As construction activity continues to transform the Parnassus Heights campus, UCSF has launched a new Traffic Ambassador Program (TAP) to help maintain safe, reliable access for patients, visitors, employees, and emergency responders.
Since the program launched on August 3, 2026, one designated Traffic Ambassador has been stationed along Parnassus Avenue — from Fifth Avenue to Willard Street — weekdays from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., focusing on key areas such as hospital and Emergency Department access, valet operations, shuttle stops, and pedestrian crossings. TAP operates as an extension of the UCSF Real Estate Construction Logistics Management Program (CLMP), providing a visible on-the-ground presence to monitor traffic conditions, assist with wayfinding, and coordinate responses to access issues throughout the campus.
The program was developed in response to the increased complexity created by multiple concurrent construction projects, including the UCSF Health Helen Diller Hospital (HDH), the UCSF Barbara and Gerson Bakar Research and Academic Building (BRAB), and the Parnassus Central Campus Site Improvements program (PCCSI).
TAP will support the area during construction to improve accessibility for vehicle circulation, pedestrian movement, deliveries, shuttle operations, and emergency access. The Ambassador works in coordination with campus stakeholders, including Construction Logistics, Facilities Services, Parking and Transportation, hospital operations, UCPD, SFMTA, and project teams. Ambassadors do not have enforcement authority and are not a replacement for UCPD, SFPD, or SFMTA.
"Parnassus Avenue is one of the busiest and most critical transportation corridors on campus," said Aidan Grigg, Program Manager with Jacobs, a UCSF consultant, on the Construction Logistics team, supporting UCSF Real Estate’s Campus Design & Construction. “The Traffic Ambassador Program gives us a proactive way to identify issues before they become larger problems, helping protect access for patients, hospital operations, emergency services, and everyone who depends on the campus every day.”
Supporting the program is a UCSF-developed ArcGIS-based application that allows ambassadors to capture field observations in real time. The platform tracks traffic impacts, congestion, pedestrian hazards, and operational issues, generating actionable data to identify recurring hotspots, refine deployment strategies, and support data-driven decision-making.
"The technology behind the program allows us to move beyond simply responding to issues," Aidan said. "We're building a real-time understanding of how construction affects campus mobility so we can continually improve operations and support safer, more efficient access throughout Parnassus."
TAP at a Glance
A Traffic Ambassador is stationed along Parnassus Avenue — from Fifth Avenue to Willard Street — weekdays from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Ambassador's role is to improve accessibility along Parnassus Avenue, with a focus on key areas, such as hospital and Emergency Department access, valet operations, shuttle stops, and pedestrian crossings.
