Parking rumors addressed

WVU Medicine is committed to addressing the parking issue – for patients, visitors, and staff. While the solutions won’t occur immediately, leaders understand the frustrations that are being felt and are working hard to resolve this issue.

In the meantime, it’s important for staff to have the most up-to-date information about parking. Below are answers to some frequently-asked questions.

Are there plans to expand employee parking?

Yes. As construction projects evolve, more parking spaces should become available. There are multiple sites on the west side of J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital that may allow us to provide more campus parking for staff. We are also exploring some additional off-campus parking locations.

Are employees going to have to pay for parking?

No. Parking has been offered free-of-charge to all employees since Ruby Memorial opened in 1987 – and free parking will continue to be offered.

What are the parking options for new employees? 

If you are a new employee working at Ruby Memorial during a Monday-Friday day shift, you are required to park off site. If you work at an off-site building or work an off-shift schedule, including weekends and holidays, you may either park at the building where you work or at Ruby Memorial.

Will employee parking lots in front of Ruby Memorial be gated?

Yes, eventually. The plan is to install parking gates in 2017 to help control access to our limited employee parking spaces.

Will all parking lots in front of Ruby Memorial be reserved exclusively for patients and visitors?

No. There will continue to be limited employee, off-shift, resident, and vendor parking spaces located in the front of the hospital.

If there aren’t employee parking spaces available when I arrive to work in the morning, can I just park in the patient/visitor lots?

No. It’s important to plan on parking off-site if there are no employee spaces available, and leave those specific spaces for our patients and visitors. All parking areas are patrolled and regulations are enforced.

Are there special parking areas reserved for individual departments or non-union employees?

No single department or division has its own designated parking area. Also, union status does not factor into parking decisions and availability.

Do WVU Medicine employees who have an office at HSC pay for parking?

WVU Medicine employees who work in the HSC may enter their name on a waiting list for a space in Area 81, off Patteson Drive, near the WVU Mountaineer Station Parking Garage. WVU Medicine has a limited number of spots; the organization will pay for the spot. To initiate this process, contact the Security Department.

Is WVU Medicine going to build a new parking garage?

Options are being explored to build a single- or multi-level parking garage. Due to cost, regulations, and other factors, these plans are still in development and a decision has not been made.  

Are parking spaces available for employees to purchase?

Currently, the only spaces available are at the WVU Mountaineer Station Parking Garage, located off Patteson Drive. Those spaces are available at a rate of $55 a month. No additional employee spaces are available in the Gold-South garage, which is located adjacent to the Ruby Memorial Emergency Department.

If I have a paid parking space in the Gold-South Garage, will I lose that option one day?

No decision has been made. There are a lot of people who currently park in the garage, including patients and visitors to our Emergency Department, employees with a handicapped parking pass, employees with at least 35 years of service, and others. We’re continually exploring ways to accommodate the demands on our limited space.

How do we improve parking at the Operations Support Center (ROC 2)?

We are aware there are space issues at this location and we’re working on a solution. Details will be announced soon.

Does it really take 25-30 minutes to ride the shuttles to/from the off-site parking lots?

Not under normal circumstances. It should only take five or 10 minutes. The shuttles should leave the off-site lots when another shuttle arrives or when the shuttle fills to capacity. There could be uncontrollable factors that could extend these times, such as traffic, a traffic accident, and weather conditions.

For more parking information, including printable maps and information about the off-campus shuttle service, visit the WVU Medicine Department of Security’s web pages. For any questions that are not addressed by this list or found on the website, contact the Security Office at 74029.