Patient and visitor parking changes take effect Dec. 1
On Dec. 1, Yale New Haven Hospital is scheduled to implement changes to patient and visitor parking that include more designated short-term spaces, some lower short-term, self-parking rates and additional handicapped parking.
“These changes should also positively impact those patients who choose to valet park,” said Dean Caruso, executive director, Support Services and Sustainability.
Caruso noted that 34,000 cars a month have been parked by valets, including some employees’ cars. Patients and visitors have often been directed to use valet parking due to a shortage of self-park options. Because of the volume, some patients and visitors who are leaving the hospital have to wait longer to get their cars back from the valet.
Also on Dec. 1, Yale New Haven Hospital will no longer supply parking validations for patients or visitors.
“We found more than 100 variations in the criteria different departments use to determine who should receive parking validation,” said Joan Kelly, Yale New Haven Health chief experience officer. “This caused confusion and dissatisfaction for patients.”
She and Caruso emphasized that YNHH does not own the Air Rights Garage or most other New Haven parking facilities the hospital uses. The hospital also contracts with a private company to provide valet parking.
“We would love to provide free parking for all patients and visitors, but we’re not able to do that,” Kelly said. “These changes are designed to provide more parking options for our patients and visitors, and lower rates for some of those options.”
Some parking arrangements will not change. The hospital will continue offering long-term patient/visitor parking at discounted rates. Patients who expect to be hospitalized for more than one week should discuss discounted parking options for family members with their social worker.
Hospital parking rates for employees, which were reduced earlier this year, will not be affected.
Parking changes scheduled to take effect Dec. 1 include:
York Street Campus changes
- YNHH will lease spaces on floors 4, 6 and 8 of the Air Rights Garage on York Street for short-term patient and visitor parking.
- New short-term parking rates for floors 4, 6 and 8 in the Air Rights Garage will be $1 per hour up to seven hours, and $20 after that, for up to 24 hours. (Parking rates for the rest of the garage start at $3 per hour, up to $18 total for 10 to 24 hours.)
- Current valet parking rates will remain the same, except for anyone parking for over seven hours. Parking for over seven hours to 24 hours will be $25.
- Patient-only Emergency Department parking is free for up to three hours in lot #1, at the corner of Howard and Davenport avenues. Patients should first see the parking attendant at the ED entrance for a ticket to lot #1. After three hours, vehicle owners will be charged the short-term parking rate ($1 per hour for four to seven hours; $20 for over seven to 24 hours). If ED patients are admitted to the hospital, staff are encouraged to ask them to have a family member pick up their car from lot #1 so they don’t have to continue paying for parking.
- Smilow street parking, for Radiation Oncology patients only, will not change.
Saint Raphael Campus changes
- New, short-term parking rates for the George Street and Orchard Street garages will be $1 per hour up to seven hours, and $20 after that, for up to 24 hours (replacing the current rates, which start at $3 per hour, up to $18 total for 10 to 24 hours).
- Patient-only Emergency Department parking is free for up to three hours in designated ED spaces in the George Street Garage. After three hours, vehicle owners will be charged the short-term parking rate. If ED patients are admitted to the hospital, staff are encouraged to ask them to have a family member pick up their car so they don’t have to continue paying for parking.
- The McGivney Surgery Center parking lot will continue to be available for surgery patients only.
YNHH departments will receive information to help them communicate these changes to patients and families. For more information about parking, visit
ynhh.org or contact Rodney Slaughter, director, Parking, Transportation and Photo ID:
[email protected].
