By Allison Wilson
UF&Shands is driving forward with an exciting initiative to improve the patient experience and increase the use of services in Gainesville by offering free parking for patients and their visitors.
Beginning Jan. 9, UF&Shands will offer complimentary parking for patients and their visitors, including clergy, volunteers and Auxiliary members, on the Gainesville campuses.
Free valet parking remains available for our emergency room patients at the Shands Critical Care Center, the Shands at UF Chest Pain E.R. and Shands Hospital for Children Pediatric E.R. For non-emergency valet, patients and their visitors will pay $3 when dropping off their cars, then turn in parking vouchers when they leave.
Free patient and patient visitor parking will be available in these garages and lots:
Garage 10 (East) — on the northeast corner of Archer Road and Newell Drive
Garage 2 (West) Levels 3 and 4 — on the northwest corner of Archer Road and Center Drive
Garage 3 (West) — adjacent to Wilmot Gardens on the northwest corner of Archer Road and Center Drive by Shands Medical Plaza
Shands Cancer Hospital visitor lot off Southwest 13th Street
UF Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine Institute visitor lot on Hull Road
Patients and their visitors must obtain a parking voucher from their provider’s office and present it to the parking attendant upon exiting the garage or lot. All others who use these visitor parking areas will be charged $10 per day, payable upon exit. This is an increase from the current $4 per day. Special guests may be given a parking voucher at the discretion of the department they are visiting.
For more information, please call UF Transportation and Parking Services at 352-392-PARK or 352-392-7275.
Photographer
Maria Belen Farias