March 28, 2024

Major parking changes underway during Clarke County Hospital’s expansion

From early spring until mid-fall, be prepared to park in different areas than you’re used to at Clarke County Hospital.

With the hospital’s current expansion project beginning to take shape, a lot of changes are happening to the hospital, especially when it comes to parking.

“It’s going to be a very interesting time where a lot of our community members are going to feel very frustrated,” said Darby Brignac, Clarke County Hospital PR and marketing.

According to Brignac, Clarke County Hospital’s project is expanding to the south of the facility, which will affect the UnityPoint Clinic, specialty clinic, emergency room department and new lobby.

This means, from now until October, parking is going to be affected in one form or another.

The handicap ramp has also been affected. Currently, there is handicap accessibility through the cafeteria doors, but it isn’t automatic. There is also an option of using the main entrance located on the east side of the facility.

End of March

Starting March 30, all employees will be parking in the employee parking lot because clinic parking and other areas will be reduced.

“It’s going to be a little madhouse. Actually, no it’s not, because we’re going to have great signage,” Brignac said. “ … Change is always hard to get used to.”

Jackson Street will barricaded by the city to be residential traffic only.

“We’re having large equipment coming in and out to prepare this area,” Brignac said. “We decided that having people come in and then be like, oh wait, there’s no parking, turn around, is just way to much for them.”

The public will be told to park in the north lot or the east entrance.

Clinic concerns

Brignac said UnityPoint Clinic has had concerns because all of their parking is going to be gone during construction.

Patient visitor parking for the clinic will be in the facility’s north lot. Again, other parking will also be available in the east entrance.

“We’re trying to do our best to prepare the community on all these different changes,” Brignac said.