Getting to Medical Center University on football game days

Best option: Most patients and all hospital visitors should come down Newton Road from the north and use the roundabout to access Hospital Drive. This will get you to Parking Ramps 1 and 2, the Main Entrance, or the Stead Family Children’s Hospital main entrance.

To get to the Emergency Department: Come up Grand Avenue from the east and take a right at the roundabout.

Labor and delivery patients: Drive south on Newton Road and use the roundabout to access Hospital Drive and enter the hospital campus. Follow posted signage to Parking Ramp 2 and take the ramp Elevator South to ground level (G) to enter through the Stead Family Children Hospital.

In an emergency

Emergency vehicles (both ambulances and individual cars) needing access to the Emergency Department should use Riverside Drive and Grand Avenue.

Parking 

Non-emergency traffic should park in Parking Ramps 1 or 2. These are reserved for patients and hospital visitors (no football fans). 

Restricted roads

• Hawkins Drive and Hawkeye Wave Way will be closed to non-emergency traffic from about two and a half hours before kickoff until two hours after the game ends. These roads may be closed earlier if team buses arrive more than two hours before the game.
• Melrose Avenue will be closed to non-emergency traffic one hour before kickoff and approximately two hours after the game ends.

More tips

• It’s worth repeating: Avoid Melrose Avenue especially during the hours leading up to the game.
• If possible, come to the hospital after the game starts.
• After the game, traffic on Hawkins Drive is northbound only, and Melrose Avenue is westbound only. Avoid coming in on those roads within an hour after the end of the game.
• Visitors should enter the hospital through the Main Entrance, as all other entrances will be locked for safety. However, the Emergency Department entrance will be staffed by security who will allow you to enter if needed.
• For anyone who comes to the hospital’s Main Entrance needing to get to the Emergency Department, an escort will be provided (if the patient can safely be moved), or if needed, emergency personnel will be immediately called to the Main Entrance. 

Employees 

Are you a UI Health Care faculty, staff member, or volunteer working on a game-day? Visit the Parking and Transportation website for your parking information.

More information

For a full hospital map and to learn more about parking, visit uihc.org/parking-and-map.

Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.:

• UI Parking and Transportation: 1-319-335-1475
• Safety and Security: 1-319-356-2658
• UI Health Care Concierge Services: 1-319-356-1900
• Campus Safety: 1-319-335-5022

After 5 p.m. and on weekends:

• UI Parking and Transportation: 1-319-335-8312

2026 Saturday home game days

• Sept. 5: Iowa vs. Northern Illinois
• Sept. 12: Iowa vs. Iowa State
• Sept. 19: Iowa vs. University of Northern Iowa
• Oct. 3: Iowa vs. Ohio State
• Oct. 31: Iowa vs. Wisconsin
• Nov. 14: Iowa vs. Purdue
• Nov. 27: Iowa vs. Nebraska

The full football game day schedule — including start times — can be found at hawkeyesports.com.