Construction begins on Bayfront Health St. Petersburg’s ambulance bay
By Breanne Williams
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Jul 7, 2023

Construction has begun on the expansion of the ambulance bay at Bayfront Health St. Petersburg’s emergency room.

The new project will widen the ambulance bay ramp to “better accommodate” emergency services volume and “make it safer for patient unloading,” according to Bayfront Health. The existing ramp will not be affected through the first phase of construction.

“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,” Liz Lavelle, administrator of patient care for Bayfront Health St. Petersburg, said in a release. “When this project is completed, our bay will be expanded to provide for eight ambulances at a time instead of the current four."

Construction will disrupt traffic in the area, including part of Sixth Avenue South, eastbound through September. The westbound side will not be impacted.

The expansion is expected to be complete next summer. It does not impact the adjacent emergency department. Bayfront Health St. Petersburg has 480 beds.

In October 2020 it was acquired by Orlando Health. The hospital’s services include: “heart and vascular, surgical services, rehabilitation services, neurosciences, maternity care and — as home to the only state-accredited Level Two Adult Trauma Center in the St. Petersburg region — emergency services and trauma care.”

In total, Orlando Health has 3,238 beds in its system, including 23 hospitals and emergency departments — 18 of which are currently in operation and five coming soon. The system also has nine specialty institutes and more than 60 outpatient facilities.