Solar Eclipse Traffic Management at Highland Monday 4/8

With potentially 500,000 visitors coming to the Rochester region to view the total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8, Highland Hospital has worked closely with Monroe County Emergency Management, URMC, and other community partners to prepare. Potential issues could include substantial roadway congestion, a surge of patients presenting particularly in hospital emergency departments and urgent care centers, and limited cell phone service due to high usage.

Given these potential impacts, and in addition to actions within the hospital to support our goals of employee, patient and visitor safety and maintaining normal business operations, Highland has created a comprehensive traffic management plan. Highland neighbors should note the following:

• Only employees, visitors, patients and first responders will be allowed to enter the hospital campus on April 8.
• To avoid unapproved entry and direct traffic, Safety & Security stations will be located at all campus entrances and hospital entryways, including:
  • The main campus entrance on South Ave.
  • The North Lot campus entrance on Mt. Vernon Ave.
  • Main Lobby, Emergency Department, North Lot entrances.
  • The Southeast Tower entrance on Mt. Vernon Ave. The gate will be open for the day as an additional exit if needed for traffic flow.
• Security Officers will stop all motorists entering the campus to ensure access is limited to staff and providers with on-campus parking privileges, patients, and visitors.

To reduce traffic in the hospital’s front loop, the Alex Park Garage Shuttle Service will pick up and drop off staff in the North Lot on April 8 during normally scheduled times. The shuttle will enter the hospital campus from Mt. Vernon Ave. and exit on Rockingham Ave.

Ashley Cocquyt | 4/5/2024