin Wednesday, September 3  and be in place through the duration of construction of the Lakeside Expansion  (Click here to view a map of these changes) :

red puzzle piece Ambulances and other emergency vehicles will be rerouted as follows: 

  • Ambulances will return to accessing the ED via South Road.
  • A new access road off South Road will be clearly designated for emergency vehicle traffic.
  • Fourth Road will no longer provide access to the ED.

red puzzle piece Patients arriving at the ED via non-emergency vehicles will be routed as follows:

  • Patients will be directed, via prominent signage, to the small lot behind the Benedict Building, which will be accessible via a new entrance off South Road. The lot will be reconfigured for assisted self-parking, managed by valet parking attendants 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
  • Valet parking attendants will approach patients as they park and will ask for the keys, explaining that the car may need to be moved later. Keys will be kept in the valet’s shelter behind the Benedict Building. Patients will be advised to return to the shelter for keys when they leave the ED.
  • Patients will use the newly covered and well-marked walkway behind the Benedict Building to enter the ED; the ED entrance and triage will not change. Valet attendants will provide wheelchairs and other assistance as needed and will have telephone contact with the ED.

A new helipad for Life Flight has been constructed slightly to the south of the current landing site, although the access route from Life Flight to the ED has not changed significantly. 

Comments or questions about Campus Modernization?
Send them to campus.mod@umassmed.edu .