Heart statue to be removed for additional parking spaces

ASHLAND, Ky. — For the past several weeks, work on a new emergency department at King’s Daughters Medical Center has been proceeding mostly behind the scenes.

But now, most of Bath Avenue between 22nd and 23rd streets will be permanently closed as work ramps up on the new project, slated to open in late 2024.

“We are excited to begin construction on our new Emergency and Imaging facility which will serve the needs of our community well into the future,” chief nursing officer and vice president for Patient Care Services Curtis Metzler said.

One of the main goals for the new emergency department is to keep lobby/waiting area volumes low.

Most patients will be assessed in a triage area.

Instead of returning to a lobby, they will proceed to a care initiation area.

This is where a provider will see and assess the patient, and order tests.

From there, the patient will move to either a “results pending” area, a care initiation area for needed treatment, and for patients who require more advanced care, they will move to a private treatment room.

The new Emergency and Imaging project is using local contractors as much as possible.

King’s Daughters construction manager Mike Layne estimates more than 300 construction jobs with skilled tradespeople, both local and regional, will be working on the Ashland campus.

Construction projects often can bring parking issues. At King’s Daughters, a small fleet of shuttles has been transporting patients, visitors and KDMC team members to their destinations on the Ashland campus since August.

Seven-day-a-week shuttle service for team members, patients and visitors runs every 10 minutes from lots J, K and L, from 5:30 a.m.-8 p.m.

More parking changes are coming soon, including at one of the most visible spots on campus.

Parking in front of Patient Tower II along 22nd Street is getting an upgrade.

By reworking how the lot is laid out and removing the heart statue, 32 spots, including additional handicapped spaces, will be added.

This change will bring a total of 89 parking spots at this location.

While construction takes place, the flagpoles in front of Tower II will be temporarily stored and later relocated near the new emergency department.