Florida Construction News staff writer

Construction has started on an expansion of the emergency room ambulance bay at Bayfront Health St. Petersburg.The project will widen the ambulance bay ramp to better accommodate the hospital’s emergency services volumes and improve safety for patient uploading, according to a news release from Bayfront Health.

“As Pinellas County’s only level II trauma center, we’ve seen significant growth in emergency department volumes over time, hence the need for more space,” said Liz Lavelle, administrator of patient care. “When this project is completed, our bay will be expanded to provide for eight ambulances at a time instead of the current four.”

The hospital opened its newest emergency room in West St. Petersburg in June.

Bayfront Health Emergency Room – Crossroads includes a three-story, 42,000 square foot building with the 14,000 square foot emergency room located on the ground floor and space for future medical offices located on the second and third floors. The emergency room has 12 exam rooms, including two resuscitation rooms.

“Today we take an important step in expanding access to emergency services in St. Petersburg and Pinellas County,” John Moore, president of Bayfront Health said at a ribbon cutting ceremony June 14. “This facility is an example of the world-class care that patients of Bayfront Health have come to know.”