Previous Story

Next Story

Campus Improvements To Affect Parking, Future Crunch Seen

On the Front Page...
The planning, design and construction teams of the Division of Engineering Services within the Office of Research Services are making long anticipated -- and needed -- projects a reality for NIH. Projects to improve campus infrastructure, construction associated with Bldg. 10 and the future Clinical Research Center, and a new Consolidated Laboratory Facility are in the works. The impact of these projects will be felt by NIH employees and visitors driving and parking on the Bethesda campus over the next several months and years.

Continued...

The National Capital Planning Commission and the Montgomery County Planning Board, which have been monitoring NIH's Transportation Management Program (TMP), have repeatedly asked that NIH reduce its parking supply to conform with federally mandated limits. Campus-wide, there are currently about 9,000 spaces for 15,800 employees or a little over half a space (0.57 space) per employee. This exceeds the maximum allowable parking ratio of 0.50 space per employee for federal installations in the area by about 1,100 spaces. The commitment to reduce excess parking was also incorporated in the NIH Master Plan for the Bethesda campus as a condition of approval by the reviewing agencies.

Anticipating the cumulative effect of upcoming construction on the campus parking supply, ORS decided to leave open a number of temporary parking lots across campus that were to have been removed upon completion of the multi-level parking garage MLP-8 and the Natcher Bldg. parking garage. In addition, parking spaces located within the campus perimeter buffer zone will be retained as long as necessary to alleviate the impact of parking supply shrinking faster than the demand can be offset by TMP measures. Although NIH has been highly successful through its TMP efforts in reducing the number of peak hour vehicle trips in and out of the campus by about 30 percent since 1992, it is still necessary to retain temporary and buffer spaces to help mitigate the impact of construction projects.

Parking lots currently underutilized that can be used by NIH employees include Lots 41A, 41B, 41C and temporary Lot T1 at the south end of campus. Regular campus shuttle service is provided from these lots throughout the day.

ORS also leases 130 parking spaces in Garage 57 in Bethesda and up to 150 NIH cars can park at Mid-Pike Plaza on Rockville Pike at Montrose Rd. Regular shuttle service to the campus is provided from these lots. Another 150 spaces at the Shady Grove Station and 25 spaces at the New Carrollton Station are earmarked for NIH'ers who can park free and ride Metro.

Employees with renewed interest in the NIH Transhare program can contact the Employee Transportation Services Office (ETSO) at 2-7433 or stop by Bldg. 31, Rm. B3B04. This program promotes use of public transportation by providing participants with a $42 monthly subsidy. ETSO can also provide assistance in establishing car pools through the Ridefinders network.

ORS is assessing the total effects of the construction projects on campus circulation, traffic and parking in an effort to mitigate negative impacts. Advance notice of all road or pedestrian rerouting and parking lot closures will be posted at the respective sites. As employees gear up for a renewed parking crunch on the Bethesda campus, ORS will continue to inform NIH'ers on details of upcoming projects, their impacts and available alternatives to driving alone to campus.

Highlights of Major Projects Under Way

Construction on the Utility Tunnel Expansion Project started recently with the fencing-in of a staging and construction area at the intersection of South Dr. and Service Rd. West (NE corner of parking lot 10H south of Bldg. 10). Under this project, two sections of new underground utility tunnel, totaling approximately 2,000 linear feet, will be constructed linking to the existing tunnels. The construction is phased in increments to ensure uninterrupted operations and the least disruption possible. Roadways and pedestrian pathways will be maintained throughout the construction period, which is expected to extend through 1998. Parking that will be affected includes temporary closure of 26 spaces in the NE corner of lot 13C (September 1996 to January 1997) and temporary closure of 75 parking spaces in lot 10C (February to November 1997).

The Clinical Center Essential Maintenance and Safety Program is designed to restore infrastructure systems and correct life safety problems in Bldg. 10. These improvements will keep the building operational over the next 10 to 15 years while the Clinical Research Center is constructed and a phased renewal of the remaining building can take place. The project calls for new mechanical units to be constructed on the roof of Bldg. 10 and restoration of the entire HVAC systems in the Clinical Center. The contract has been awarded and construction should begin by the end of September. The trailer staging and construction laydown area will be located at the SE corner of lot 10K (off of Center Dr. near Old Georgetown Rd.) and will result in the closure of approximately 50 spaces beginning in mid-September for up to 3 years. An additional 20-30 spaces could be required beginning in 1997 for staging areas of other infrastructure projects related to Bldg. 10.

The contract for the Clinical Center Parking Garage Restoration Project in Bldg. 10 was recently awarded and construction is expected to begin within 2 months. The main focus of this project is to repair deteriorated concrete decking. The existing surface will be removed by using a robotics high-pressure water system. This will help keep noise and vibration inside the building to a minimum. Once this is completed, new epoxy-coated steel reinforcement will be installed and a new concrete finish surface will then be placed. While phased construction over 2 to 3 years will help minimize the number of parking spaces disturbed at any time, up to 400 spaces per phase will be affected. This includes about 25 spaces in temporary lot T5 on Convent Dr., which will be used for the construction staging area.

The Consolidated Laboratory Facility (CLF), which is currently under design, is planned to replace the obsolete laboratory Bldgs. 2, 3 and 7. Also known as Bldg. 50, this new research building will include laboratories, animal facilities and administrative space and will house about 490 research personnel in 240,000 gross square feet of space. The CLF will be located in the SW corner of the intersection of South and Center Drives, at the site of parking lot 13C. When construction begins in May 1997, this will result in the permanent removal of 315 spaces from the campus parking supply. The design intends to maintain service parking and emergency access to the surrounding buildings both in the interim construction period (estimated through 1999) as well as in the long term.

The long awaited renewal of the Clinical Center will begin with the construction of the Clinical Research Center (CRC). This project will add a new research hospital to the north of the existing Bldg. 10 comprising 250 beds and associated laboratories in approximately 850,000 gross square feet of space. Site projects that must be completed before construction can begin include creation of a temporary drop-off and entrance at the south of Bldg. 10 to replace the current entrance to the ACRF, and the relocation of Center Dr. to the north. The existing roadway systems will remain operational throughout these projects. Construction of the south entrance is expected to begin in the summer of 1997. Relocation of Center Dr. and other site work for the CRC will begin later in 1997. It will result in the closure of most of parking lots 20A, B, C and T4 north of Bldg. 10 and the loss of about 400 spaces. These spaces will eventually be replaced at the completion of the CRC, currently scheduled for the end of 2001.

A number of other projects with smaller direct impacts on parking supply are scheduled in and around Bldg. 10. The largest of these is a new Fire Station that will provide the NIH Fire Department a state-of-the-art facility for its emergency response vehicles, living quarters for the fire fighters, and adequate space for emergency response training. Finally, projects to replace equipment and expand the Power Plant at the center of campus are scheduled to begin in 1997. All these projects will require staging and laydown areas and will also affect the roadway circulation through portions of the site. Additional parking space loss could result from these projects.